Surah At-Takwir 81:6
سُورَةُ التَّكۡوِيرِ · Meccan · Verse 6 of 29
وَإِذَا ٱلْبِحَارُ سُجِّرَتْ
Translation
when the seas boil over,
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
Wording
The sixth verse of Surah At-Takwir paints a vivid picture of one of the earth-shattering events heralding the Day of Judgment: "And when the seas are set ablaze." This powerful imagery invites us to ponder the precise words Allah chose to convey such an awe-inspiring transformation.
The Transformed Seas
The key word in this verse is `سُجِّرَتْ` (sujjirat). According to the plain meaning, it signifies that the vast seas will be "ignited, becoming a raging fire despite their vastness."
Scholars offer insights into the depth of this word. The root `سَجَرَ` (sajara) is often used for intensely kindling a fire, like filling an oven with wood until it's blazing. Al-Zamakhshari and al-Jalalayn explain `سُجِّرَتْ` as being "ignited with intense ignition," or simply "ignited and became fire."
Imam al-Razi describes how this could mean the waters dry up entirely, leaving the sea beds incredibly hot and burning, or that Allah creates immense fires within the waters themselves. Another profound interpretation, noted by Ibn Ashur, connects `سُجِّرَتْ` to the meaning of "overflowing and mixing." He links it to the word `فُجِّرَتْ` (fujjirat, meaning "burst forth") used in a similar context in Surah Al-Infitar. This suggests the barriers between the oceans will collapse, causing them to flood into one another, changing their nature dramatically.
Whether they become literal fire or overwhelm each other in a colossal flood, the common thread is an unimaginable transformation that utterly defies their current state. The doubling of the middle letter in `سُجِّرَتْ` (known as *tashdid* in Arabic grammar) emphasizes the intensity and magnitude of this action, highlighting that this is not a gentle change, but a violent, all-encompassing upheaval.
An Unseen Power
The structure of this verse, like the others in this sequence, employs the passive voice (`سُجِّرَتْ` – "are set ablaze" rather than "Allah sets them ablaze"). This grammatical choice serves to focus our attention entirely on the *event itself* and its staggering impact, rather than explicitly naming the Doer. The sheer scale of such a phenomenon immediately implies an ultimate, supreme Power behind it, rendering the direct mention of Allah unnecessary; His might is self-evident in the cataclysm described.
Furthermore, the phrase begins with `وإذا` (wa idha, "And when"), repeated twelve times throughout this surah. Ibn Ashur notes that this repetition is an "elaboration" (`إطناب`) intended to instill "awe and dread" (`التهويل`). It creates a sense of suspense and certainty, building anticipation for the dramatic conclusion in the verse that follows: "Every soul will know what it has brought forth." These cosmic signs are not random; they are deliberate precursors to the moment of reckoning for every individual.
This single phrase, "And when the seas are set ablaze," is a testament to the Quran's concise yet profound wording, using familiar elements to describe an utterly unfamiliar and terrifying reality, urging us to prepare for the inevitable.
Sources: al-Zamakhshari (al-Kashshaf), al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb), al-Jalalayn, al-Jadwal fi I'rab al-Quran (Mahmud Safi), Ibn Ashur (al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir)
Topics that discuss this verse
Surah At-Takwir 81:6 is discussed in 4 study guides on Maani. Each guide gathers the key verses, Arabic words and lessons of one Quranic topic.
Reflect on this verse
Open Surah At-Takwir 81:6 in Maani to reflect on it through the Five Lenses: its wording, its context, what it means for you, its connections across the Quran and its lessons, grounded in classical tafsir.