Tafseer of The Cave · Al-Kahf · 18:109
Say, "If the sea were ink for [writing] the words of my Lord, the sea would be exhausted before the words of my Lord were exhausted, even if We brought the like of it as a supplement."
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.
The exposition of the meaning of the words of Allah, the Exalted: قُلْ لَوْ كَانَ الْبَحْرُ مِدَادًا لِكَلِمَاتِ رَبِّي لَنَفِدَ الْبَحْرُ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَنْفَدَ كَلِمَاتُ رَبِّي وَلَوْ جِئْنَا بِمِثْلِهِ مَدَدًا (Say: If the sea were ink for the words of my Lord, the sea would run out before the words of my Lord ran out, even if We brought as much again to replenish it) (109)
Allah, the Almighty, says to His Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ: قُلْ — say, O Muḥammad: لَوْ كَانَ الْبَحْرُ مِدَادًا — for the pen with which one writes لِكَلِمَاتِ رَبِّي لَنَفِدَ مَاءُ الْبَحْرُ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَنْفَدَ كَلِمَاتُ رَبِّي وَلَوْ جِئْنَا بِمِثْلِهِ مَدَدًا — that is to say: even if We were to replenish the sea with a like quantity of water to that which is in it, as a replenishment (madadan). That is derived from the expression: "I have come to your aid as support (madadan)" — which has the meaning of addition and increase.
It has also been related from some: "even if we brought as much again of midād to replenish it" — as though the reader meant thereby: the sea would run out before the words of my Lord ran out, even if we added a like quantity to the ink (al-midād) with which one writes to that which already exists.
In accordance with what we have said about this, the masters of exegesis have also spoken.
* Mention of those who said this: Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to me, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, saying: ʿĪsā related to us — and al-Ḥārith related to me, saying: al-Ḥasan related to us, saying: Warqāʾ related to us — both on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning his words الْبَحْرُ مِدَادًا لِكَلِمَاتِ رَبِّي: for the pen.
Al-Qāsim related to us, saying: al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Ḥajjāj related to me, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj, on the authority of Mujāhid, similarly.
Ibn al-Barqī related to us, saying: Ibn Abī Maryam related to us, saying: Muḥammad ibn Jaʿfar and Ibn al-Darāwardī informed us, they said: Zayd ibn Aslam related to us, on the authority of ʿAṭāʾ ibn Yasār, on the authority of Muʿādh ibn Jabal: he said — the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Verily, the Paradise (al-janna) has a hundred degrees; each degree of it is like the distance between heaven and earth. The highest degree of it is al-Firdaws."
Aḥmad ibn Yaḥyā al-Ṣūfī related to us, saying: Aḥmad ibn al-Faraj al-Ṭāʾī related to us, saying: al-Walīd ibn Muslim related to us, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Bashīr, on the authority of Qatāda, on the authority of al-Ḥasan, on the authority of Samura ibn Jundab: he said — the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Al-Firdaws is the elevated place of the Paradise — it is the middle and the best of it."
Ibn Bashshār related to us, saying: Ibn Abī ʿAdī related to us, saying: Ismāʿīl ibn Muslim informed us, on the authority of al-Ḥasan, on the authority of Samura ibn Jundab: he said — the Messenger of Allah ﷺ informed us: "Al-Firdaws is the highest, the most beautiful, and the most exalted of the Paradise."
Muḥammad ibn Marzūq related to me, saying: Rawḥ ibn ʿUbāda related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, on the authority of Anas ibn Mālik: that the Prophet of Allah ﷺ said to al-Rubayyiʿ bint al-Naḍr: "O mother of Ḥāritha, verily they are gardens, and your son has attained the highest al-Firdaws." Al-Firdaws is the elevated and central and best [part] of the Paradise.
His words نُزُلا: that is to say, dwelling-places and abodes. The noun al-manzil is derived from descending (al-nuzūl), which is one person alighting at another's place. As for "al-nuzl": that is the yield. One says: "your food has no nuzl" — meaning the yield; and: "we found at your place no nuzl" — that is to say: no hospitality lodging.
His words خَالِدِينَ: that is to say: abiding therein eternally. لا يَبْغُونَ عَنْهَا حِوَلا: that is to say: they desire no change (taḥawwul) from it. This is a noun derived from "I changed" (taḥawwaltu), brought back to the original form — as one says "to be small" (ṣaghara yaṣgharu ṣighar) and "to be crooked" (ʿāja yaʿūju ʿawajan).
In accordance with what we have said about this, the masters of exegesis have also spoken.
* Mention of those who said this: Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to us, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, saying: ʿĪsā related to us — and al-Ḥārith related to me, saying: al-Ḥasan related to us, saying: Warqāʾ related to us — both on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid: لا يَبْغُونَ عَنْهَا حِوَلا — he said: a change (mutaḥawwalan).
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning his words لَوْ كَانَ الْبَحْرُ مِدَادًا لِكَلِمَاتِ رَبِّي: he said — in that case the water of the sea would run out before the words of Allah and His wisdom ran out.
