And He has subjected to you whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth - all from Him. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought.
The Subjugation of the Sea, etc., is among Allah's Signs
Allah the Exalted mentions some of the favors He gave to His servants, such as subjecting the sea for their service,
لِتَجْرِىَ الْفُلْكُ فِيهِ بِأَمْرِهِ
(that ships may sail through the sea by His command,) i.e., of Allah the Exalted, Who ordered the sea to carry ships,
وَلِتَبْتَغُواْ مِن فَضْلِهِ
(and that you may seek of His bounty,) in commercial and business transactions,
وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ
(and that you may be thankful.) for earning various provisions brought to you from far away provinces and distant areas through the sea. Allah the Exalted said,
اللَّـهُ الَّذِي سَخَّرَ لَكُمُ الْبَحْرَ لِتَجْرِيَ الْفُلْكُ فِيهِ بِأَمْرِهِ وَلِتَبْتَغُوا مِن فَضْلِهِ ("Allah is the One who has subjugated for you the sea, so that you may seek His grace, ... 45:12) ". Generally, when Qur'an uses the expression ` to seek His grace' it refers to exerting oneself in seeking one's livelihood. Another meaning of the phrase could be that man has been given the skill to move the boats or pilot the ships on the surface of the waters so that he may carry out his commercial activities across the globe. It is possible that ` seeking grace' does not have anything to do with the sailing of the boats or the ships. Therefore, a third meaning is possible. ` Subjugating the sea' has a special meaning, that is, Allah has created many useful things in the sea and subjugated the sea for the benefit of mankind so that they may exploit the minerals and other wealth. Contemporary science confirms that the oceans and seas have much more minerals and much more wealth hidden in them than in the dry land.
Tazkirul Quran
Maulana Wahiduddin KhanOn ayahs 13–14
God has made water subject to such natural laws that large ships may sail back and forth across deep oceans and safely reach their destinations. Such is the case with the entire universe. The universe has been created in such a way that it is completely subservient to man’s interests. Man may harness its resources in whatever manner he likes. It is thanks to the serviceability of this world that it has been possible for man to develop glorious civilizations. We assume that the existing structure of the universe is unique and that it has taken its final shape. Yet it could have been created in a variety of other ways. What is truly miraculous is that, out of all the possible alternatives, it has taken a form which is useful to mankind. This is a sign of God which, if given deep consideration, will demonstrate a glorious lesson.
Uthmani text of the Madinah mushaf (King Fahd Complex). Translation: Saheeh International. Tafsir via Quran.com.
