Al-Furqan 25:53
The Criterion · Meccan · Juz 19 · Page 364
Two Seas
۞وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِي مَرَجَ ٱلۡبَحۡرَيۡنِ هَٰذَا عَذۡبࣱ فُرَاتࣱ وَهَٰذَا مِلۡحٌ أُجَاجࣱ وَجَعَلَ بَيۡنَهُمَا بَرۡزَخࣰا وَحِجۡرࣰا مَّحۡجُورࣰا ٥٣
And He it is Who hath given independence to the two seas (though they meet); one palatable, sweet, and the other saltish, bitter; and hath set a bar and a forbidding ban between them.
Translation: Marmaduke Pickthall
Meaning
It is He who released the two seas, one fresh and sweet, one salty and bitter, and placed a barrier between them.
Insight
According to Elmalılı, fresh water like the Nile and Euphrates resembles the faithful, the salty sea the disbelievers; “barzakh” is a barrier between two things.
Reflect
Strive to be like sweet water.
This short note is based on Elmalılı Hamdi Yazır’s Turkish commentary and has not yet been reviewed by a scholar.
Elmalılı’s commentary
An English translation of Elmalılı’s full commentary is coming soon. Read the original Turkish ›