“He has let loose the two seas (the salt water and the sweet) meeting together. Between them is a barrier which none of them can transgress’’ (Surah Ar – Rahman 55:19-20)
Many people including the Muslims and non Muslims gave some questions, i.e. What does Quran say about Environment?, How Islam is related to Environment?, What is the exact relationship of Religion and Environment?,
These verses represent the magic that human mind is unable to comprehend which is the separation between two seas that fail to meet even with the pressure of huge waves and storms. They own a barrier that human brain cannot explain.
The tafseer of this verse in the light of different books claim that the term two seas reflect most common water types on the global scale that are fresh water and salty water from the rivers and the seas in the respective manner. Surah Al Furqan verse 53;
وَ هُوَ الَّذِیْ مَرَجَ الْبَحْرَیْنِ هٰذَا عَذْبٌ فُرَاتٌ وَّ هٰذَا مِلْحٌ اُجَاجٌۚ-وَ جَعَلَ بَیْنَهُمَا بَرْزَخًا وَّ حِجْرًا مَّحْجُوْرًا
Also confirms this claim in the words that “one palatable and sweet and other salt and bitter”. In addition, the barrier between the two seas has basically two perspectives that are non-contradictory towards each other. These perspectives generally accepted are as follows.
v In the first place, the scholars are agreed on the fact that a piece of land actually acts as a separation point between the seas and rivers as a result of which they fail to meet even though they have different destinations and different courses.
v In the second place, as narrated by Imam al – Qurtubi, there lies an invisible barrier between the both seas laid by Allah Almighty that prevents the waters from amalgamating with each other. This barrier is what human brains are unable to comprehend.
The Holy Quran and Modern science
The barrier is surely an example of wisdom of Allah Almighty. Till date, the science has discovered that each water type is actually pushing the other one in the opposite direction as a result of which an amalgamation between them never occurs. In addition, relative difference between their densities is high to an appreciable extent due to different components of salty water and fresh water as a result of which fresh water cannot enter in the boundary of salt water and vice versa as per Al-‘Allaamah at-Taahir ibn ‘Aashoor. In accordance to oceanographers, this barrier that can be dry patch of land or invisible one is the reason behind the separation of fresh water and salt water in particular. This is where the line between the Quran and the science actually diminishes as the science is bound to accept what Quran has explained 1400 years ago. Quran has relatinship with Environment from many years ago. Allah create this universe and also Quran.
This investigation in regard to barrier was carried out by a renowned researcher names as Captain Jacques Cousteau who is one of the largest marine scientist in the French history. He presented his results in the manner as follows.
The examination of results deduced by different scientists is clearly of the view that in seas, separation of different masses is done by some barriers in place that are quite contradictory to scientific explanations. In addition, the research shows that a peculiarity is present in density, the level of salinity and life forms of Mediterranean Sea as well. In addition, mass of water of Mediterranean Sea was different from mass of water of Atlantic Ocean that raised several questions as well. In the normal consequences, these seas should have no peculiarity in density, the level of salinity and life forms while merging at the strait of Gibraltar. At least, these factors of the twos seas should be very close if not same with each other. In reality, this situation is not observed as completely different structures are present at the place where the seas actually meet with each other. Through very close investigation, Captain Jacques Cousteau and his team analyzed a very important fact that left them all in an amazed state as water curtain was observed between the seas that was the reason behind why the waters never amalgamated with each other. These results provided confirmation for the work of German scientists who discover water barrier of the same kind in 1962 at Bab al-Mandab where the convergence of waters of Gulf of Aden and Red Sea takes place. This investigation was further carried out after which Captain Jacques Cousteau and his team confirmed that similar barriers are witnessed in the merging points of almost all seas that have peculiar nature and peculiar characteristics.
Another example of water barrier was observed where rivers of fresh water flow in the seas i.e. at the bays and the deltas. The taste of water at Estuary is little brackish especially at the few small areas where the water of river flows into the sea. This is where the wonder of Allah Almighty is visible as brackish water never flows back in the rivers that hold drinkable water. The reason behind it in scientific terms is water surfaces and bottom currents that never allow this amalgamation through any particular mean. All praise to Allah Almighty for setting up these barriers that restricts saline water from entering fresh water which is highly essential for the human life as it supports the life in particular on the Earth. In the other verse of Quran, this situation is also depicted as follows.
“And He is the One who merges the two bodies of water: one fresh and palatable and other salty and bitter, placing between them a barrier they cannot cross”.
This idea of separation of the seas is a true miracle of Allah Almighty that speaks of the control of him all over the globe. This is where the line between the Quran and the science actually diminishes as the science is bound to accept what Quran has explained 1400 years ago.