Al-Kahf 18:109
The Cave · Meccan · Juz 16 · Page 304
Words That Never End
قُل لَّوۡ كَانَ ٱلۡبَحۡرُ مِدَادࣰا لِّكَلِمَٰتِ رَبِّي لَنَفِدَ ٱلۡبَحۡرُ قَبۡلَ أَن تَنفَدَ كَلِمَٰتُ رَبِّي وَلَوۡ جِئۡنَا بِمِثۡلِهِۦ مَدَدࣰا ١٠٩
Say: Though the sea became ink for the Words of my Lord, verily the sea would be used up before the words of my Lord were exhausted, even though We brought the like thereof to help.
Translation: Marmaduke Pickthall
Meaning
Say: “If the sea were ink for the words of my Lord, the sea would run out before the words of my Lord.”
Insight
According to Elmalılı, Allah’s words are infinite while seas are finite; adding finite to finite stays finite and can never match the infinite.
Reflect
See your own knowledge humbly before Allah’s knowledge.
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 ›