By those [winds] sent forth in gusts

The surah opens with a powerful oath, and surahs that begin with oaths require deep contemplation to understand properly.

The word ‎ٱلۡمُرۡسَلَٰتِ‎ comes from the root ‎أَرۡسَلَ‎, meaning “to send” or “to release.” The feminine plural form ‎مُرۡسَلَات‎ is used here because it describes non-human entities.

Most commentators explain the first five ayahs as describing the winds. When the winds do not come, people’s hearts soften out of fear of famine and they seek Allah’s forgiveness. They thank Him because He sends rain by means of the winds. At other times, when the winds come as a storm, they turn back to Allah in fear of destruction. Some commentators say these five ayahs speak of the angels. Others hold that the first three ayahs describe the winds and the following two describe the angels.

The most convincing interpretation is that this refers to the winds that Allah has released.

The word ‎عُرۡفًا‎ originally describes the mane of a horse, specifically the hair on the back of a horse’s neck.

With a domesticated horse, you control it using reins, a saddle, and a rope. But with a wild horse, if you want to pull it back and slow it down, the only thing you can grab is the mane.

The imagery here is striking: these winds are being compared to wild horses whose manes have been released.

When someone holds the mane tightly, the horse remains calm, producing a gentle breeze.

But when Allah lets go of those reins and releases the mane, these winds transform into something powerful and uncontrollable.