قُل لَّوْ كَانَ ٱلْبَحْرُ مِدَادًا لِّكَلِمَـٰتِ رَبِّى لَنَفِدَ ٱلْبَحْرُ قَبْلَ أَن تَنفَدَ كَلِمَـٰتُ رَبِّى وَلَوْ جِئْنَا بِمِثْلِهِۦ مَدَدًا 109
Translations
Say, "If the sea were ink for [writing] the words of my Lord, the sea would be exhausted before the words of my Lord were exhausted, even if We brought the like of it in [continual] supplement."
Transliteration
Qul law kana al-bahru midadan li-kalimati Rabbi lanafida al-bahru qabla an tanfada kalimat Rabbi wa-law ji'na bi-mithlihi madadan
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah illustrates the infinite nature of Allah's words and knowledge by presenting a hyperbolic comparison: if the entire ocean were ink for writing Allah's words, it would be exhausted before His words came to an end, and even if we brought another ocean like it as additional ink, it would still be insufficient. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi interpret this as emphasizing the boundless wisdom, knowledge, and attributes of Allah that cannot be fully enumerated or comprehended by created beings, serving as a reminder of Divine transcendence.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears near the end of Surah Al-Kahf and is thematically connected to the surah's emphasis on Divine wisdom and knowledge displayed through the various narratives presented (the Companions of the Cave, Dhul-Qarnayn, etc.). It serves as a concluding reflection on the magnificence and infinitude of Allah's attributes and the limitations of human understanding.
Related Hadiths
Ibn Abbas reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, 'The superiority of Allah's speech to all other speech is like the superiority of Allah over His creation' (Tirmidhi). Additionally, there are reports in various hadith collections emphasizing that the Quran is the word of Allah and contains infinite wisdom and guidance.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers to recognize the profound limitations of human intellect and comprehension compared to the infinite knowledge of Allah, cultivating humility and wonder at the Divine. It encourages reflection on how the Quran, as Allah's word, contains boundless wisdom that cannot be exhausted through study, making continuous engagement with it spiritually and intellectually rewarding.
Related Ayahs
ٱلَّذِينَ كَانَتْ أَعْيُنُهُمْ فِى غِطَآءٍ عَن ذِكْرِى وَكَانُوا۟ لَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ سَمْعًا
Those whose eyes had been within a cover [removed] from My remembrance, and they were not able to hear.
قَالَ مَا مَكَّنِّى فِيهِ رَبِّى خَيْرٌ فَأَعِينُونِى بِقُوَّةٍ أَجْعَلْ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُمْ رَدْمًا
He said, "That in which my Lord has established me is better [than what you offer], but assist me with strength [i.e., manpower]; I will make between you and them a dam.
قُلِ ٱللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا لَبِثُوا۟ ۖ لَهُۥ غَيْبُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ أَبْصِرْ بِهِۦ وَأَسْمِعْ ۚ مَا لَهُم مِّن دُونِهِۦ مِن وَلِىٍّ وَلَا يُشْرِكُ فِى حُكْمِهِۦٓ أَحَدًا
Say, "Allāh is most knowing of how long they remained. He has [knowledge of] the unseen [aspects] of the heavens and the earth. How Seeing is He and how Hearing! They have not besides Him any protector, and He shares not His legislation with anyone."
قَالُوا۟ يَـٰذَا ٱلْقَرْنَيْنِ إِنَّ يَأْجُوجَ وَمَأْجُوجَ مُفْسِدُونَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَهَلْ نَجْعَلُ لَكَ خَرْجًا عَلَىٰٓ أَن تَجْعَلَ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَهُمْ سَدًّا
They said, "O Dhul-Qarnayn, indeed Gog and Magog are [great] corrupters in the land. So may we assign for you an expenditure that you might make between us and them a barrier?"