Tafseer of The Moon · Al-Qamar · 54:12
And caused the earth to burst with springs, and the waters met for a matter already predestined.
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.
And His word وَفَجَّرْنَا الأرْضَ عُيُونًا ("And We caused the earth to burst forth with springs") (54:12). He — exalted is His praise — says: and We caused the earth to make the water-springs flow forth.
As Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, he said: Mihrān related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, concerning His word وَفَجَّرْنَا الأرْضَ عُيُونًا ("And We caused the earth to burst forth with springs"), he said: We caused the water to burst forth from the earth, and it also came from the sky. فَالْتَقَى الْمَاءُ عَلَى أَمْرٍ قَدْ قُدِرَ ("Then the waters met according to a matter already decreed"). The Exalted — exalted is His mention — says: then the water of the sky and the water of the earth met according to a matter that Allah had already decreed and ordained.
As Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, he said: Mihrān related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, concerning فَالْتَقَى الْمَاءُ عَلَى أَمْرٍ قَدْ قُدِرَ ("Then the waters met according to a matter already decreed"), he said: the water of the sky and the water of the earth. It is only said "then the waters (al-māʾ, singular) met according to a matter already decreed," whereas a meeting cannot take place from a single thing alone, but only from two or more, because the word māʾ (water) can be both a plural and a singular, and in this place what is meant by it is: the waters of the sky and the waters of the earth; it is thus expressed in the form of the singular while the meaning is the plural. And it is said: the waters met according to a matter already decreed, because that was a matter that Allah had already ordained in the Preserved Tablet (al-Lawḥ al-Maḥfūẓ).
As Ibn Bashshār related to us, he said: Muʾammal related to us, he said: Sufyān related to us, on the authority of Mūsā ibn ʿUbayda, on the authority of Muḥammad ibn Kaʿb, he said: The means of sustenance existed before the bodies, and the decree (qadar) existed before the trial, and he recited فَالْتَقَى الْمَاءُ عَلَى أَمْرٍ قَدْ قُدِرَ ("Then the waters met according to a matter already decreed").
