Tafheem ul Quran

Surah 23 Al-Mu'minun, Ayat 84-89

قُلْ لِّمَنِ الۡاَرۡضُ وَمَنۡ فِيۡهَاۤ اِنۡ كُنۡتُمۡ تَعۡلَمُوۡنَ‏ ﴿23:84﴾ سَيَقُوۡلُوۡنَ لِلّٰهِ​ؕ قُلۡ اَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُوۡنَ‏ ﴿23:85﴾ قُلۡ مَنۡ رَّبُّ السَّمٰوٰتِ السَّبۡعِ وَرَبُّ الۡعَرۡشِ الۡعَظِيۡمِ‏  ﴿23:86﴾ سَيَقُوۡلُوۡنَ لِلّٰهِ​ؕ قُلۡ اَفَلَا تَتَّقُوۡنَ‏ ﴿23:87﴾ قُلۡ مَنۡۢ بِيَدِهٖ مَلَكُوۡتُ كُلِّ شَىۡءٍ وَّهُوَ يُجِيۡرُ وَلَا يُجَارُ عَلَيۡهِ اِنۡ كُنۡتُمۡ تَعۡلَمُوۡنَ‏ ﴿23:88﴾ سَيَقُوۡلُوۡنَ لِلّٰهِ​ؕ قُلۡ فَاَنّٰى تُسۡحَرُوۡنَ‏ ﴿23:89﴾

(23:84) Ask them: "Whose is the earth and those who are in it? Tell us if you know" (23:85) They will surely say: "Allah's." Say: "Then why do you not take heed?"78 (23:86) Ask them: "Who is the Lord of the seven heavens, the Lord of the Great Throne?" (23:87) They will surely say: "Allah."79 Say: "Will you not, then, fear (Allah)?"80 (23:88) Ask them: "Say, if you indeed know, to whom belongs the dominion81 over all things; (Who is it) that grants asylum, but against Whom no asylum is available?" (23:89) They will surely say: "(The dominion over all things) belongs to Allah." Say: "Whence are you then deluded?"82

Notes

78. That is, if you acknowledge this, why do you not then understand that none but Allah deserves to be worshiped and that when He has once created the earth and all the things in it, it is not difficult for Him to re-create them once again?

79. See (E.N. 78 of this Surah).

80. That is, why are you not afraid of rebelling against Him and worshiping others besides Him? Why do you not dread that one day you shall have to give an account of all your deeds to the All-Powerful Sovereign of the universe?

81. The word malakut in the text is a strong word which combines both sovereignty and ownership. The verse therefore means: Whose is the Sovereignty and Who possesses the real ownership rights over everything?

82. In order to understand the significance of this question, we should know that the art of magic makes a thing appear different from what it really is. Thus the question will mean: Who has bewitched you that, in spite of knowing and acknowledging all these things, you do not understand the reality? Who has bewitched you that even after acknowledging Allah to be the Owner and the All-Powerful Sovereign, you set up other owners and sovereigns along with Him or make them partners with Him and worship them? Who has deluded you that you should dare to be treacherous and unfaithful to Allah knowing that none can protect you against Him, and forget that you will be called to account for these things?

In this connection, it should also be noted that this question has a subtle meaning also. The Quraish accused the Prophet (peace be upon him) of practicing magic and sorcery. This question turns the tables on them, as if to say, O people, the man who presents the reality appears to you to be a sorcerer, while those leaders who say things against reality, against common sense and against your own convictions and beliefs, do not appear to you to be sorcerers at all.