How Quran Categorizes Different Types of Water
Given the level of knowledge at the time and place of revelation of the Quran, it can be considered as a kind of miracle.
In the Quran, rain water has been referred to as Tahur. Rain water is sea water that has first evaporated and then distilled. It is clear from any contamination. It is called distilled water and has many functions especially in medicine because of its disinfection efficacy.
However, distilled water is not pleasant because it lacks the required minerals. As rainwater runs through sand, soil, and rock, it collects minerals. That makes the water from springs and rivers pleasant to drink. The Quran refers to it as Furat, which has special features that make it good to drink.
The Quran describes seas water as Ujaj. God says in verse 12 of Surah al-Fatir: “: And the two seas are not alike: the one sweet, that subdues thirst by its excessive sweetness, pleasant to drink; and the other salt, that burns by its saltness; yet from each of them you eat fresh flesh and bring forth ornaments which you wear; and you see the ships cleave through it that you may seek of His bounty and that you may be grateful.”
The Quran uses the phrase Malh Ujaj (salty and bitter), which emphasizes the high level of saltiness of sea water and also highlights the fact that the saltiness of sea water is not just due to salt in it but there are other elements in sea water.
So one can argue that the Quran has for the first time offered a scientific categorization of water.
It should be noted that such a categorization has been introduced at a time when no one had any knowledge about the disinfection efficacy of distilled water and mankind learned about it only centuries later, which is proof of the Quran’s scientific miracle.
