Surah Al-Kahf — Verse 109

Word Meanings:

• Al-Bahr (البحر): The sea or ocean; here it refers to its water.
• Midadan (مِدَادًا): Ink used for writing.
• Kalimat Rabbi (كَلِمَاتُ رَبِّي): The Words of my Lord — His divine speech, wisdom, promises, and decrees.
• Lanafida (لَنَفِدَ): Would surely be exhausted or depleted.
• Madadan (مَدَدًا): Additional supply or reinforcement.

Tafsir (Explanation):

O Messenger, tell humanity: If the entire ocean were turned into ink, and all the trees of the earth were made into pens to write down the Words of my Lord — His knowledge, His wisdom, His promises to the righteous, His warnings to the wicked, and His perfect decrees — the ocean would run dry long before His Words came to an end. And even if We brought another ocean like it, and another after that, and yet another, pouring them all in as a continuous supply of ink, they would all be exhausted, yet the Words of Allah would remain infinite and unending.

This verse establishes, with absolute certainty, the attribute of Speech (Kalam) for Allah — real and true, in a manner befitting His Majesty and Perfection, without any resemblance to the speech of His creation. His Words are not letters and sounds that can be counted or exhausted; they are an attribute of His Essence, limitless and eternal. Every created thing that exists came into being by His Word "Be!" — and the possibilities of His creative command and divine wisdom are beyond all measure.

A Da'wah Reflection:

Dear reader, pause and contemplate the vastness of this ocean — the seas and oceans of this world hold billions of tons of water, stretching across the globe. Yet, if all that water were ink, it would vanish like a drop in the desert before the Words of your Lord were even scratched upon the page. This is not merely a statement of quantity; it is an invitation to stand in awe of the Infinite. The One who speaks these Words is the One who created you, who hears your whispers, who knows your sorrows, and whose mercy encompasses all things. If His Words never end, then His mercy, His forgiveness, and His ability to answer your prayers are equally without limit. So call upon Him with confidence, for the One who holds infinite Words holds infinite power — and He is closer to you than your own jugular vein. Let this verse fill your heart with hope, for no matter how deep your sins or how heavy your burdens, the ocean of His forgiveness is far greater than the ocean of this world. Turn to Him, and you will find that His door never closes, and His Words never run dry.