سُوْرَةُ الْفُرْقَانِ
Surah Al-Furqaan (25) — Ayah 53
۞ وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى مَرَجَ ٱلْبَحْرَيْنِ هَـٰذَا عَذْبٌ فُرَاتٌ وَهَـٰذَا مِلْحٌ أُجَاجٌ وَجَعَلَ بَيْنَهُمَا بَرْزَخًا وَحِجْرًا مَّحْجُورًا ﴿53﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And it is He Who has let free the two seas (kinds of water): this is palatable and sweet, and that is salt and bitter; and He has set a barrier and a complete partition between them.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
۞ وَهُوَ
wahuwa
And He
ٱلَّذِى
alladhī
(is) the One Who
مَرَجَ
maraja
(has) released
ٱلْبَحْرَيْنِ
l-baḥrayni
the two seas
هَـٰذَا
hādhā
[this] (one)
عَذْبٌۭ
ʿadhbun
palatable
فُرَاتٌۭ
furātun
and sweet
وَهَـٰذَا
wahādhā
and [this] (one)
مِلْحٌ
mil'ḥun
salty
أُجَاجٌۭ
ujājun
(and) bitter
وَجَعَلَ
wajaʿala
and He has made
بَيْنَهُمَا
baynahumā
between them
بَرْزَخًۭا
barzakhan
a barrier
وَحِجْرًۭا
waḥij'ran
and a partition
مَّحْجُورًۭا
maḥjūran
forbidden
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.
And He it is Who has merged the two seas [65], one fresh and sweet, and the other salty and bitter, and He has set a barrier and a firm partition between them [66].
[65]
The Literal Meaning of "Maraj":
The literal meaning of "maraj" is to mix two things together or for them to intermingle in such a way that the individual identity and properties of both remain intact. For example, "ghusn mareej" means intertwined branches (Mufradat Imam Raghib). In this verse, Allah Almighty has mentioned one of His most astonishing signs of power, and this sign is so common that countless people have witnessed it. Geographers and students studying geography are well aware of this reality that within the seas, there are such rivers flowing as if they are flowing on the surface of the earth.
Causing Cold Currents in Hot Water and Hot Currents in Cold Water is Also a Great Sign of Allah:
Somewhere, hot water currents are flowing, somewhere cold water currents, somewhere saline water, somewhere sweet water, and these currents are so long that within the sea itself, they extend from one country to another. Then sometimes it happens that above is saline water, and below, a river of cold and sweet water is flowing, and sometimes it happens that on one side, a river of saline water is flowing, and right next to it, a river of sweet water is flowing, and these waters remain within their own boundaries. They do not intermingle. And sailors, due to their familiarity, are able to obtain cold and sweet water from the sea, and I myself have seen at two places, Chitral and Karachi, that on one side, a hot water spring is gushing forth, and right next to it, a cold and sweet water spring is gushing forth, even though the water table beneath the ground is the same. And Allah Almighty has given this example of His sign of power for this very reason, that this matter has already come under the observation of common people. Now, the point is that just as it is a property of water or any liquid that it flows, it is also a property that if it is of the same kind, it mixes together. If, at such places, Allah Almighty has taken away this property of water, it is so that cold and sweet water may be available for drinking to the creatures living within or on the shores of the sea, so that they may sustain their lives. Will the heedless human still not see, with the eye of insight, this sign, this magnificent blessing, and power of Allah?
[66] Here, the word "hijran mahjura" is not used figuratively, but rather in its original and literal meaning.
[65]
The Literal Meaning of "Maraj":
The literal meaning of "maraj" is to mix two things together or for them to intermingle in such a way that the individual identity and properties of both remain intact. For example, "ghusn mareej" means intertwined branches (Mufradat Imam Raghib). In this verse, Allah Almighty has mentioned one of His most astonishing signs of power, and this sign is so common that countless people have witnessed it. Geographers and students studying geography are well aware of this reality that within the seas, there are such rivers flowing as if they are flowing on the surface of the earth.
Causing Cold Currents in Hot Water and Hot Currents in Cold Water is Also a Great Sign of Allah:
Somewhere, hot water currents are flowing, somewhere cold water currents, somewhere saline water, somewhere sweet water, and these currents are so long that within the sea itself, they extend from one country to another. Then sometimes it happens that above is saline water, and below, a river of cold and sweet water is flowing, and sometimes it happens that on one side, a river of saline water is flowing, and right next to it, a river of sweet water is flowing, and these waters remain within their own boundaries. They do not intermingle. And sailors, due to their familiarity, are able to obtain cold and sweet water from the sea, and I myself have seen at two places, Chitral and Karachi, that on one side, a hot water spring is gushing forth, and right next to it, a cold and sweet water spring is gushing forth, even though the water table beneath the ground is the same. And Allah Almighty has given this example of His sign of power for this very reason, that this matter has already come under the observation of common people. Now, the point is that just as it is a property of water or any liquid that it flows, it is also a property that if it is of the same kind, it mixes together. If, at such places, Allah Almighty has taken away this property of water, it is so that cold and sweet water may be available for drinking to the creatures living within or on the shores of the sea, so that they may sustain their lives. Will the heedless human still not see, with the eye of insight, this sign, this magnificent blessing, and power of Allah?
[66] Here, the word "hijran mahjura" is not used figuratively, but rather in its original and literal meaning.
