Surah Fatir >> Currently viewing Surah Fatir Ayat 12 (35:12)

Surah Fatir Ayat 12 in Arabic Text

وَمَا يَسۡتَوِي ٱلۡبَحۡرَانِ هَٰذَا عَذۡبٞ فُرَاتٞ سَآئِغٞ شَرَابُهُۥ وَهَٰذَا مِلۡحٌ أُجَاجٞۖ وَمِن كُلّٖ تَأۡكُلُونَ لَحۡمٗا طَرِيّٗا وَتَسۡتَخۡرِجُونَ حِلۡيَةٗ تَلۡبَسُونَهَاۖ وَتَرَى ٱلۡفُلۡكَ فِيهِ مَوَاخِرَ لِتَبۡتَغُواْ مِن فَضۡلِهِۦ وَلَعَلَّكُمۡ تَشۡكُرُونَ
Wa maa yastawil bahraani haaza ‘azbun furaatun saaa’ighun sharaabuhoo wa haazaa milhun ujaaj; wa min kullin ta’kuloona lahman tariyyanw wa tastakhrijoona hilyatan talbasoonahaa wa taral fulka feehi mawaakhira litabtaghoo min fadlihee wa la’allakum tashkuroon

English Translation

Here you can read various translations of verse 12

Sahih International
And not alike are the two 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.

Yusuf Ali
Nor are the two bodies of flowing water alike,- the one palatable, sweet, and pleasant to drink, and the other, salt and bitter. Yet from each (kind of water) do ye eat flesh fresh and tender, and ye extract ornaments to wear; and thou seest the ships therein that plough the waves, that ye may seek (thus) of the Bounty of Allah that ye may be grateful.

Abul Ala Maududi
The two masses of water are not alike. The one is sweet, sates thirst, and is pleasant to drink from, while the other is salt, bitter on the tongue. Yet from both you eat fresh meat, and extract from it ornaments that you wear; and you see ships cruising through it that you may seek of His Bounty and be thankful to Him.

Muhsin Khan
And the two seas (kinds of water) are not alike, this fresh sweet, and pleasant to drink, and that saltish 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 (the seawater as they sail through it), that you may seek of His Bounty, and that you may give thanks.

Pickthall
And the two seas are not alike: this, fresh, sweet, good to drink, this (other) bitter, salt. And from them both ye eat fresh meat and derive the ornament that ye wear. And thou seest the ship cleaving them with its prow that ye may seek of His bounty, and that haply ye may give thanks.

Dr. Ghali
And in no way can the two seas be equal; this is sweet, gratifying (to taste) palatable as a drink; and this (other) is salt, bitter (to the tongue); and of each you eat fresh flesh and draw forth ornaments for you to wear. And you see the ships plowing through it that you may seek of His Grace and that possibly you would thank (Him).

Abdel Haleem
The two bodies of water are not alike- one is palatable, sweet, and pleasant to drink, the other salty and bitter- yet from each you eat fresh fish and extract ornaments to wear, and in each you see the ships ploughing their course so that you may seek God’s bounty and be grateful.

Muhammad Junagarhi
اور برابر نہیں دو دریا یہ میٹھا ہے پیاس بجھاتا پینے میں خوشگوار اور یہ دوسرا کھاری ہے کڑوا، تم ان دونوں میں سے تازه گوشت کھاتے ہو اور وه زیوارت نکالتے ہو جنہیں تم پہنتے ہو۔ اور آپ دیکھتے ہیں کہ بڑی بڑی کشتیاں پانی کو چیرنے پھاڑنے والی ان دریاؤں میں ہیں تاکہ تم اس کا فضل ڈھونڈو اور تاکہ تم اس کا شکر کرو

Quran 35 Verse 12 Explanation

For those looking for commentary to help with the understanding of Surah Fatir ayat 12, we’ve provided two Tafseer works below. The first is the tafseer of Abul Ala Maududi, the second is of Ibn Kathir.

Ala-Maududi

(35:12) The two masses of water are not alike.[27] The one is sweet, sates thirst, and is pleasant to drink from, while the other is salt, bitter on the tongue. Yet from both you eat fresh meat,[28] and extract from it ornaments that you wear;[29] and you see ships cruising through it that you may seek of His Bounty and be thankful to Him.


27. That is, the body of water in the oceans, and the body of water in the rivers and springs and lakes.

28. “Fresh meat”: Meat of water animals.

29. That is pearls and corals and, in some rivers, diamonds and gold.

Ibn-Kathir

12. 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.


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.

﴿وَهَـذَا 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. Alla0h says:

﴿وَهَـذَا مِلْحٌ أُجَاجٌ﴾

(and that is salty and bittery.) Then Allah says:

﴿وَمِن كُلٍّ تَأْكُلُونَ لَحْماً طَرِيّاً﴾

(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 الُّلؤْلُؤُ وَالمَرْجَانُ فَبِأَىِّ ءَالاءِ 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.

﴿وَلِتَبْتَغُواْ مِن 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.

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