We sent forth the winds that fecundate. We cause the water to descend from the sky. We provide you with the water-you (could) not be the guardians of its reserves (15:22)

There are two possible interpretations of this last verse. The fecundating winds may be taken to be the fertilizers of plants because they carry pollen. This may, however, be a figurative expression referring by analogy to the role the wind plays in the process whereby a non-raincarrying cloud is turned into one that produces a shower of rain. This role is often referred to, as in the following verses:

God is the One Who sends forth the winds which raised up the clouds. We drive them to a dead land. Therewith We revive the ground after its death. So will be the Resurrection (35:9)

God is the One Who sends forth the winds which raised up the clouds. He spreads them in the sky as He wills and breaks them into fragments. Then thou seest raindrops issuing from within them. He makes them reach such of His servants as He wills. And they are rejoicing (30:48)

(God) is the One Who sends forth the winds like heralds of His Mercy. When they have carried the heavy-laden clouds, We drive them to a dead land. Then We cause water to descend and thereby bring forth fruits of every kind. Thus We will bring forth the dead. Maybe you will remember (7:57)

(God) is the One Who sends forth the winds like heralds of His Mercy. We cause pure water to descend in order to revive a dead land with it and to supply with drink the multitude of cattle and human beings We have created (25:48-49)

. . In the provision that God sends down from the sky and thereby He revives the ground after its death and in the change (of direction) of winds, there are Signs for people who are wise (45:5)

The provision made in this last verse is in the form of the water sent down from the sky, as the context shows. The accent is on the change of the winds that modify the rain cycle.

(God) sends water down from the sky so that the rivers flow according to their measure. The torrent bears away an increasing foam (13:17)

Say (O Prophet), Do you see if your water were to be lost in the ground, who then can supply you with gushing water? (67:30)

Hast thou not seen that God sent water down from the sky and led it through sources into the ground? Then He caused sown fields of different colors to grow (39:21)

The importance of springs and the way they are fed by rainwater conducted into them is stressed here. It is worth mentioning that according to Aristotle, springs were fed by underground lakes. In his entry on Hydrology M.R. Remenieras, a teacher at the French National School of Agronomy, describes the main stages of hydrology and refers to the magnificent irrigation works of the ancients, particularly in the Middle East and notes an empirical outlook ruled over everything, since the ideas of the time proceeded from mistaken concepts. He continues as follows: "It was not until the Renaissance (between circa 1400 and 1600) that purely philosophical concepts gave way to research based on the objective observation of hydrologic phenomena. Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) rebelled against Aristotle's statements. Bernard Palissy, in his Wonderful discourse on the nature of waters and fountains both natural and artificial gives a correct interpretation of the water cycle and especially of the way springs are fed by rainwater." This statement is surely according to what is mentioned in the following verse describing the way rainwater is conducted into sources in the ground:

Seest thou not that God sends down rain from the sky, and leads it through springs in the earth? Then He causes to grow, therewith, produce of various colours: then it withers; thou wilt see it grow yellow; then He makes it dry up and crumble away. Truly, in this, is a Message of remembrance to men of understanding (39:21)

The following passage requires some comment:
See ye the water, which ye drink? Do ye bring it down (in rain) from the cloud or do We? Were it Our Will, We could make it salty (and unpalatable): then why do ye not give thanks? (56:68-70)

This reference to the fact that God could have made fresh water salty is a way of expressing divine Omnipotence. Another means of reminding us of the same Omnipotence is the challenge to man to make rain fall from the clouds. In modern times though technology has surely made it possible to create rain artificially, one must take account of man's limitations in this field. M.A. Facy, an expert at the French Meteorological Office observed: "It will never be possible to make rain fall from a cloud that does not have the suitable characteristics of a rain cloud or one that has not yet reached the appropriate stage of evolution (maturity)". Man can never therefore hasten the precipitation process by technical means when the natural conditions for it are not present. If this were not the case, droughts would never occur in any region. To have control over rain and fine weather still remains a dream. Man cannot willfully break the established cycle that maintains the circulation of water in nature. This cycle may be outlined as follows, according to modern ideas on hydrology.

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