سُوْرَةُ الْكَهْفِ
Surah Al-Kahf (18) — Ayah 109
قُل لَّوْ كَانَ ٱلْبَحْرُ مِدَادًا لِّكَلِمَـٰتِ رَبِّى لَنَفِدَ ٱلْبَحْرُ قَبْلَ أَن تَنفَدَ كَلِمَـٰتُ رَبِّى وَلَوْ جِئْنَا بِمِثْلِهِۦ مَدَدًا ﴿109﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Say (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم to mankind): "If the sea were ink for (writing) the Words of my Lord, surely, the sea would be exhausted before the Words of my Lord would be finished, even if We brought (another sea) like it for its aid."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
قُل
qul
Say
لَّوْ
law
If
كَانَ
kāna
were
ٱلْبَحْرُ
l-baḥru
the sea
مِدَادًۭا
midādan
ink
لِّكَلِمَـٰتِ
likalimāti
for (the) Words
رَبِّى
rabbī
(of) my Lord
لَنَفِدَ
lanafida
surely (would be) exhausted
ٱلْبَحْرُ
l-baḥru
the sea
قَبْلَ
qabla
before
أَن
an
[that]
تَنفَدَ
tanfada
(were) exhausted
كَلِمَـٰتُ
kalimātu
(the) Words
رَبِّى
rabbī
(of) my Lord
وَلَوْ
walaw
even if
جِئْنَا
ji'nā
We brought
بِمِثْلِهِۦ
bimith'lihi
(the) like (of) it
مَدَدًۭا
madadan
(as) a supplement
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
109. Say to them: If the sea were ink for (writing) the words of my Lord, the sea would be exhausted before the words of my Lord were finished [89], even if We brought another sea like it to add to it.
[89]
What is Meant by the Words of Allah?
By "words" are meant the deeds, perfections, and wonders of Allah's power, and these are infinite and countless, in which there is always further expansion at every moment. And no matter how much water there is in the sea or seas, after all, it has a limit, and how can a limited thing be compared to an unlimited one? Therefore, the ink of the seas can be exhausted, but the words of Allah can never be exhausted.
[89]
What is Meant by the Words of Allah?
By "words" are meant the deeds, perfections, and wonders of Allah's power, and these are infinite and countless, in which there is always further expansion at every moment. And no matter how much water there is in the sea or seas, after all, it has a limit, and how can a limited thing be compared to an unlimited one? Therefore, the ink of the seas can be exhausted, but the words of Allah can never be exhausted.
