What does Quran say about the rise in sea level?

9. Decoding the verses of the Holy Quran

Sea levels are predicted to increase a foot by 2050, regardless of how much global carbon emissions are lowered. Since 2010, sea levels have risen more than 10 centimeters globally. By 2100, over 410 million people could be at risk from rising sea levels. But What does Quran say about the rise in sea level? The Holy Quran says:

The rise in Sea levels

These verses can be understood in different ways depending upon the extent of knowledge of reader. If the reader´s knowledge goes back to the time of the prophet Muhammad, the meaning is obvious: The pagans were losing their lands to Islam. Does that meaning hold good in our times, seeing that Muslims conquest ended centuries ago? In fact Muslim´s lands are being taken away from them e.g, lands in palatine, which have been given to Jews.

But there is a scientific relevance hidden in the text. According to our new understanding, the sea levels are rising and mankind is losing its land at its edges. It is estimated that the sea rise has been between 15-20 mm over the last 20 years. This means millions of kilometers of land lost to the sea. Maldives, the lowest lying country in the world, is expected to be entirely submerged by 2100

Three causes of the rise in sea level?

1. Warming of the sea water. This is because of rise in earth temperatures. This leads to expansion of water in the oceans. The estimated amount of water in the seas and oceans is 1,335,000,000 cubic kilometers (321,003,271 cubic miles). Its expansion can mean addition of several millions of land gone under it.

2. Ice melt of glaciers and ice-sheets. Measurements taken from satellites show that the sea ice decline is 5 % over the last decade. The polar ice caps are continuously melting. If all the ice at the caps melted, the sea level rise by 200 feet, taking in, billions of kilometers of land under.

3. Reduction of storage of water on land. Hundred of small seas, lakes, ponds, and other reservoirs are getting dried up. When water evaporates, only one-third of it falls back on land through rain, two-thirds would fall into the sea. The Saltan Sea in California, Dead Sea and many more are examples of shrinking seas. The Russian Aral Sea which once was about half the size of England has completely dries up.

So, isn”t the Holy Quran a book of God?

My final words

The glorious Quran says:

“We will show them Our signs in the universe and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that this ˹Quran˺ is the

truth. Is it not enough that your Lord is a Witness over all things?”

– Chapter 41 (Surah Fussilat ) verse 53 

Some people require only one sign, while others require numerous signs to embrace the truth. On the other side, there are others who, even after receiving thousands of indications, refuse to embrace the reality. The Quran describes these persons as:

“They are ˹wilfully˺ deaf, dumb, and blind, so they will never return ˹to the Right Path˺.”
– Chapter 2 (Surah Al-Baqarah) verse 18

The Bible says the same thing:

“Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.”
– Gospel of Matthew verse 13 of chapter 13 

Hopefully, that was helpful to you and will assist you in strengthening your belief. You can also visit my other blogs:

What does Quran says about the dynamic motion of the Earth?

What does the Quran say about the moon?

writer= Ayhian Ali

email: ayhianali@gmail.com