Tafseer of The Night Journey · Al-Israa · 17:66
It is your Lord who drives the ship for you through the sea that you may seek of His bounty. Indeed, He is ever, to you, Merciful.
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
Allah the Exalted says to the polytheists: "Your Lord, O people, is the One who drives the ships for you through the sea, and who transports you upon it لِتَبْتَغُوا مِنْ فَضْلِهِ — so that, by sailing upon it, you may reach your places of trade and your destinations, and may seek your livelihood and pursue His provision. إِنَّهُ كَانَ بِكُمْ رَحِيمًا : Allah was merciful toward you in causing the vessels to sail for you through the sea, by making easy for you travel to distant lands that would be difficult to reach without this easy path."
In the same vein as what we have set forth concerning His words (يُزْجِي لَكُمْ), the people of interpretation spoke.
Mention of who said that:
ʿAlī ibn Dāwūd related to me, saying: ʿAbd Allāh related to us, saying: Muʿāwiya related to me, on the authority of ʿAlī, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning his words رَبُّكُمُ الَّذِي يُزْجِي لَكُمُ الْفُلْكَ فِي الْبَحْرِ : he said: "He causes the vessels to sail."
Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to me, saying: Muḥammad ibn Thawr related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning رَبُّكُمُ الَّذِي يُزْجِي لَكُمُ الْفُلْكَ فِي الْبَحْرِ : he said: "He causes them to sail through the sea."
Al-Qāsim related to us, saying: al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Ḥajjāj related to me, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj — he said: Ibn ʿAbbās said concerning رَبُّكُمُ الَّذِي يُزْجِي لَكُمُ الْفُلْكَ فِي الْبَحْرِ : he said: "He causes them to sail."
Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said concerning رَبُّكُمُ الَّذِي يُزْجِي لَكُمُ الْفُلْكَ فِي الْبَحْرِ : he said: "He causes them to sail."
