BİRİNCİ FEN · ÜÇÜNCÜ BÂB · BEŞİNCİ FASIL · Beşinci Madde
**Article Five**
Concerning the benefits of the sea to terrestrial and marine creatures, and some characteristics of the living beings within it.
O beloved! It is known that philosophers have said: All the waters of the seas are bitter. However, the waters found on the northern shores and southern coasts of the oceans are sweet enough to drink. The reason for this is that vast rivers and copious torrents flow from the immense mountains located at the north and south poles, emptying into the seas and the polar oceans.
(Nevertheless) because the point of origin of the poles is far from the radiant sun, its influence upon those regions is slight, and the heat of the sun in these two areas is very weak. This is why the subtle particles of water in those two seas do not rise to the air, but retain their own unique taste.
Likewise, this is why ships bringing goods from the southern and northern polar regions carry only half the load that ships from the salty seas draw. For the essence of salty waters is dense, containing within it the power to carry heavy vessels. But the essence of sweet water being subtle, it lacks the capacity to bear heavy ships as the salty waters do, and sinks ships laden with cargo just as those in salty seas would.
Traveling on sweet water is easier than traveling on salty water, because penetrating subtle waters is easier than cleaving dense ones. Therefore, the waves of seas whose water is sweet are larger than the waves of salty seas. Sometimes they swell and rise like clouds, sometimes they subside and return to their own place.
The benefits of saltwater being salty are numerous. The most well-known of these is that due to this density, ships navigate easily, traveling from coast to coast. Also, because of this salinity (of the seawater), its scent becomes pleasing; it does not rot, so the creatures living in its depths and near the surface do not perish but remain safe.
For if the waters were sweet and stagnant, their taste would spoil after prolonged waiting, and their odor would become destructive to the creatures dwelling within them. The Most High, through His grace, has made the seas active so that humans may benefit from them, along with all their diverse blessings, making them ready for human use.
Various stones, pearls, coral, lodestone, amber, sponges, and countless fresh (fish) meats are extracted from it.
More species of living beings exist in the depths of the oceans than among terrestrial creatures. However, because the element of air is more subtle than the element of water, land creatures nurtured by the air are more subtle, more refined, even more beautiful, and worthy of respect than marine creatures nurtured by water. Marine creatures are divided into many species, two categories.
Some lack lungs, as with various kinds of fish. These do not need to breathe air, for their nature has been created in a way suitable for life underwater. Because these beings do not require air to breathe, they also have no voice or sound. For breathing and vocalization in living creatures are only possible through the windpipe located within the lungs.
But a creature without lungs cannot either inhale or exhale, nor can it produce sound. Those of the second category possess lungs, so they both inhale and exhale, and emit sounds like frogs. There is a species of fish whose size is like that of a human, and its lower portion (below the waist) is forked. Its task is to fight and wage war against marine creatures. Although it is known to be as large as three men, it overcomes all marine life. It is known as the crocodile.
The largest of marine creatures is a fish called *hūt*, which appears larger than great ships. The Most High, with His wisdom, has created marine creatures – just like land animals – some to devour and others to be devoured, creating more of those that are devoured so that their numbers do not diminish. In the depths of the seas there exists a creature called *sedef* (nacre), which emerges to the surface of the sea in the midst of spring, opens its mouth, and takes five or ten drops of April rain, then dives back into the depths of the seas, from which, with God’s permission, pearl grains are formed.
“We glorify God who transforms raindrops into pearls. He is free from all imperfection.”