Page 30 - Magnificence Everywhere

THE BALANCE OF THE OCEANS
The rains, the seas, rivers, streams, the oceans, drinkable water that flows when
you turn on a faucet… People are so used to the existence of water that they proba-
bly never think about the fact that a major part of the Earth's surface -indeed, most
of it- is covered with water. However, what is singularly important here is that,
among all known celestial bodies, only the Earth provides drinkable water.
Water is a basic condition for life, but it is entirely absent from the solar system's
63 other celestial bodies. However, fully four-fifths of the Earth's surface is covered
with water. In addition to large water masses such as oceans, there are various other
water sources whose sizes and attributes are different from each other, such as
rivers and small lakes. Some of these waters are too salty to be drinkable, but others
are fresh. There is a perfect water balance that has been arranged according to the
needs of all living things on the Earth.
By virtue of water, millions of species of creatures exist on Earth, and the bal-
ances that are necessary for life are preserved. For example, clouds and rain are
formed by the evaporation of large water masses. Water has a high capacity for
drawing and holding heat. For this reason, the large water masses of the oceans and
seas maintain the balance of the world's heat. Therefore, the temperature difference
between day and night in regions near the sea is very small. This makes these re-
gions more livable.
The existence of the oceans, a bird's-eye view of which is seen at the top of the
picture on the page to the right, is highly significant. Because the oceans reflect the
sun's rays less than land does, they receive more sun energy, yet they disperse this
heat in a more balanced way. Therefore, the oceans cool the equatorial regions and
prevent them from becoming excessively hot, and also warm the waters of the polar
regions to prevent them from freezing completely.
Through the transparency of water, water mosses can photosynthesize under the
surface of the ocean. Water is one of the few substances in nature that expands when
frozen. It is because of this that the seas and oceans do not freeze from bottom to top.
All of the physical and chemical features of water, of which only a few have been
Magnificence Everywhere planet besides the Earth. The Earth, which has been specially created for human life,
given here, show us that this liquid has been specially created for the needs of
human life. It is surely no coincidence that such water is not available on any other

has blossomed with life through water, which has also been specially created.
Allah, Who has created countless blessings for His servants and bestowed on them
an easy mode of living, has created water with unique artistry and delicacy. As He
maintains in the Qur'an, "It is He Who sends down water from the sky..." (Surat
an-Nahl: 10)

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