Ramadan Diaries: Treasures from the Quran - "Signs & Favors of The Merciful" (part 3)

Each place on this earth, each phenomenon in the universe is reflective of Allah (swt)'s mercy. The way He keeps a balance between things provides us variety, safety, and great benefit. 

 Allah said,[مَرَجَ الْبَحْرَيْنِ يَلْتَقِيَانِ ](He has Maraja the two seas), or let them loose

[بَيْنَهُمَا بَرْزَخٌ لاَّ يَبْغِيَانِ ]

(Between them is a barrier which none of them can transgress.) 

A combined analysis by scholars in Tafsir Ibn Kathir, explains that Allah (swt) has created 2 seas, the fresh water and the salty water seas, and they have a barrier between them so their waters do not mix! 

Not too long ago I came across the photograph and a YouTube video (photo above) that shows a place where salty waters are clashing with fresh (sweet) waters and they do not meet. Observe how their colors are different with the salty one being greyish and dull because of the silt. It is remarkable that marine biologists have discovered that even the life forms in the 2 seas are very different from one another. Different types of fish species with different tasting meats live in the 2 different seas. SubhanAllah!

Now that you think of it, the species of living beings in each sea cannot survive when they are made to enter the other. Allah (swt) is keeping two living habitats separate! There is no physical barrier and yet the two sea worlds do not mix!

Then there's the mention of the treasures that are made under the sea! There are creatures, living beings, under the leagues of the ocean that make precious adornments for us! How can we deny such gifts and not believe in the mercy of the Beneficent?

[يَخْرُجُ مِنْهُمَا الُّلؤْلُؤُ وَالمَرْجَانُ ]

(Out of them both come out pearls and Al-Marjan. ) pearls are well-known. As for Marjan they say it means small pearls. Mujahid, Qatadah, Abu Ruzayn, Ad-Dahhak said it, and it has also been reported from `Ali. It was also said that it means large, precious pearls, this was mentioned by Ibn Jarir from some of the Salaf. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded from Ibn `Abbas who said, "When it rains, the oysters in the sea open their mouths. What falls in them, the drops, turns into pearls.'' Its chain of narrators is Sahih. Since this type of adornment is a favor from Allah to the people of earth, He reminded them of it,

On my trip to Mauritius and Seychelles, two beautiful island countries, I got to see some beautiful treasures of the sea that they sell as jewelry and accessories. In addition to pearls, there are the coral reefs. They are deposits left by living organisms, called corals. on the sea bed and are very, very precious.

[وَلَهُ الْجَوَارِ الْمُنشَئَاتُ]

(And His are Al-Jawar Al-Munsha'at), meaning the ships that float,

[فِى الْبَحْرِ]

(in the seas),

[كَالاٌّعْلَـمِ]

(like A`lam.) This means, they are like mountains with their great size, and it also refers to the trade and commercial services they make possible, transporting cargo from one area to another and from one province to another. Ships provide various benefits for people, including transporting different types of goods they need. Therefore,

[فَبِأَىِّ ءَالاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ]

(Then which of the blessings of your Lord will you both deny)

It appears to be such a normal sight, seeing a ship sailing. You've got to experience it to know what a miracle it is. I was in my teens when we sailed the giant ocean liner "Star Cruise Virgo" from Malaysia to Singapore and back again. We were afloat for 4 days and 3 nights on what seemed a city on water! Standing at the very edge of the ship and looking behind at the huge expanse that it covered, riding the elevators up and down 9 floors of hotel rooms and 3 floors of basement, I was stunned. All that me and my family could do was to marvel at the incredible might of the ocean! What a mighty sea it is that holds such weights afloat! As I watched the propellers break through the waters at all sides and the massive ship sail at full speed ... all that came to mind was the greatness of Allah (swt).

[كُلُّ مَنْ عَلَيْهَا فَانٍ - وَيَبْقَى وَجْهُ رَبِّكَ ذُو الْجَلْـلِ وَالإِكْرَامِ فَبِأَىِّ ءَالاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ]

[يَسْأَلُهُ مَن فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ هُوَ فِى شَأْنٍ فَبِأَىِّ ءَالاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ]

(26. Whatsoever is on it (the earth) will perish.) (27. And the Face of your Lord Dhul-Jalal wal-Ikram will remain forever.) (28. Then which of the blessings of your Lord will you both deny) (29. Whosoever is in the heavens and on the earth begs of Him. Every day He is (engaged) in some affair!) (30. Then which of the blessings of your Lord will you both deny)


And then Allah (swt) tells us, after revising the greatness of such supermassive miracles, that all these would perish and only He Himself would remain.

We look at the great seas and ships and treasures and we mistake them for being eternal because of their grandeur. Remember Titanic? People used to say when the ocean liner was created, "God Himself can't sink this ship." Everybody knows what happened.

In Seychelles, we took a glass-bottomed boat to check out some coral reefs at the base of the sea. Guess what? It was a no show because the Tsunami (the first one) had destroyed them all away!

This is why we ask Allah (swt) for His mercy. He (swt) can create, as well as destroy.