وَلَوْ أَنَّمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ مِن شَجَرَةٍ أَقْلَـٰمٌ وَٱلْبَحْرُ يَمُدُّهُۥ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِۦ سَبْعَةُ أَبْحُرٍ مَّا نَفِدَتْ كَلِمَـٰتُ ٱللَّهِ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ 27
Translations
And if whatever trees upon the earth were pens and the sea [was ink], replenished thereafter by seven [more] seas, the words of Allāh would not be exhausted. Indeed, Allāh is Exalted in Might and Wise.
Transliteration
Wa law anna ma fi al-ardi min shajaratin aqlam wa al-bahru yamudduh min ba'dih saba'atu abhur ma nafidat kalimat Allah. Inna Allah azizun hakim.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah illustrates the infinite nature of Allah's knowledge and words by presenting a hyperbolic scenario: even if all trees on earth were pens and the ocean were supplemented by seven more oceans of ink, they would be insufficient to write down all of Allah's words and knowledge. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this emphasizes that Allah's attributes, wisdom, and divine speech are boundless and incomprehensible to human intellect, concluding that Allah is both Mighty (al-Aziz) and All-Wise (al-Hakim).
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Luqman, a Meccan chapter focused on moral guidance and the oneness of Allah. The ayah serves as part of a broader discourse on Allah's majesty and the limitations of human knowledge, contextualizing Luqman's wisdom teachings within the framework of divine omniscience and power.
Related Hadiths
The concept relates to a hadith in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet (peace be upon him) mentioned that Allah's knowledge encompasses all things and that His mercy precedes His wrath, emphasizing divine wisdom. Additionally, Surah Al-Kahf (18:109) presents a nearly identical statement about the insufficiency of the ocean as ink for recording Allah's words.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers of the humility required when contemplating divine knowledge—our understanding is inherently limited compared to Allah's infinite wisdom. It encourages trust in Allah's perfect judgment and encourages seekers of knowledge to recognize that true understanding comes from accepting the boundaries of human intellect and submitting to divine guidance.