سُوْرَةُ الرَّحْمٰنِ
Surah Ar-Rahmaan (55) — Ayah 24
وَلَهُ ٱلْجَوَارِ ٱلْمُنشَـَٔاتُ فِى ٱلْبَحْرِ كَٱلْأَعْلَـٰمِ ﴿24﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And His are the ships going and coming in the seas, like mountains.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَلَهُ
walahu
And for Him
ٱلْجَوَارِ
l-jawāri
(are) the ships
ٱلْمُنشَـَٔاتُ
l-munshaātu
elevated
فِى
fī
in
ٱلْبَحْرِ
l-baḥri
the sea
كَٱلْأَعْلَـٰمِ
kal-aʿlāmi
like mountains
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 25,24) {وَ لَهُ الْجَوَارِ الْمُنْشَـٰٔتُ فِي الْبَحْرِ كَالْاَعْلَامِ …: ’’ الْمُنْشَـٰٔتُ ‘‘ ’’أَنْشَأَ يُنْشِئُ‘‘} is the passive participle from (افعال) (to make), referring to the ships as mountain-like, tall, wide, and multi-storied “which have been made.” In this, there is a reminder of the blessing of teaching the method of shipbuilding: by Allah’s teaching, man joins together small pieces and makes such a large ship. Tabari has also narrated another meaning of {’’ الْمُنْشَـٰٔتُ ‘‘} from Mujahid with an authentic chain: {’’مَا رُفِعَ قِلَعُهٗ مِنَ السُّفُنِ فَهِيَ مُنْشَئَاتٌ وَ إِذَا لَمْ يُرْفَعْ قِلَعُهَا فَلَيْسَتْ بِمُنْشَئَاتٍ‘‘} “Those ships whose sails are raised are {’’ مُنْشَئَاتٌ‘‘}, and when their sails are not raised, they are not {’’ مُنْشَئَاتٌ‘‘}.”
It should be noted that before the invention of the engine, the journey of ships was through favorable winds. Thus, cloths were tied to tall masts, and the wind would push them to their destination; these were called sails. “Baad” means wind. If it was intended to stop somewhere, those cloths would be gathered together; this was called lowering the sails. According to this meaning, there is mention of another blessing of Allah regarding ships. For more details, see the commentary of Surah Ash-Shura (33). By bringing {’’ لَهُ ‘‘} before in {’’ وَ لَهُ الْجَوَارِ ‘‘}, exclusivity is created: these ships, the teaching of their construction, keeping them afloat on the surface of the sea despite being thousands of tons in weight, not letting them sink, and delivering people and their goods to distant lands, etc., are solely and only the work of Allah Almighty.
It should be noted that before the invention of the engine, the journey of ships was through favorable winds. Thus, cloths were tied to tall masts, and the wind would push them to their destination; these were called sails. “Baad” means wind. If it was intended to stop somewhere, those cloths would be gathered together; this was called lowering the sails. According to this meaning, there is mention of another blessing of Allah regarding ships. For more details, see the commentary of Surah Ash-Shura (33). By bringing {’’ لَهُ ‘‘} before in {’’ وَ لَهُ الْجَوَارِ ‘‘}, exclusivity is created: these ships, the teaching of their construction, keeping them afloat on the surface of the sea despite being thousands of tons in weight, not letting them sink, and delivering people and their goods to distant lands, etc., are solely and only the work of Allah Almighty.
