And Matar Waraq said that there is no harm in it, and its mention is in the Noble Qur’an; it is, in any case, the truth. After that, he recited this verse (from Surah An-Nahl) «وترى الفلك مواخر فيه ولتبتغوا من فضله‏» :“And you see the ships cleaving through it (the sea), that you may seek of His bounty.”In this verse, the word «فلك» is used in the meaning of ‘ship’; this word is used in the same way for both singular and plural. Mujahid (may Allah have mercy on him) said (in the explanation of this verse) that the ships cleave through the wind, and the ships that are large are the ones that clearly cleave through the wind (to the observer).

Abu Hurairah (ra) said, "Allah's Messenger (saws) mentioned a person from Bani Israel who travelled by sea and carried out his needs." Then he narrated the whole story. (See Hadith no. 2291)