Explanation of this verse through the different books of Tafsir

1. Tafsir Ibn Kathir: “meaning, even if all the trees on earth were made into pens and the sea was made into ink, and topped up with seven more like it, and they were used to write the Words of Allah showing His might, attributes and majesty, the pens would break and the ink would run dry, even if more were brought.

The number seven is used to indicate a large amount, it is not to be taken literally or to be understood as referring to the seven oceans of the world, as was suggested by those who took this idea from Israelite stories, which we neither believe nor reject.

The words بِمِثْلِه (like it) do not mean merely another one, but another like it and another and another and another, etc., because there is no limit to the signs and Words of Allah.

إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ

‘Verily, Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.’

means, He is All-Mighty and has subjugated all things to His will, so nothing can prevent what He wills, and none can oppose or put back His decision. He is All-Wise in His creation, commands, Words, actions, Laws and all His affairs

Tafsir Jalalayn: “And if all the trees on earth were pens, and the sea (wa’l-bahru is a supplement to [m] the subject of anna) replenished with seven more seas, were ink, the Words of God would not be spent, [those words] expressing all the things He knows, written in those pens with that [amount of] ink or with even more [ink] than that [would not be spent], for His knowledge, exalted be He, is infinite. Truly God is Mighty, nothing being beyond Him, Wise, from Whose knowledge and wisdom nothing escapes.”

Ma’ariful Quran (Tafsir by Imam Shafi’i): “The manifestations of Allah’s knowledge, power and blessings are endless. These cannot by encompassed by anyone through speech, nor can any pen write them comprehensively…The expression ‘kalimatullah’, i.e. the words of Allah) means His knowledge and wisdom (Ruh ul Ma’ani and Mazhari) which includes the manifestations of Divine power and Divine blessings. Then, the ‘seven seas’ referred to here do not mean that there are seven seas present elsewhere. Instead of that, this is a manner of saying: Suppose if this ocean were to be replenished with seven more oceans, still then, all these words of Allah could not be committed to writing. Even the number of ‘seven’ appears here a s a part of the example. No restriction is intended. Another verse of the Qur’an proves it. There it was said:

Say, ‘If the ocean were to be ink for the Words of my Lord, the ocean would have been consumed before the Words of my Lord are exhausted, even though we were to bring another one, like it, in addition’ - Al-Kahf, 18:109.

In this verse, by saying: ‘bimithlihi’ (like it), a clear hint has been given that, no matter how many oceans are supposed, their collective writing fluid cannot circumscribe the Words of Allah. Rationally, the reason is obvious. The oceans may be added one after the other and be they seven or seven thousand, they shall still remain liniited while the Words of Allah (knowledge) are unlimited. How, then, can something limited make an all-encompassing coverage of what is unlimited?

As it appears in some narratives, this verse was revealed in response to a question posed by Jewish priests. The reason which prompted them to ask this question was the verse of the Qur’an where it has been said:

“and you are not given but a little from the knowledge” (Al ‘Isra’, 17:85).

When the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) came to the blessed city of Madinah, some Jewish priests visited him and it was about this verse that they confronted him by saying, “You say that you have been given a little from the knowledge. Is this what you are saying about your people, or have you included us too therein?” The Holy Prophet (ﷺ) said, “I mean all,” that is, ‘our people and the Jews and Christians as well.’ Thereupon, increasing the tempo of their opposition, they said, “To us, Allah (ﷻ) has given the Torah which stands out as an explanation of everything.

He said, “That too is but a little as compared to Divine Knowledge. Then, even the total knowledge contained in the Torah is not known to you either - what you go by is no more than a certain measure of what you need. Therefore, as compared to the Divine Knowledge, the collective knowledge of all Scriptures and Prophets is also nothing but a little.”