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Ayah
Word by Word
وَمَا
And not
يَسۡتَوِي
are alike
ٱلۡبَحۡرَانِ
the two seas
هَٰذَا
This
عَذۡبٞ
(is) fresh
فُرَاتٞ
sweet
سَآئِغٞ
pleasant
شَرَابُهُۥ
its drink
وَهَٰذَا
and this
مِلۡحٌ
salty
أُجَاجٞۖ
(and) bitter
وَمِن
And from
كُلّٖ
each
تَأۡكُلُونَ
you eat
لَحۡمٗا
meat
طَرِيّٗا
fresh
وَتَسۡتَخۡرِجُونَ
and you extract
حِلۡيَةٗ
ornaments
تَلۡبَسُونَهَاۖ
you wear them
وَتَرَى
and you see
ٱلۡفُلۡكَ
the ships
فِيهِ
in it
مَوَاخِرَ
cleaving
لِتَبۡتَغُواْ
so that you may seek
مِن
of
فَضۡلِهِۦ
His Bounty
وَلَعَلَّكُمۡ
and that you may
تَشۡكُرُونَ
be grateful
وَمَا
And not
يَسۡتَوِي
are alike
ٱلۡبَحۡرَانِ
the two seas
هَٰذَا
This
عَذۡبٞ
(is) fresh
فُرَاتٞ
sweet
سَآئِغٞ
pleasant
شَرَابُهُۥ
its drink
وَهَٰذَا
and this
مِلۡحٌ
salty
أُجَاجٞۖ
(and) bitter
وَمِن
And from
كُلّٖ
each
تَأۡكُلُونَ
you eat
لَحۡمٗا
meat
طَرِيّٗا
fresh
وَتَسۡتَخۡرِجُونَ
and you extract
حِلۡيَةٗ
ornaments
تَلۡبَسُونَهَاۖ
you wear them
وَتَرَى
and you see
ٱلۡفُلۡكَ
the ships
فِيهِ
in it
مَوَاخِرَ
cleaving
لِتَبۡتَغُواْ
so that you may seek
مِن
of
فَضۡلِهِۦ
His Bounty
وَلَعَلَّكُمۡ
and that you may
تَشۡكُرُونَ
be grateful
Translation
Nor are the two bodies of flowing water alike,- the one palatable, sweet, and pleasant to drink, and the other, salt and bitter. Yet from each (kind of water) do ye eat flesh fresh and tender, and ye extract ornaments to wear; and thou seest the ships therein that plough the waves, that ye may seek (thus) of the Bounty of Allah that ye may be grateful.
Tafsir
Nor are the two [kinds of] seas alike: this one is extremely sweet, pleasant to drink and that one is salty, extremely bitter. Yet from each, of the two, you eat fresh meat, namely, fish, and obtain, from the salt - and it is also said, from both of them - ornaments which you wear, namely, pearls and coral. And you see, you sight, the ships therein, in each of the two [seas], ploughing through (mawaakhira, in other words, tamkhuru'l-maa'a, meaning, 'it cleaves it as it makes its way through it, coming and going by the same wind) that you may seek of His bounty, exalted be He, through commerce, and that perhaps you may give thanks, to God for this [bounty].
Evidence of Life after Death
Allah says,
وَاللَّهُ الَّذِي أَرۡسَلَ الرِّيَاحَ فَتُثِيرُ سَحَابًا فَسُقۡنَاهُ إِلَى بَلَدٍ مَّيِّتٍ فَأَحۡيَيۡنَا بِهِ الاۡاَرۡضَ بَعۡدَ مَوۡتِهَا
كَذَلِكَ النُّشُورُ
And it is Allah Who sends the winds, so that they raise up the clouds, and We drive them to a dead land, and revive therewith the earth after its death. As such (will be) the Resurrection!
Often Allah refers to the Resurrection by using the analogy of the earth coming back to life after it has died, as in the beginning of Surah Al-Hajj, where He urges His servants to draw the lesson of the former from the latter. For the earth is dead and lifeless, with nothing growing in it, then He sends to it clouds which bring water, which He sends down upon it,
اهۡتَزَّتۡ وَرَبَتۡ وَأَنبَتَتۡ مِن كُلِّ زَوۡجٍ بَهِيجٍ
(it is stirred (to life), and it swells and puts forth every lovely kind (of growth)) (22:5). So too, when Allah wishes to resurrect the bodies, He will send rain from beneath the Throne which will cover the whole earth, and the bodies will grow in their graves like seeds grow in the earth.
It says in the Sahih:
كُلُّ ابۡنِ ادَمَ يَبۡلَى إِلاَّ عَجۡبُ الذَّنَبِ مِنۡهُ خُلِقَ وَمِنۡهُ يُرَكَّب
Every part of the son of Adam will disintegrate apart from the coccyx, from which he was created and from him he will be made anew.
Allah says:
كَذَلِكَ النُّشُورُ
(As such (will be) the Resurrection!),
According to the Hadith of Abu Razin:
I said, O Messenger of Allah, how will Allah bring the dead back to life?
What is the sign of that in His creation?
He said:
يَا أَبَا رَزِينٍ أَمَا مَرَرۡتَ بِوَادِي قَوۡمِكَ مُمۡحِلًا ثُمَّ مَرَرۡتَ بِهِ يَهۡتَزُّ خَضِرًا
O Abu Razin, do you not pass through the valley of your people (and see it) arid and barren, then you pass through it (and see it) stirred (to life) and green!
I said, `Yes.'
He said:
فَكَذَلِكَ يُحۡيِي اللهُ الۡمَوۡتَى
Thus will Allah bring the dead back to life.
Honor, Power and Glory in this World and in the Hereafter come only by obeying Allah
Allah says,
مَن كَانَ يُرِيدُ الۡعِزَّةَ فَلِلَّهِ الۡعِزَّةُ جَمِيعًا
Whosoever desires Al-`Izzah then to Allah belongs all Al-`Izzah.
means, whoever desires honor, power and glory in this world and the next, let him be obedient towards Allah, may He be exalted. This will help him reach his goal, for Allah is the Sovereign of this world and the Hereafter, and to Him belong all honor, power and glory.
This is like the Ayat:
الَّذِينَ يَتَّخِذُونَ الۡكَـفِرِينَ أَوۡلِيَأءَ مِن دُونِ الۡمُوۡمِنِينَ أَيَبۡتَغُونَ عِندَهُمُ الۡعِزَّةَ فَإِنَّ العِزَّةَ للَّهِ جَمِيعاً
Those who take disbelievers for protectors instead of believers, do they seek Al-`Izzah with them? Verily, then to Allah belongs all honor, power and glory. (4:139)
وَلَا يَحۡزُنكَ قَوۡلُهُمۡ إِنَّ الۡعِزَّةَ للَّهِ جَمِيعاً
And let not their speech grieve you, for all Al-`Izzah belongs to Allah. (10:65)
وَلِلَّهِ الۡعِزَّةُ وَلِرَسُولِهِ وَلِلۡمُوۡمِنِينَ وَلَـكِنَّ الۡمُنَـفِقِينَ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ
But Al-`Izzah belongs to Allah, and to His Messenger, and to the believers, but the hypocrites know not. (63:8)
Mujahid said:
مَن كَانَ يُرِيدُ الۡعِزَّةَ
(Whosoever desires Al-`Izzah) means, by worshipping idols,
فَإِنَّ العِزَّةَ للَّهِ جَمِيعاً
(then to Allah belongs Al-`Izzah).
مَن كَانَ يُرِيدُ الۡعِزَّةَ فَلِلَّهِ الۡعِزَّةُ جَمِيعًا
Whosoever desires Al-`Izzah then to Allah belongs Al-`Izzah. means,
let him seek honor, power and glory through obeying Allah, may He be glorified.
Righteous Deeds ascend to Allah
Allah says,
إِلَيۡهِ يَصۡعَدُ الۡكَلِمُ الطَّيِّبُ
To Him ascend the good words,
means, words of remembrance, recitation of Qur'an, and supplications.
This was the view of more than one of the Salaf.
Ibn Jarir recorded that Al-Mukhariq bin Sulaym said that Abdullah bin Mas`ud, may Allah be pleased with him, said to them,
If we tell you a Hadith, we will bring you proof of it from the Book of Allah. When the Muslim servants says, `Glory and praise be to Allah, there is no god worthy of worship except Allah, Allah is Most Great and blessed be Allah,' an angel takes these words and puts them under his wing, then he ascends with them to the heaven. He does not take them past any group of angels but they seek forgiveness for the one who said them, until he brings them before Allah, may He be glorified.
Then Abdullah, may Allah be pleased with him, recited:
إِلَيۡهِ يَصۡعَدُ الۡكَلِمُ الطَّيِّبُ وَالۡعَمَلُ الصَّالِحُ يَرۡفَعُهُ
To Him ascend the good words, and the righteous deeds exalt it.
Imam Ahmad recorded that An-Nu`man bin Bashir, may Allah be pleased with him, said,
The Messenger of Allah said:
الَّذِينَ يَذۡكُرُونَ اللهَ مِنۡ جَلَلِ اللهِ مِنۡ تَسۡبِيحِهِ وَتَكۡبِيرِهِ وَتَحۡمِيدِهِ وَتَهۡلِيلِهِ يَتَعَاطَفۡنَ حَوۡلَ الۡعَرۡشِ لَهُنَّ دَوِيٌّ كَدَوِيِّ النَّحۡلِ يَذۡكُرۡنَ بِصَاحِبِهِنَّ أَلَا يُحِبُّ أَحَدُكُمۡ أَنۡ لَا يَزَالَ لَهُ عِنۡدَ اللهِ شَيۡءٌ يُذَكِّرُ بِه
Those who remember Allah and glory Allah by saying,
`Glory be to Allah, Allah is most Great, all praise is due to Allah and La ilaha illallah,
these words go around the Throne buzzing like bees, mentioning those who said them. Would one of you not like to have something with Allah mentioning him.
This was also recorded by Ibn Majah.
وَالۡعَمَلُ الصَّالِحُ يَرۡفَعُهُ
and the righteous deeds exalt it.
Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said,
The good word is the remembrance of Allah, may He be exalted, which is taken up to Allah, and the righteous deed is the performance of obligatory duties.
Whoever remembers Allah when doing an obligatory duty, his deed carries his remembrance of Allah and takes it up to Allah, may He be exalted.
Whoever remembers Allah and does not perform the obligatory duties, his words will be rejected, as will his deed.
وَالَّذِينَ يَمۡكُرُونَ السَّيِّيَاتِ
but those who plot evils,
Mujahid, Said bin Jubayr and Shahr bin Hawshab said,
This refers to those who show off by their actions, i.e., they deceive the people by giving the impression that they are obeying Allah, when in fact they are hated by Allah for showing off.
Allah says:
لَهُمۡ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ وَمَكۡرُ أُوۡلَيِكَ هُوَ يَبُورُ
theirs will be severe torment. And the plotting of such will perish.
meaning, it will fail and vanish, for their reality is apparent from up close to those who have insight and wisdom. No one conceals a secret but Allah will cause it to become known, on his face or by a slip of the tongue, or He will cause the person to wear it like a cloak (so that everyone will see it). If it is good, then the consequences will be good, and if it is bad, then the consequences will be bad. The person who shows off cannot continue to deceive anyone but the fool, but the believers who have insight are not deceived by that; from up close, they soon discover it. And nothing at all can be hidden from the Knower of the Unseen (Allah).
Allah is the Creator and Knower of the Unseen
Allah tells;
وَاللَّهُ خَلَقَكُم مِّن تُرَابٍ ثُمَّ مِن نُّطۡفَةٍ
And Allah did create you from dust, then from Nutfah,
means, He initiated the creation of your father Adam from dust, then He created his offspring from semen of worthless water.
ثُمَّ جَعَلَكُمۡ أَزۡوَاجًا
then He made you pairs.
means, male and female, as a kindness and a mercy from Him, He gave you partners from your own kind, that you may find repose in them.
وَمَا تَحۡمِلُ مِنۡ أُنثَى وَلَا تَضَعُ إِلاَّ بِعِلۡمِهِ
And no female conceives or gives birth but with His knowledge.
means, He knows about that and nothing is hidden from Him at all, but,
وَمَا تَسۡقُطُ مِن وَرَقَةٍ إِلاَّ يَعۡلَمُهَا وَلَا حَبَّةٍ فِى ظُلُمَـتِ الاٌّرۡضِ وَلَا رَطۡبٍ وَلَا يَابِسٍ إِلاَّ فِى كِتَـبٍ مُّبِينٍ
not a leaf falls, but He knows it. There is not a grain in the darkness of the earth nor anything fresh or dry, but is written in a Clear Record. (6:59)
We have already discussed in this respect in the Ayah:
اللَّهُ يَعۡلَمُ مَا تَحۡمِلُ كُلُّ أُنثَى وَمَا تَغِيضُ الاٌّرۡحَامُ وَمَا تَزۡدَادُ وَكُلُّ شَىۡءٍ عِندَهُ بِمِقۡدَارٍ
عَـلِمُ الۡغَيۡبِ وَالشَّهَـدَةِ الۡكَبِيرُ الۡمُتَعَالِ
Allah knows what every female bears, and by how much the wombs fall short or exceed. Everything with Him is in (due) proportion. All-Knower of the unseen and the seen, the Most Great, the Most High. (13:8-9)
وَمَا يُعَمَّرُ مِن مُّعَمَّرٍ وَلَا يُنقَصُ مِنۡ عُمُرِهِ إِلاَّ فِي كِتَابٍ
And no aged man is granted a length of life nor is a part cut off from his life, but is in a Book.
means, some of those sperm are granted a long life, which He knows and it is recorded with Him in the First Book.
وَلَا يُنقَصُ مِنۡ عُمُرِهِ
(nor is a part cut off from his life), Here the pronoun (his) refers to mankind in general, not to a specific person, because the long life which is recorded in the Book and is known by Allah will not be cut off.
It was reported via Al-Awfi that Ibn Abbas said concerning the Ayah,
وَمَا يُعَمَّرُ مِن مُّعَمَّرٍ وَلَا يُنقَصُ مِنۡ عُمُرِهِ إِلاَّ فِي كِتَابٍ
إِنَّ ذَلِكَ عَلَى اللَّهِ يَسِيرٌ
And no aged man is granted a length of life nor is a part cut off from his life, but is in a Book. Surely, that is easy for Allah.
There is no one for whom Allah has decreed a long life but he will reach the age that has been decreed for him. When he reaches the time that has been decreed for him, he will not surpass it. And there is no one for whom Allah has decreed a short life but it will end when he reaches the age that has been decreed for him.
Allah says:
وَلَا يُنقَصُ مِنۡ عُمُرِهِ إِلاَّ فِي كِتَابٍ
إِنَّ ذَلِكَ عَلَى اللَّهِ يَسِيرٌ
nor is a part cut off from his life, but is in a Book. Surely, that is easy for Allah.
He said, That is recorded in a Book with Him.
This was also the view of Ad-Dahhak bin Muzahim.
On the other hand, some of them said,
The phrase
وَمَا يُعَمَّرُ مِن مُّعَمَّر
(And no aged man is granted a length of life) means, what He decrees for him of life, and
وَمَا يُعَمَّرُ مِن مُّعَمَّر
(nor is a part cut off from his life) means, his time is constantly decreasing.
All of this is known to Allah year after year, month after month, week after week, day after day, hour after hour. Everything is written with Allah in His Book.
This was reported by Ibn Jarir from Abu Malik, and was also the view of As-Suddi and Ata Al-Khurasani.
In the Tafsir of this Ayah, An-Nasa'i recorded that Anas bin Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, said,
I heard the Messenger of Allah say:
مَنۡ سَرَّهُ أَنۡ يُبۡسَطَ لَهُ فِي رِزۡقِهِ وَيُنۡسَأَ لَهُ فِي أَثَرِهِ فَلۡيَصِلۡ رَحِمَه
Whoever would like to have ample provision and a long life, let him uphold the ties of kinship.
It was also recorded by Al-Bukhari, Muslim and Abu Dawud.
إِنَّ ذَلِكَ عَلَى اللَّهِ يَسِيرٌ
Surely, that is easy for Allah.
means, that is very easy for Him, and He has detailed knowledge of all His creation, for His knowledge encompasses all things, and nothing at all is hidden from Him
The Blessings and Signs of Allah
Allah says,
وَمَا يَسۡتَوِي الۡبَحۡرَانِ هَذَا عَذۡبٌ فُرَاتٌ سَايِغٌ شَرَابُهُ
And the two seas (kinds of water) are not alike:this is palatable, sweet and pleasant to drink,
Allah says, pointing out His mighty power in creating different things, how He has created the two seas (kinds of water). The fresh, palatable sea (kind of water) refers to the rivers which flow among people, rivers great and small according to people's needs in all regions and areas and lands. This water is sweet and palatable for whoever wants to drink it.
وَهَذَا مِلۡحٌ أُجَاجٌ
and that is salty and bitter.
means, unpalatable.
This is the ocean in which the big ships sail, and is salty and undrinkable.
Then Allah says:
وَمِن كُلٍّ تَأۡكُلُونَ لَحۡمًا طَرِيًّا
And from them both you eat fresh tender meat,
meaning, fish.
وَتَسۡتَخۡرِجُونَ حِلۡيَةً تَلۡبَسُونَهَا
and derive the ornaments that you wear.
This is like the Ayah:
يَخۡرُجُ مِنۡهُمَا الُّلوۡلُوُ وَالمَرۡجَانُ
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ
Out of them both come out pearl and coral. Then which of the blessings of your Lord will you both (Jinn and men) deny! (55:22-23)
وَتَرَى الۡفُلۡكَ فِيهِ مَوَاخِرَ
And you see the ships cleaving,
means, they travel through it, plowing through the water with their beak-shaped bows.
Mujahid said,
The wind drives the ships, and the wind cannot drive any ships except the big ones.
لِتَبۡتَغُوا مِن فَضۡلِهِ
that you may seek of His bounty,
means, through your journeys to engage in trade from one land to another.
وَلَعَلَّكُمۡ تَشۡكُرُونَ
and that you may give thanks.
means, that you may give thanks to your Lord for subjugating this mighty creation -- the sea -- to you, so that you can travel through it as you wish and go wherever you want, and nothing stops you؛ His power has subjugated for you whatever is in the heavens and on earth, and all of this is by His grace and mercy
The gods of the Idolators do not even own a Qitmir
Allah says,
يُولِجُ اللَّيۡلَ فِي النَّهَارِ وَيُولِجُ النَّهَارَ فِي اللَّيۡلِ
He merges the night into the day, and He merges the day into the night.
Another aspect of His perfect power and might is that He has subjugated the night with its darkness and the day with its light. He takes from the length of the one and adds it to the shortness of the other, until they become equal. Then He takes from the latter and adds to the former, so one becomes long and the other becomes short, so they take from one another in summer and in winter.
وَسَخَّرَ الشَّمۡسَ وَالۡقَمَرَ
And He has subjected the sun and the moon,
and the stars and planets, with their light. All of them run in their appointed courses and in the manner prescribed for them, as decreed by the Almighty, All-Knowing.
كُلٌّ يَجۡرِي لاَِجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى
each runs its course for a term appointed.
means, until the Day of Resurrection.
ذَلِكُمُ اللَّهُ رَبُّكُمۡ
Such is Allah, your Lord.
means, the One Who has done all this is the Almighty Lord besides Whom there is no other true God.
لَهُ الۡمُلۡكُ وَالَّذِينَ تَدۡعُونَ مِن دُونِهِ
And those, whom you invoke or call upon instead of Him,
means, `the idols and false gods whom you claim to be in the form of angels who are close to Allah,'
مَا يَمۡلِكُونَ مِن قِطۡمِيرٍ
own not even a Qitmir.
Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, Mujahid, Ikrimah, Ata, Atiyah Al-Awfi, Al-Hasan, Qatadah and others said,
This is the thread that is attached to the pit of a date. In other words, they do not possess anything in the heavens or on earth, not even anything equivalent to this Qitmir.
Then Allah says
إِن تَدۡعُوهُمۡ لَا يَسۡمَعُوا دُعَاءكُمۡ
If you invoke them, they hear not your call;
means, `the gods upon whom you call instead of Allah, do not hear your supplication, because they are inanimate and have no soul in them.'
وَلَوۡ سَمِعُوا مَا اسۡتَجَابُوا لَكُمۡ
and if (in case) they were to hear, they could not grant it to you.
means, `they are not able to do any of the things that you ask them for.'
وَيَوۡمَ الۡقِيَامَةِ يَكۡفُرُونَ بِشِرۡكِكُمۡ
And on the Day of Resurrection, they will disown your worshipping them,
means, `they will disown you.'
This is like the Ayat:
وَمَنۡ أَضَلُّ مِمَّن يَدۡعُو مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ مَن لاَّ يَسۡتَجِيبُ لَهُ إِلَى يَوۡمِ الۡقِيَـمَةِ وَهُمۡ عَن دُعَأيِهِمۡ غَـفِلُونَ
وَإِذَا حُشِرَ النَّاسُ كَانُواۡ لَهُمۡ أَعۡدَاءً وَكَانُواۡ بِعِبَادَتِهِمۡ كَـفِرِينَ
And who is more astray than one who calls on besides Allah, such as will not answer him till the Day of Resurrection, and who are (even) unaware of their calls to them. And when mankind are gathered, they (false deities) will become their enemies and will deny their worshipping. (46:5-6)
and,
وَاتَّخَذُواۡ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ ءالِهَةً لِّيَكُونُواۡ لَهُمۡ عِزّاً
كَلَّ سَيَكۡفُرُونَ بِعِبَـدَتِهِمۡ وَيَكُونُونَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ ضِدّاً
And they have taken gods besides Allah, that they might give them honor, power and glory. Nay, but they will deny their worship of them, and become opponents to them. (19:81-82)
وَلَا يُنَبِّيُكَ مِثۡلُ خَبِيرٍ
And none can inform you like Him Who is the All-Knower.
means, no one can tell you about the consequences of things and how they will end like the One Who is the All-Knower of them.
Qatadah said,
He is referring to Himself, may He be blessed and exalted, for He undoubtedly tells the truth.
Not yet available. It requires resources to add this interpretation.
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Not yet available. It requires resources to add this interpretation.
Not yet available. It requires resources to add this interpretation.
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