3 Preface وَإِذَا البِحارُ فُجِّرَتYusuf AliWhen the Oceans are suffered to burst forth;1Cf. 81:6, “when the oceans boil over with a swell”. Here, “are suffered to burst forth” expresses the end of the present order of things. This may be in two ways, interpreted litterally: (1) The barrier, which keeps within their respective bounds the various streams of salt and fresh water (55:20, n. to 55:19), will be removed; (2) the Ocean will overwhelm the whole Globe. Figuratively, the different streams of knowledge, great and small, will be levelled down: for only one Knowledge, the Light Divine, will hold the field.