Is there an oceanographic error in Quran?

[Irteza]

Assalam Alekum all.

I hope all will be doing great.

I have a question regarding an error in Surah Al-Fatir(#35) verse 12 which states: "And not alike are two bodies of water (بحرین) One is sweet and palatable and other is salty and bitter.

The word بحرین means Oceans.
The question is that sure the water of ocean can be salty and bitter, but it can not be sweet and palatable.
Although there are some rivers which may have sweet water, even some ponds or reservoirs within oceans may have sweet water but the ocean as whole can not be sweet. Whereas Quran talks about a بحر which has fresh and palatable water while the fact is there is no sweet water ocean in the world. Quran could have said there are parts of oceans which are fresh but it says "God has let free some waters of oceans which are fresh.

How can we address this seemingly scientific error where Quran states that Ocean water can be fresh?

Wasalam

[Muhammad]

wa alaykum assalam,

I have a question regarding an error in Surah Al-Fatir(#35) verse 12 which states: "And not alike are two bodies of water (بحرین) One is sweet and palatable and other is salty and bitter.

This is not how we ask questions regarding the Qur'an. To assume there is an error in the Qur'an is a very serious claim and one which should not be made by any Muslim. If we do not know the meaning of a verse, we should recognise that the limitation is in our own understanding, and that Allah سبحانه وتعالى is far above any error or shortcoming.

As regards the verse in question, you need to first check what the word بحرین means. Words in Arabic often have more than one meaning. Notice in the translation you have yourself quoted, it is translated as 'two bodies of water', not 'two oceans'. Commentators on the Qur'an such as Ibn Kathir have mentioned:

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.

Therefore, there is no 'error' in this verse.

[exion]

Wa 'alaykumu salam akhi, never assume that there is an error in the Qur'an because it is the Book of Allah, and He is the most knowledgeable about His creation. Even if it said "oceans", we as Muslims would have to believe that there are oceans that are sweet and palatable. There should be no human being who can convince you they know more than Allah Himself and what He has said in His book.

Now, as for the answer, Allah is simply talking about the barrier between the oceans and rivers. The waters do not mix, they have their own course and destination. It should not be understood from this that there is sweet water in some oceans. I haven't seen any 'ulama interpret the ayah like that. The barrier intended here is simply dry land, but the Qur'an interpreters also mention that between the two “seas”, the fresh and the salty, there is a barrier that is not visible to human eyes. Allah created it by His decree and it prevents mixing of the fresh water with the salty water even though the two waters meet at the mouths of rivers. This was narrated by al-Qurtubi from Ibn ‘Abbaas, and as-Suyooti attributed it to a report from ‘Abd ibn Humayyid from Qataadah. See ad-Durr al-Manthoor, 6/371

See this video and you'll see the barrier and the color difference and everything:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRClKxzJX9A

It's the ocean, I assume the sweet water came from a river or something, but it's still the ocean because it's in the area we call "ocean". There's no mistake here at all.

Jazak Allah khair