Surah Fatir, Ayah 12
Quran 35:12 · Originator · Makki · Para 22 · Page 436
وَمَا یَسْتَوِی الْبَحْرٰنِ ۖۗ هٰذَا عَذْبٌ فُرَاتٌ سَآىِٕغٌ شَرَابُهٗ وَهٰذَا مِلْحٌ اُجَاجٌ ؕ وَمِنْ كُلٍّ تَاْكُلُوْنَ لَحْمًا طَرِیًّا وَّتَسْتَخْرِجُوْنَ حِلْیَةً تَلْبَسُوْنَهَا ۚ وَتَرَی الْفُلْكَ فِیْهِ مَوَاخِرَ لِتَبْتَغُوْا مِنْ فَضْلِهٖ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُوْنَ ۟
Transliteration
Wama yastawee albahranihatha AAathbun furatun sa-ighun sharabuhuwahatha milhun ojajun wamin kullinta/kuloona lahman tariyyan watastakhrijoona hilyatantalbasoonaha watara alfulka feehi mawakhiralitabtaghoo min fadlihi walaAAallakum tashkuroon
Saheeh International
And not alike are the two seas [i.e., bodies of water]. One is fresh and sweet, palatable for drinking, and one is salty and bitter. And from each you eat tender meat and extract ornaments which you wear, and you see the ships plowing through [them] that you might seek of His bounty; and perhaps you will be grateful.
Al-Mukhtasar fi Tafsir
And the two seas are not alike: One of them is extremely sweet and easy to drink due to its sweetness, and the other is salty and bitter which is not drinkable due to its extreme saltiness. And from each of the abovementioned seas you eat fresh meat, which is fish, and you extract from them rubies and coral which you wear as adornment. And you see the ships, O onlooker, splitting the sea with its sailing, coming and going, so you can seek the grace of Allah through trade, and so that you thank Allah for His many favours He has done for you.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged)
And the two seas (kinds of water) are not alike: this is palatable, sweet and pleasant to drink, and that is salty and bitter. And from them both you eat fresh tender meat (fish), and derive the ornaments that you wear. And you see the ships cleaving, that you may seek of His bounty, and that you may give thanks (12)
The Blessings and Signs of Allah
Allah says, pointing out His mighty power in creating different things, how He has created the two seas (kinds of water). The fresh, palatable sea (kind of water) refers to the rivers which flow among people, rivers great and small according to people's needs in all regions and areas and lands. This water is sweet and palatable for whoever wants to drink it.
وَهَٰذَا مِلْحٌ أُجَاجٌ
(and that is salty and bitter.) means, unpalatable. This is the ocean in which the big ships sail, and is salty and undrinkable. Allah says:
وَهَٰذَا مِلْحٌ أُجَاجٌ
(and that is salty and bitter.) Then Allah says:
وَمِنْ كُلٍّ تَأْكُلُونَ لَحْمًا طَرِيًّا
(And from them both you eat fresh tender meat,) meaning, fish.
وَتَسْتَخْرِجُونَ حِلْيَةً تَلْبَسُونَهَا
(and derive the ornaments that you wear.) This is like the Ayah:
يَخْرُجُ مِنْهُمَا اللُّؤْلُؤُ وَالْمَرْجَانُ - فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ
(Out of them both come out pearl and coral. Then which of the blessings of your Lord will you both (Jinn and men) deny?)(55:22-23).
وَتَرَى الْفُلْكَ فِيهِ مَوَاخِرَ
(And you see the ships cleaving,) means, they travel through it, plowing through the water with their beak-shaped bows. Muja0hid said, The wind drives the ships, and the wind cannot drive any ships except the big ones.
لِتَبْتَغُوا مِنْ فَضْلِهِ
(that you may seek of His bounty,) means, through your journeys to engage in trade from one land to another.
وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ
(and that you may give thanks.) means, that you may give thanks to your Lord for subjugating this mighty creation – the sea – to you, so that you can travel through it as you wish and go wherever you want, and nothing stops you; His power has subjugated for you whatever is in the heavens and on earth, and all of this is by His grace and mercy.