Surah 67. Al-Mulk

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Verses [Section]: 1-14[1], 15-30 [2]

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Quran Text of Verse 15-30هُوَHeالَّذِیْ(is) the One Whoجَعَلَmadeلَكُمُfor youالْاَرْضَthe earthذَلُوْلًاsubservientفَامْشُوْاso walkفِیْinمَنَاكِبِهَا(the) paths thereofوَ كُلُوْاand eatمِنْofرِّزْقِهٖ ؕHis provisionوَ اِلَیْهِand to Himالنُّشُوْرُ (is) the Resurrection ءَاَمِنْتُمْDo you feel secureمَّنْ(from Him) Whoفِی(is) inالسَّمَآءِthe heavenاَنْnotیَّخْسِفَHe will cause to swallowبِكُمُyouالْاَرْضَthe earthفَاِذَاwhenهِیَitتَمُوْرُۙsways اَمْOrاَمِنْتُمْdo you feel secureمَّنْ(from Him) Whoفِی(is) inالسَّمَآءِthe heavenاَنْnotیُّرْسِلَHe will sendعَلَیْكُمْagainst youحَاصِبًا ؕa storm of stonesفَسَتَعْلَمُوْنَThen you would knowكَیْفَhowنَذِیْرِ (was) My warning وَ لَقَدْAnd indeedكَذَّبَdeniedالَّذِیْنَthoseمِنْfromقَبْلِهِمْbefore themفَكَیْفَand howكَانَwasنَكِیْرِ My rejection اَوَ لَمْDo notیَرَوْاthey seeاِلَی[to]الطَّیْرِthe birdsفَوْقَهُمْabove themصٰٓفّٰتٍspreading (their wings)وَّ یَقْبِضْنَ ؕۘؔand foldingمَاNotیُمْسِكُهُنَّholds themاِلَّاexceptالرَّحْمٰنُ ؕthe Most GraciousاِنَّهٗIndeed Heبِكُلِّ(is) of everyشَیْءٍۭthingبَصِیْرٌ All-Seer اَمَّنْWho isهٰذَاthisالَّذِیْthe oneهُوَheجُنْدٌ(is) an armyلَّكُمْfor youیَنْصُرُكُمْto help youمِّنْfromدُوْنِbesidesالرَّحْمٰنِ ؕthe Most GraciousاِنِNotالْكٰفِرُوْنَ(are) the disbelieversاِلَّاbutفِیْinغُرُوْرٍۚdelusion اَمَّنْWho isهٰذَاthisالَّذِیْthe oneیَرْزُقُكُمْto provide youاِنْifاَمْسَكَHe withheldرِزْقَهٗ ۚHis provisionبَلْNayلَّجُّوْاthey persistفِیْinعُتُوٍّprideوَّ نُفُوْرٍ and aversion اَفَمَنْThen is he whoیَّمْشِیْwalksمُكِبًّاfallenعَلٰیonوَجْهِهٖۤhis faceاَهْدٰۤیbetter guidedاَمَّنْor (he) whoیَّمْشِیْwalksسَوِیًّاuprightعَلٰیonصِرَاطٍ(the) Pathمُّسْتَقِیْمٍ Straight قُلْSayهُوَHeالَّذِیْۤ(is) the One Whoاَنْشَاَكُمْproduced youوَ جَعَلَand madeلَكُمُfor youالسَّمْعَthe hearingوَ الْاَبْصَارَand the visionوَ الْاَفْـِٕدَةَ ؕand the feelingsقَلِیْلًاLittleمَّا(is) whatتَشْكُرُوْنَ you give thanks قُلْSayهُوَHeالَّذِیْ(is) the One Whoذَرَاَكُمْmultiplied youفِیinالْاَرْضِthe earthوَ اِلَیْهِand to Himتُحْشَرُوْنَ you will be gathered وَ یَقُوْلُوْنَAnd they sayمَتٰیWhenهٰذَا(is) thisالْوَعْدُpromiseاِنْifكُنْتُمْyou areصٰدِقِیْنَ truthful قُلْSayاِنَّمَاOnlyالْعِلْمُthe knowledgeعِنْدَ(is) withاللّٰهِ ۪Allahوَ اِنَّمَاۤand onlyاَنَاI amنَذِیْرٌa warnerمُّبِیْنٌ clear 67. Al-Mulk Page 564فَلَمَّاBut whenرَاَوْهُthey (will) see itزُلْفَةًapproachingسِیْٓـَٔتْ(will be) distressedوُجُوْهُ(the) facesالَّذِیْنَ(of) those whoكَفَرُوْاdisbelievedوَ قِیْلَand it will be saidهٰذَاThisالَّذِیْ(is) that whichكُنْتُمْyou used (to)بِهٖfor itتَدَّعُوْنَ call قُلْSayاَرَءَیْتُمْHave you seenاِنْifاَهْلَكَنِیَdestroys meاللّٰهُAllahوَ مَنْand whoeverمَّعِیَ(is) with meاَوْorرَحِمَنَا ۙhas mercy upon usفَمَنْthen whoیُّجِیْرُ(can) protectالْكٰفِرِیْنَthe disbelieversمِنْfromعَذَابٍa punishmentاَلِیْمٍ painful قُلْSayهُوَHeالرَّحْمٰنُ(is) the Most Gracious;اٰمَنَّاwe believeبِهٖin Himوَ عَلَیْهِand upon Himتَوَكَّلْنَا ۚwe put (our) trustفَسَتَعْلَمُوْنَSo soon you will knowمَنْwhoهُوَ(is) itفِیْ(that is) inضَلٰلٍerrorمُّبِیْنٍ clear قُلْSayاَرَءَیْتُمْHave you seenاِنْifاَصْبَحَbecomesمَآؤُكُمْyour waterغَوْرًاsunkenفَمَنْthen whoیَّاْتِیْكُمْcould bring youبِمَآءٍwaterمَّعِیْنٍ۠flowing

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Translation of Verse 15-30

(67:15) He it is Who made the earth subservient to you. So traverse in its tracks and partake of the sustenance²³ He has provided. To Him will you be resurrected.²⁴

(67:16) Do you feel secure that He Who is in the heaven²⁵ will not cause the earth to cave in with you, and then suddenly it will begin to rock violently?

(67:17) Do you feel secure that He Who is in the heaven will not let loose upon you a storm of stones?²⁶ Then shall you know what My warning is like!²⁷

(67:18) Those who came before them also gave the lie (to the Messengers): then how awesome was My chastisement!²⁸

(67:19) Have they not seen birds above them spreading and closing their wings, with none holding them except the Merciful One?²⁹ He oversees everything.³⁰

(67:20) Which is your army that will come to your aid against the Merciful Lord?³¹ But the unbelievers are in utter delusion.

(67:21) Who shall provide for you if He withholds His sustenance? Nay; but they persist in rebellion and aversion.

(67:22) Who is better guided: he who walks grovelling on his face,³² or he who walks upright on a Straight Path?

(67:23) Say: “He it is Who has brought you into being, and has given you hearing and sight, and has given you hearts to think and understand. How seldom do you give thanks!”³³

(67:24) Say: “Allah it is Who multiplied you in the earth and to Him you will be mustered.”³⁴

(67:25) They say: “If you are truthful, tell us when will this promise (of the Hereafter) be fulfilled?”³⁵

(67:26) Say: “Allah alone knows about that; and I am no more than a plain warner.”³⁶

(67:27) When they will see it near at hand, the faces of all those who had denied it will be distraught,³⁷ and then they will be told: “This is the doom which you used to ask for.”

(67:28) Say to them: “Did you ever consider: whether Allah destroys me and those that are with me, or shows mercy to us, who can protect the unbelievers from a grievous chastisement?”³⁸

(67:29) Say to them: “He is Merciful, and it is in Him that we believe, and it is in Him that we put all our trust.³⁹ Soon will you know who is in manifest error.”

(67:30) Say to them: “Did you even consider: if all the water that you have (in the wells) were to sink down into the depths of the earth, who will produce for you clear, flowing water?”⁴⁰

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Commentary

23. The earth has not become subservient to man on its own. Nor does the food, which sustains man, grow of its own accord. Out of His creative power and infinite wisdom, God has created the earth in such a way that it enables man to flourish. Again, it is God Who has made the magnificent earth so calm and tranquil that man traverses in its tracks comfortably. He has provided such abundant sustenance for man to d acts on the basis live in peace and bounty. If man is not negligent, an of reason, he would realize the profound thoughtfulness behind God creating the earth as a suitable habitat for man and for providing in it immeasurable sustenance for him. (For details see Towards Understanding the Qur'an, vol. VIL Surah al-Naml 27: 00. 73,74: and 81, pp: 171-173 and 176; vol. IX, Surah Ya Sin 36: nn. 29 and 32, pp- 256-257 and 258-259; Surah al-Mu'min 40: nn. 90-91; Surah al-Zukhruf 43: 0.7; Surah al-Jathiyah 45: n.7 and Surah Qaf 50: n. 18.)

24. While man traverses the earth and subsists on the sustenance bestowed by God, he should not lose sight of the fact that one day he will ultimately appear before God.

25. This does not mean that God literally lives in the heavens. The present verse reflects the fact that when man wants to turn to God, he instinctively looks up to the heavens. Furthermore, when he prays to God, he raises his hands towards the heaven. Likewise, when he is overpowered with affliction and feels helpless, he again turns upwards to the heavens to convey his grievance to God; or when a misfortune suddenly befalls him, he tends to say that it has descended on him from heaven. In the same way, when he receives something in an extraordinary way, he says that it has come from the heavens. Likewise, the Scriptures revealed by God are called heavenly books. Abū Dāwūd cites a ḥadīth, on the authority of Abu Hurayrah (K. al-Ayman wa al-Nudhur, Bāb fi al- Raqabah al-Mu'minah), that: "Once someone called on the Prophet (peace be upon him) along with a black slave girl, saying that it has become obligatory on him to free a believing slave. He asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) if he could free that slave-girl for this purpose. The Prophet (peace be upon him) asked her: "Where is Allah?" In reply she pointed her finger above. Then he asked her: "who am I?" She first pointed to him and then to the heavens above. What she meant was that God had sent him down. Upon noting this, he directed: "Set her free, she is a believer". Almost a similar report features in al-Muwaṭṭa', Muslim's and Nasai’s ḥadith collections. Regarding Khawlah bint Tha'labah, 'Umar told people that she was a person whose complaint reached the seven heavens. (A detailed report about this is included in note 2 on Surah al-Mujadilah.) All this indicates that it is part of man's nature that when he thinks of God, he associates Him with the heavens above, rather than with the earth below. Accordingly, the Qur'an speaks of God Who is in the heavens.

This should not, however, give rise to the notion that the Qur'an locates Him in the heavens, for verse 3 of Surah al-Mulk declares that it is God Who has created the seven heavens, one upon another. Of similar thrust is verse 115 of Surah al-Baqarah, proclaiming: "To whichever direction you turn, you will be turning to God."

26. The truth highlighted here is that man's very survival and safety on earth depends wholly on God's grace. Man cannot enjoy his life on earth through his own strength, for God takes care of all the needs of man and ensures his safety and security. At any moment, at His single gesture, a devastating earthquake may turn man's habitat into his burial place, or a strong storm can cause such a terrible calamity that it will bring towns and villages to the ground. Equally vulnerable is man to other disastrous natural calamities such as a storm.

27. Reference is made to the warning delivered by the Prophet (peace be upon him) to the Makkarı disbelievers through the Qur'an. They are asked to give up their disbelief and polytheism. If they refuse to believe in the call to monotheism presented to them, God's punishment will overtake them.

28. This alludes to the destruction of earlier communities for their crime of having rejected their Messengers.

29. Each and every bird flying in the air manages to do so, thanks to God's grace and protection. For it is He Who has created birds in a mold that they can fly. Furthermore, He instructed them how to fly. Again, it is He Who has subjected winds to such laws which facilitate the flight of bodies heavier than air. The Merciful God holds every flying bird in the air. Otherwise, whenever Allah withdraws this protection, they are liable to crash to the ground.

30. Not only birds, but all that exists in the universe owe their survival to God’s mercy and care, for He alone provides every being with the means essential for his existence. It is He Who ensures the supply of basic necessities to all of His creatures.

31. An alternative translation would be: “Who is there other than the Merciful Lord Who comes to your aid as would your own army?” Our translated version, however, fits in more with the context of the next verse.

32. It brings to mind the image of cattle with their heads cast down, trudging along the track on which they have been put.

33. Man is asked to reflect. He is not created like cattle; therefore, he should not have blindly followed the errors prevalent in the world. He should better consider the way pursued by him ~ whether it is right or wrong. Man is endowed with the faculty of hearing in order to distinguish between good and bad. He is not supposed to ignore altogether the person who explains to him the distinction between good and evil. Nor is he expected to persist in error by way of clinging to false notions he already had in his mind. He is blessed with eyes so as not to follow others blindly. Rather, he should observe the signs scattered from the earth to the heavens, which unmistakably underscore the Oneness of God, which is the Prophet's core message. These signs in the universe do not suggest any. multiplicity of gods or the absence of God. Man is endowed with a heart and mind so that he may reflect on his course of action. He is not supposed to imitate whatever someone has introduced in this world. He should better judge as to what is sound and what is not. God has endowed human beings with knowledge and intelligence, sight and hearing so that they might arrive at the truth. But they are ungrateful, in so far as they use these faculties for all kinds of purposes, except the one for which they were supposed to be used — to know the truth. (For details see Towards Understanding the Qur'an, vol. IV, Surah al-Nahl 16: nn. 72 and 73, pp. 350-351; vol. VI, Surah al-Mu'minun 23: nn. 75 and 76, pp. 118-119; vol. VIL, Surah al-Sajdah 32: nn. 17 and 18, pp. 165-166 and Surah al-Ahqaf 46: n. 31.)

34. All men will be resurrected after their death, from every nook and corner of earth, and presented before God.

35. Their query was not aimed at finding out the time or date of the Resurrection. They were not ready to believe in the doctrine of the Hereafter, even if they were informed of its date and timing. On the contrary, they regarded this happening as impossible and illogical. They raised this question only with a view to rejecting this belief. For them, it was something improbable and hence they asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) to specify its date. They rather demanded that the spectacle of the Resurrection be witnessed by them and this alone would convince them. Let it be clarified that rational arguments alone can persuade one of this doctrine of the Hereafter. The Qur’an therefore advances several arguments for it. As to its exact date, only an ignorant person can raise this question. Were it to be revealed, it will not make any difference. The disbeliever might say “I will believe in it when it does occur on your specified date, but how could I believe now that it will definitely occur on that very day”. (For details see Towards Understanding the Qur'an, vol. VII, Surah Luqman 31: n. 63, pp. 150-151; vol. IX, Surah al-Ahzab 33: n. 116, p. 106; Surah Saba’ 34: nn. 5 and 48, pp. 152 and 189 and Surah Ya Sin 36: n. 45, p. 265.)

36. The Prophet's reply to the disbelievers was simple: The Last Day is imminent and this should suffice for alerting people. God alone knows when it will happen, and the Prophet (peace be upon him) does not have this knowledge. As a warner, he is not obliged to possess this information. Let us illustrate the above further with this analogy: Only God knows when a particular person will die. However, it is in everyone’s knowledge that all living beings will die one day. We should be concerned only about our preparation for the Last Day. It is immaterial as to when it will happen.

37. Their condition will be akin to that of a culprit sentenced to capital punishment on his way to his execution.

38. When the Prophet (peace be upon him) embarked on his mission - in Makkah and the members of different Quraysh families started embracing Islam, the people of many a household began to curse him ‘and his Companions. They even resorted to the use of magic and charms in their bid to exterminate him. They also hatched conspiracies designed to assassinate him. It was in this context that they were told that it was not important for them whether the Prophet (peace be upon him) died, or continued to live. They should rather be concerned with thinking about ‘how they will save themselves from God's chastisement.

39. The believers have firm faith in God whereas the disbelievers deny Him. The former repose full trust in Him while the latter rely on their allies, their resources and their gods other than the One True God. Given this, only the former, not the latter, deserve God's mercy.

40. Is there any other than God that has power to bring back the water which sinks down in to the depths of the earth? Since there is no one to do so, a fact recognized by the disbelievers as well, they should consider as to who deserves worship God, or their idols who have no power to restore it. They should reflect deeply and ask their conscience who is in manifest error — the believers or the polytheists?