مَرَجَ الْبَحْرَيْنِ يَلْتَقِيَانِ * بَيْنَهُمَا بَرْزَخٌ لَّا يَبْغِيَانِ
"He released the two seas, meeting together: Between them is a Barrier Which they do not transgress." [Al-Quran 55:19-20]
In the Arabic text the word barzakh means a barrier or a partition. This barrier is not a physical partition. The Arabic word maraja literally means ‘they both meet and mix with each other’. Early commentators of the Quran were unable to explain the two opposite meanings for the two bodies of water, i.e. they meet and mix, and at the same time, there is a barrier between them.
Modern Science has
discovered that in the places where two different seas meet, there is a
barrier between them. This barrier divides the two seas so that each sea
has its own temperature, salinity and density. [Principles of Oceanography,
Davis, pp. 92-93] Oceanologists are now in a better position to explain
this verse. There is a slanted unseen water barrier between the two
seas through which water from one sea passes to the other.
But when the water from one sea enters the other sea, it loses its distinctive characteristic and becomes homogenized with the other water. In a way this barrier serves as a transitional homogenizing area for the two waters. This scientific phenomenon mentioned in the Quran was also confirmed by Dr. William Hay who is a well-known marine scientist and Professor of Geological Sciences at the University of Colorado, U.S.A. The Quran mentions this phenomenon also in the following verse: "And made a separating bar between the two bodies Of flowing water?" [Al-Quran 27:61]
This phenomenon occurs in several places, including the divider between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic Ocean at Gibralter. But when the Quran speaks about the divider between fresh and salt water, it mentions the existence of "a forbidding partition" with the barrier. "It is He Who has Let free the two bodies Of flowing water: One palatable and sweet, And the other salty and bitter; Yet has He Made a barrier between them, And a partition that is forbidden To be passed." [Al-Quran 25:53]
Modern science has discovered that in estuaries, where fresh (sweet) and salt-water meet, the situation is somewhat different from that found in places where two seas meet. It has been discovered that what distinguishes fresh water from salt water in estuaries is a "pycnocline zone with a marked density discontinuity separating the two layers." [Oceanography, Gross, p. 242. Also see Introductory Oceanography, Thurman, pp. 300-301.] This partition (zone of separation) has salinity different from both the fresh water and the salt water. [Oceanography, Gross, p. 244 and Introductory Oceanography, Thurman, pp. 300-301.]
This phenomenon occurs in several places, including Egypt, where the river Nile flows into the Mediterranean Sea.
But when the water from one sea enters the other sea, it loses its distinctive characteristic and becomes homogenized with the other water. In a way this barrier serves as a transitional homogenizing area for the two waters. This scientific phenomenon mentioned in the Quran was also confirmed by Dr. William Hay who is a well-known marine scientist and Professor of Geological Sciences at the University of Colorado, U.S.A. The Quran mentions this phenomenon also in the following verse: "And made a separating bar between the two bodies Of flowing water?" [Al-Quran 27:61]
This phenomenon occurs in several places, including the divider between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic Ocean at Gibralter. But when the Quran speaks about the divider between fresh and salt water, it mentions the existence of "a forbidding partition" with the barrier. "It is He Who has Let free the two bodies Of flowing water: One palatable and sweet, And the other salty and bitter; Yet has He Made a barrier between them, And a partition that is forbidden To be passed." [Al-Quran 25:53]
Modern science has discovered that in estuaries, where fresh (sweet) and salt-water meet, the situation is somewhat different from that found in places where two seas meet. It has been discovered that what distinguishes fresh water from salt water in estuaries is a "pycnocline zone with a marked density discontinuity separating the two layers." [Oceanography, Gross, p. 242. Also see Introductory Oceanography, Thurman, pp. 300-301.] This partition (zone of separation) has salinity different from both the fresh water and the salt water. [Oceanography, Gross, p. 244 and Introductory Oceanography, Thurman, pp. 300-301.]
This phenomenon occurs in several places, including Egypt, where the river Nile flows into the Mediterranean Sea.
----------
Article #1:
The following picture and quotes are
from NASA. Notice how
the NASA scientist used the words:
separates,
barrier:
"This image is a mosaic of two photographs
taken by astronauts aboard the International Space Station viewing large
internal waves in the Strait of Gibraltar. These subsurface internal waves
occur at depths of about 100 m, but appear in the sunglint as giant swells
flowing eastward into the Mediterranean Sea.
The narrow Strait of Gibraltar is the gatekeeper for water exchange between the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. A top layer of warm, relatively fresh water from the Atlantic Ocean flows eastward into the Mediterranean Sea. In return, a lower, colder, saltier layer of water flows westward into the North Atlantic ocean. A density boundary separates the layers at about 100 m depth.
Like traffic merging on a highway, the water flow is constricted in both directions because it must pass over a shallow submarine barrier, the Camarinal Sill. When large tidal flows enter the Strait, internal waves (waves at the density boundary layer) are set off at the Camarinal Sill as the high tide relaxes. The waves—sometimes with heights up to 100 m — travel eastward. Even though the waves occur at great depth and the height of the waves at the surface is almost nothing, they can be traced in the sunglint because they concentrate the biological films on the water surface, creating slight differences in roughness.
In this image, the tidal bore creates internal waves (top arrow) that propagate eastward and expand outward into the Mediterranean in a big arc (near bottom). Other features can be traced in the sun’s reflections. Linear and V-shaped patterns (bottom arrow) are wakes of ships, providing evidence for the heavy ship traffic through the narrow waters between Spain and Morocco.
Water features in the sunglint pattern appear to the astronaut to be extremely transient, visible only briefly (a few seconds) as the spacecraft passes rapidly overhead. Photographs from space of the ocean sunglint pattern are a tool for studying physical oceanographic and atmospheric processes and other phenomena that affect surface roughness." (Source)
The narrow Strait of Gibraltar is the gatekeeper for water exchange between the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. A top layer of warm, relatively fresh water from the Atlantic Ocean flows eastward into the Mediterranean Sea. In return, a lower, colder, saltier layer of water flows westward into the North Atlantic ocean. A density boundary separates the layers at about 100 m depth.
Like traffic merging on a highway, the water flow is constricted in both directions because it must pass over a shallow submarine barrier, the Camarinal Sill. When large tidal flows enter the Strait, internal waves (waves at the density boundary layer) are set off at the Camarinal Sill as the high tide relaxes. The waves—sometimes with heights up to 100 m — travel eastward. Even though the waves occur at great depth and the height of the waves at the surface is almost nothing, they can be traced in the sunglint because they concentrate the biological films on the water surface, creating slight differences in roughness.
In this image, the tidal bore creates internal waves (top arrow) that propagate eastward and expand outward into the Mediterranean in a big arc (near bottom). Other features can be traced in the sun’s reflections. Linear and V-shaped patterns (bottom arrow) are wakes of ships, providing evidence for the heavy ship traffic through the narrow waters between Spain and Morocco.
Water features in the sunglint pattern appear to the astronaut to be extremely transient, visible only briefly (a few seconds) as the spacecraft passes rapidly overhead. Photographs from space of the ocean sunglint pattern are a tool for studying physical oceanographic and atmospheric processes and other phenomena that affect surface roughness." (Source)
http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/newsletter/uft/uft2.htm
 |
And in regards to the Miracle of the Internal Waves in the seas and oceans,
the Glorious Quran mentioned it 1,500 years ago:
Article #3:
This article also quotes NASA.
Notice how the author used the word "separates":
"Solitons are migrating waves that - once they have
been activated - keep on moving constantly with the same wave height and
interval. Thus these waves move over a long distance without changing their
characteristics.
These waves were first discovered by John Scott Russell
in a river. He observed that a wave packet (several waves), that was caused by a
boat abruptly stopping didn’t subside as usual, but continued running upstream
without changing its height, form or interval. He followed the waves upstream on
the back of his horse. From that time on, his interest was awaken and he started
researching about these waves he
called “waves of transition”.
There are different ways which such waves might be
produced. In the Strait of Gibraltar this happens mainly by the change of high
tide to low tide (thus the name). The waves are activated by a higher sill on
the Atlantic coast of the Strait and by the narrowness of the Strait. The
shallowest area is situated on the Atlantic and Moroccan side and
is called Camarinal Sill.
The Strait is only 290 m deep at that point.
Figure: topographical map of the Strait of Gibraltar, where you can see the
shallowest point, Camarinal Sill.
Source: http://www.ifm.uni-hamburg.de/ers-sar/Sdata/oceanic/intwaves/gibraltar/intro/
Source: http://www.ifm.uni-hamburg.de/ers-sar/Sdata/oceanic/intwaves/gibraltar/intro/
The second reason of the formation of such a wave
packet is the fact, that there are two main currents in the Strait of Gibraltar:
a salted one in high depth, that flows from the Mediterranean Sea to the
Atlantic Ocean and another one less salty in the upper 100 - 200 meters, that
flows from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea. This situation results
in a Halocline, a salinity gradient (density layer)
that
separates
the salty layer from the less salty one.
The depth of the halocline depends on the underground, the currents and the
tides.
At the turn of the tides there happens a depression of
the density layer. This depression is especially important at the lower sills in
the beginning of the Strait of Gibraltar. After the change of the tidal current
an intern tidal wave is activated in about 100 m depth. This wave
is the beginning of a wave packet of intern Solitons that migrate far into the
Mediterranean Sea.
Figure: edited satellite photo of the strait of Gibraltar. Tidal wave activated at Camarinal Sill which leads to solitons that migrate far into the Mediterranean Sea. Source: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=16581]
These waves may be recognized on the surface as a
relatively intense swell. They may also be seen from the outer-space, as in
general there is a high concentration of biological films.
As I am very interested in these waves, it was an
exciting experience to see these solitons in reality." (Source)
Article #4:
"In the Arabic text the word 'barzakh' means a barrier or a partition. The Arabic word
'maraja' literally means 'they both meet and mix with each other.' Early commentators of
the QUR'AN were unable to explain the two opposite meanings for the two bodies of
water, i.e. they meet and mix, and at the same time, there is a barrier between them. Modern Science has discovered that in places where two
different seas meet,
there is a
barrier
between them. This barrier divides the two seas so
that each sea has ita own temperature, salinity and density.
{Principles of Oceanography, Davis, pp. 92-93.} Oceanologists are now in a better position
to explain this verse. There is a slanted unseen water barrier between the seas through
which water from one sea passes to the other. But when the water from one sea enters the
other sea, it loses its distinctive characteristic and becomes homogenized with the other
water. In a way this barrier serves as a transitional homogenizing area for the two
waters. This scientific phenonmenon mentioned in the QUR'AN was
also confirmed by
Dr. William Hay who is a well-known marine scientist and Professor og Geological Sciences
at the University of Colorado, U.S.A." (Source)
Article #5:
Atheist Richard Dawkins refuted by Muslim girls on
Halocline Phenomenon and Scientific Miracle in the Noble Quran.
Click to watch video.
3-
Conclusion:
Again, the Noble Quran is filled with scientific statements and notions.
These are statements of Allah Almighty describing how He created things on earth
and in the Universe. What's most amazing is that all of these scientific
statements and notions had been proven to be in
perfect agreement with science and our modern-day scientific
discoveries. Allah Almighty made the Noble Quran be Prophet Muhammad's (peace
be upon him) Everlasting Divine Miracle and proof for Prophethood. The Holy
Book certainly stood the test of time 1,500 years ago with Its Claims,
Prophecies and Miraculous language-eloquence, and it does again and again in our
day today with Its overwhelming agreement with science and discoveries that were
not known to man 1,500 years ago.
Allah Almighty Said: "We will soon
show them Our signs in the Universe
and inside their selves, until it will become quite
clear to them that it is the truth. Is it not sufficient as regards your Lord
that He is a witness over all things?
(The Noble Quran, 41:53)"
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