Which Surah and Juz is Quran 35:12 from?

This ayah is from Surah Faatir (The Originator), the 35th surah of the Quran. It appears in Juz 22.

Are there hadiths related to Quran 35:12?

Yes — there are 5 hadiths related to this ayah from Sunan an-Nasa'i, Sunan Ibn Majah, Jami` at-Tirmidhi.

What tafsir is available for Quran 35:12?

Commentary on this ayah is available from Ibn Kathir, Ibn Kathir, Al-Jalalayn, Ibn Abbas — classical scholars of Quranic exegesis.

What topics does Quran 35:12 relate to?

This ayah connects to these Quranic topics: Creation, Blessings of Allah, Divine Signs, Gratitude, Social Themes.

Ayah 11

وَٱللَّهُ خَلَقَكُم مِّن تُرَابٍۢ ثُمَّ مِن نُّطْف...

35:12Faatir

Q: What does Quran 35:12 mean?

Quran 35:12 (Surah Faatir, Ayah 12) translates to: "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."

Ayah 13

يُولِجُ ٱلَّيْلَ فِى ٱلنَّهَارِ وَيُولِجُ ٱلنَّهَا...

وَمَا يَسْتَوِى ٱلْبَحْرَانِ هَٰذَا عَذْبٌۭ فُرَاتٌۭ سَآئِغٌۭ شَرَابُهُۥ وَهَٰذَا مِلْحٌ أُجَاجٌۭ ۖ وَمِن كُلٍّۢ تَأْكُلُونَ لَحْمًۭا طَرِيًّۭا وَتَسْتَخْرِجُونَ حِلْيَةًۭ تَلْبَسُونَهَا ۖ وَتَرَى ٱلْفُلْكَ فِيهِ مَوَاخِرَ لِتَبْتَغُوا۟ مِن فَضْلِهِۦ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ

Wa maa yastawil bahraani haaza 'azbun furaatun saaa'ighun sharaabuhoo wa haazaa milhun ujaaj; wa min kullin taakuloona lahman tariyyanw wa tastakhrijoona hilyatan talbasoonahaa wa taral fulka feehi mawaakhira litabtaghoo min fadlihee wa la'allakm tashkuroon

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.

Themes in this ayah

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Signs in creation98 Gratitude96

Scores run 0–100: how strongly this ayah speaks to a theme. 70+ is central, 50+ is clear, under 50 is weak.

9 other themes with weak connections

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35:12Ayah 145

9 ayahs in Faatir are strongly about signs in creation. This is one of them.

← Previous on Signs in creation35:11And Allah created you from dust, then from a sperm-drop; then He made you mates. And no female conceives nor does she give birth except with His knowledge.Next on Signs in creation →35:13He causes the night to enter the day, and He causes the day to enter the night and has subjected the sun and the moon

Tafsir

Scholars largely agree on this ayah

View Full Tafsir: Al-Jalalayn on 35:12→

Nor are the two kinds of seas alike this one is extremely sweet pleasant to drink and that one is salty extremely bitter. Yet from each of the two you eat fresh meat namely fish and obtain from the salt — and it is also said from both of them — ornaments which you wear namely pearls and coral. And you see you sight the ships therein in each of the two seas ploughing through mawākhira in other words tamkhuru’l-mā’a meaning ‘it cleaves it as it makes its way through it coming and going by the same wind that you may seek of His bounty exalted be He through commerce and that perhaps you may give thanks to God for this bounty.

"Its water is pure (and Purification) and its 'dead meat' is permissible (to eat)."

Sunan Ibn Majah #122It was narrated from Jabir that:Sahih

The Prophet was asked about seawater, and he said: "Its water is a means of purification, and its dead meat is permissible." (Hasan) Another chain with similar wording.

Jami` at-Tirmidhi #69Abu Hurairah narrated:Sahih

"A man asked Allah's Messenger 'O Messenger of Allah! We sail the seas, and we only carry a little water with us. If we use it for Wudu then we will go thirsty. So shall we perform Wudu from the (water of the) sea?' Allah's Messenger said: 'Its water is pure, and its dead are lawful.'"

Sunan an-Nasa'i #59Abu Hurairah said:Sahih

"A man asked the Prophet (ﷺ): 'O Messenger of Allah, we travel by sea and we take a little water with us, but if we use it for Wudu', we will go thirsty. Can we perform Wudu', with sea-water?' The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'Its water is a means of purification and its dead meat is permissible.'"

Sunan an-Nasa'i #333Abu Hurairah said:Sahih

"A man asked the prophet (ﷺ): 'O Messenger of Allah, we travel by sea and we take a little water with us, but if we use it for Wudu', we will go thirsty. Can we perform Wudu' with seawater?' The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'Its water is a means of purification and its dead meat is permissible.'"