south sea: any sea to the south of the equator (but especially the South Pacific)
sea: a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
ijtihad: the endeavor of a Moslem scholar to derive a rule of divine law from the Koran and Hadith without relying on the views of other scholars; by the end of the 10th century theologians decided that debate on such matters would be closed and Muslim theology and law were frozen