And His words:

“From both of them emerge pearls and coral.”

[Surah al-Rahmān: 22]

Al-Zajjāj said, “It actually comes forth (1) only from the salty sea. He referred to both seas together because, if it comes forth from one of them, it can be said to have come forth (2) from them both, just as in His words:

‘And He made the moon therein a light.’”

Al-Fārisī said, “He meant ‘from one of them,’ but omitted the word ‘one.’”

Ibn Jarīr said, “He said ‘from both of them’ because it emerges from shells in the sea as a result of raindrops from the sky.”

As for pearls and coral, there are two views concerning them. The first is that “coral” denotes the smaller pearls, while “pearls” denotes the large ones. This was stated by the majority, including Ibn Abbās, Qatāda, al-Farrā’, and al-Dahhāk.

Al-Zajjāj said, “‘Pearl’ is a collective term for the beads that come from the sea, while ‘coral’ denotes the smaller ones.”

The second view is that “pearls” denotes the small ones and “coral” the large ones. This was stated by Mujāhid, al-Suddī, and Muqātil.

Ibn Abbās said, “When rain falls from the sky, the shells open their mouths, and whatever rain falls into them becomes pearl.” Ibn Jarīr (3) said, “Wherever a drop fell, it became a pearl.”

Ibn Masūd said, “Coral is red beads.”

Al-Zajjāj said, “Coral is white—intensely white.” It was related from Abū Ya'lā that coral is a type of pearl resembling rods (4).

[Section: The Thirty-First Proof—“And Whoever Possesses Knowledge of the Book”—and the Response to It]

Section.

The Rāfidī (5) said, “The thirty-first proof is the words of Allah Most High: