31:27
And if all the trees on earth were pens and the ocean (were ink), with seven oceans behind it to add to its (supply), yet would not the words of Allah be exhausted (in the writing): for Allah is Exalted in Power, full of Wisdom.
The Qurʾān employs powerful imagery to illustrate the limitless nature of divine knowledge and expression. One example appears in the verse stating: “Say: If the sea were ink for the words of my Lord, the sea would be exhausted before the words of my Lord were exhausted, even if We were to add another sea like it” (Qurʾān 18:109). Muhammad Asad explains that the term al-baḥr (“the sea”) in this verse is used in a generic sense to represent all seas collectively. Consequently, the expression referring to “another like it” suggests an image of “sea upon sea,” emphasizing that even an unlimited quantity of ink would be insufficient to record the entirety of God’s words and knowledge (Asad, The Message of the Qur’an, p. 582).
A related concept appears in Qurʾān 17:44, which states that the seven heavens, the earth, and all beings within them glorify God. According to the commentary of Allamah Noorudin, this verse conveys the idea that every element of the universe participates in praising the Creator, although human beings may not fully comprehend the manner of this glorification. Noorudin interprets this praise as emerging from the infinite “sea of words” belonging to God, suggesting that the universe itself reflects and communicates aspects of divine wisdom. In this interpretation, all entities in the cosmos—including non-living elements—participate in an ongoing expression of divine praise, symbolically exchanging the secrets of the universe through forms of expression that transcend human language and understanding (Noorudin, Exegesis of the Holy Qurʾān: Commentary and Reflections, pp. 107–109).
References:
Asad, Muhammad (1980). (pg. 582). The Message of the Quran.
NOORUDDÎN ,ALLÂMAH. (2015). Exegesis of The Holy Qur’ân Commentary and Reflections.
(p. 107-109).