Al-Mulk

See ayat 5 for tafseer.

See ayat 5 for tafseer.

See ayat 5 for tafseer.

See ayat 5 for tafseer.

This surah opens with the important matter of God's dominion, ownership, and the eternity and everlastingness of His pure essence — which is in reality the key to all the discussions of this surah. It states: "Blessed and imperishable is He in whose hand is the dominion of the realm of existence, and He is powerful over all things." (تَبَارَكَ الَّذِي بِيَدِهِ الْمُلْكُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ). "Tabāraka" is derived from the root "baraka," which is originally "bark" (on the metrical pattern of "barg"), meaning the chest of a camel. When "baraka al-ba'īr" is said, the meaning is that the camel placed its chest on the ground — after which this word came to be used in the sense of permanence, continuity, and imperishability, and for every blessing that possesses durability and permanence. A reservoir of water is also called "birka" because the water remains and is preserved within it for a long period. In the above verse the proof of God's pure essence being blessed is set forth: His dominion and sovereignty over the world and His power over all things — and it is for this reason that He is an imperishable and blessing-laden existence. In the subsequent verse, alluding to the creation of human death and life — which is among the aspects of God's dominion and sovereignty — it states: "He it is who created death and life so that He might test you as to which of you is best in deed." (الَّذِي خَلَقَ الْمَوْتَ وَالْحَيَاةَ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا). If "death" carries the meaning of annihilation and non-existence, it is not created — for creation pertains to existential matters. But it is known that the reality of death is the transfer from one world to another, and this is certainly an existential matter that can be created. If death is mentioned before life here, the reason is the profound effect that attention to death has upon excellence of deed — quite apart from the fact that death preceded life as well. God's trial, as has been set forth previously, is a form of spiritual upbringing — in the sense that it draws human beings toward the field of action so that through experience and trial, purified and refined, they may become worthy of nearness to God. [Explanatory note: For further explanation of divine trials, see Tafsīr-i Namūna, vol. 1, under verse 155 of Surah al-Baqara.] It is worthy of attention that the goal of the trial is stated as excellence of deed — "ḥusn 'amal" — not abundance of deed. This is evidence that Islam gives importance to quality rather than quantity. What matters is that the deed be sincere, for God's sake, and beneficial and comprehensive — even if in terms of quantity and amount it is small. Concerning what is meant by "aḥsanu 'amalan," in certain Islamic narrations it is transmitted on the authority of the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him and his household: "Atmakum 'aqlan wa-ashadukum lillāhi khawfan wa-aḥsanukum fī-mā amarallāhu bihi wa-nahā 'anhu naẓaran wa-in kāna aqallukum taṭawwu'an" — "What is meant is: which of you has the most complete reason, the greatest God-consciousness, and the most thorough awareness of what God has commanded and prohibited — even if your supererogatory acts are few." [Reference: Tafsīr Majma' al-Bayān, vol. 10, p. 322.] It is clear that complete reason renders the deed purer, the intention more sincere, and the reward greater. In a hadith transmitted on the authority of Imam al-Ṣādiq, peace be upon him: "Laysa yu'nā aktharukum 'amalan wa-lākin aṣwabukum 'amalan wa-innamā al-iṣābatu khashyatu Allāhi wa-al-niyyatu al-ṣādiqatu, thumma qāla al-ibqā'u 'alā al-'amali ḥattā yakhluṣa ashaddu min al-'amali, wa-al-'amalu al-khāliṣu al-ṣāliḥu alladhī lā turīdu an yaḥmadaka 'alayhi aḥadun illā Allāhu 'azzawajalla" — "What is meant is not which of you performs more deeds, but which performs the most correct deed. The correct deed is one in which worship of God and sincere intention are combined. He then stated: preserving the deed from contamination until it becomes pure is more difficult than the deed itself. The pure and righteous deed is one in which you desire no one to praise you for it save God Almighty." [Explanatory note: Tafsīr al-Ṣāfī, under the verse under consideration.] Concerning the goal of human creation, a detailed discussion has been presented in Tafsīr-i Namūna under verse 56 of Surah al-Dhāriyāt — "وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ" — where the goal is stated as servitude to God; and here the goal is excellence of deed in the trial. It is clear that the matter of trial and testing is not separate from the matter of servitude — just as perfection of reason, God-consciousness, and sincerity of intention, to which the above narrations allude, are the soul of servitude. In this manner this world is for all human beings a great arena of trial. The instrument of the trial is death and life, and the goal of this great trial culminates in excellence of deed — whose meaning encompasses perfection of knowledge, sincerity of intention, and the performance of every good act. When certain exegetes have interpreted "aḥsanu 'amalan" here as remembrance of death, preparedness for death, and similar matters, these are in reality instances of this comprehensive meaning. Since in this great arena of trial the human being falls into many slips and stumbles — and lest these slips cause him to despair and desist from his efforts — at the end of the verse, giving servants the promise of assistance and forgiveness, it states: "And He is the Almighty, the All-Forgiving." (وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْغَفُورُ). He is All-Powerful over all things and All-Forgiving toward every repentant human being. After setting forth the system of death and life, the discourse presents the universal system of the realm of existence and invites the human being to study the totality of the realm of being — so that through this means he may prepare himself for this great trial. It states: "That same God who created seven heavens one above another." (الَّذِي خَلَقَ سَبْعَ سَمَاوَاتٍ طِبَاقًا). Concerning the seven heavens a brief discussion has previously been presented in the commentary on verse 12 of Surah al-Ṭalāq. Here something is added concerning "ṭibāqan." According to this expression, the seven heavens are placed one above another — since "muṭābaqa" originally means placing one thing upon another. If the seven heavens are taken as an allusion to the seven visible spheres of the solar system — observable without any instrument, each at a defined distance from the sun and each positioned above another — or if all the fixed and moving stars we see are counted as part of the first heaven, this indicates that at higher levels there are other worlds, each positioned above the other. Thereafter it further states: "You will see no discord or defect of any kind in the creation of the All-Merciful." (مَّا تَرَى فِي خَلْقِ الرَّحْمَنِ مِن تَفَاوُتٍ). The realm of existence, despite all its magnitude, is nothing but order and structure, stability and harmony, precisely calculated and measured compositions, and exact laws. If disorder were to occur in any corner of this realm it would bring about its destruction. From the remarkable system that governs the atom's particle and the electrons and protons, to the system governing the entire solar system and other solar systems and galaxies — all are under the sway of precise laws driving them along a defined path. In sum, there is law and calculation everywhere, and order and a particular structure everywhere. At the end of the verse, for further emphasis, it states: "Look again and see — do you see any fracture or disruption and disorder in it?" (فَارْجِعِ الْبَصَرَ هَلْ تَرَى مِن فُطُورٍ). "Fuṭūr" is derived from the root "faṭr" (on the metrical pattern of "saṭr"), meaning to make a crack along the length of something, and also to break something — as in "ifṭār" breaking the fast — and also carries the meaning of disruption and corruption; and it is in this sense in the verse under consideration. What is meant is that however much a human being reflects upon the realm of creation, he will not see even the slightest or most minimal disruption and defect within it. It is for this reason that the subsequent verse, for the purpose of further emphasis, states: "Then look again a second time — in the end your eye will return to you unsuccessful and exhausted." (ثُمَّ ارْجِعِ الْبَصَرَ كَرَّتَيْنِ يَنقَلِبْ إِلَيكَ الْبَصَرُ خَاسِئاً وَهُوَ حَسِيرٌ). "Karratayn" is derived from the root "karr" (on the metrical pattern of "sharr"), meaning to direct attention toward something and to return. "Karra" also carries the meaning of repetition, and "karratayn" is its dual. However, some exegetes have said that here "karratayn" does not mean the dual number but rather signifies repeated, continuous, successive, and multiple acts of attention. On this basis, the Quran in these verses commands people to direct their gaze toward the realm of existence and study the secrets of creation and bringing-into-being at least three times — examining any single thing repeatedly. Then when they see not even the slightest or most minimal disruption and defect in this remarkable system, they may become more and more acquainted with the Creator and Maker of this factory of the world and His boundless knowledge and power. "Khāsi'an" is derived from the roots "khasa'" and "khusū'" (on the metrical patterns of "madḥ" and "khushū'") — when used for the eye it means exhausted and weak; when used concerning a dog it means driving it away. "Ḥasīr" is derived from the root "ḥasr" (on the metrical pattern of "qaṣr"), meaning to lay bare — since when a person is fatigued and weary he loses his strength, as though stripped bare of his energies; hence it carries the meaning of fatigue and weakness. Accordingly in the above verse "khāsi'an" and "ḥasīr" both carry the same meaning — they appear here for the purpose of emphasis on the theme of the eye's helplessness and inability to find any defect or flaw in the system of the realm of existence. Some have distinguished between the two as follows: "khāsi'" meaning unsuccessful, and "ḥasīr" meaning weak. In any case, two important conclusions can be drawn from these verses. First: the Quran emphatically commands all travellers on the path of truth to study and reflect as deeply as possible upon the secrets of the realm of existence and the wonders of the world of creation — and not to be satisfied with one or two glances, since many secrets do not reveal themselves upon a first or second look; keen eyes succeed in perceiving them only after looking multiple times. Second: the more a person reflects upon this system, the better he will be able to comprehend its dimensions — a system, structure, and arrangement entirely free of every kind of defect, disruption, crookedness, and obliquity. If at a superficial and preliminary glance certain beings of this world appear in the guise of evils, afflictions, and corruptions — such as earthquakes, floods, illnesses, and distressing events that occasionally arise in human life — more precise study makes clear that they too contain within themselves many important secrets and mysteries. [Explanatory note: An explanation of this subject has been presented in the discussions of "Proof of the Existence of God" in response to the arguments of materialists concerning afflictions and calamities. Refer to the book Āfarīdgār-i Jahān.] These verses constitute a clear allusion to the Proof from Order, which states: "The existence of order in any workshop is a sign of the existence of knowledge and power behind it — for blind and deaf chance collisions that are not calculated cannot be the origin of order and precision." As appears in the Ḥadīth-i Mufaḍḍal transmitted on the authority of Imam al-Ṣādiq, peace be upon him: "inna al-ihmāla lā ya'tī bi-al-ṣawābi, wa-al-taḍāddu lā ya'tī bi-al-niẓāmi" — "Haphazard action never yields a correct result, and contradiction cannot be the origin of any system." [Reference: Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 3, p. 63.] The final verse under consideration casts its gaze upon the celestial page, mentioning the beautiful and shining stars: "We have adorned the lowest heaven with luminous lamps and have made them projectiles against the satans, and We have prepared for them the punishment of the blazing fire." (وَلَقَد زَيَّنَّا السَّمَاءَ الدُّنيَا بِمَصَابِيحَ وَجَعَلنَاهَا رُجُوماً لِّلشَّيَاطِينِ وَأَعتَدنَا لَهُم عَذَابَ السَّعِيرِ). A glance toward the heavens on a dark, star-filled night — attention directed toward the worlds visible from afar, the imagining of the systems governing them, and reflection upon that beauty, elegance, excellence, magnificence, grandeur, and mysterious silence that casts its shadow over them — transports the human being into a world filled with gnosis and the light of truth and takes him on a journey through the forces of love for the Lord that no tongue can describe. This verse once again confirms the truth that all the stars we see are part of the first heaven — the heaven that is the closest of the seven heavens to us; it is for this reason that it is expressed as "al-samā' al-dunyā" — the near and lowest heaven. The expression "rujūm" — projectiles — alludes to the meteors that are hurled across the sky like arrows from one side to the other. It is known that these "shuhub" are the remnant components of stars that were destroyed in certain events. Accordingly, when it speaks of celestial bodies being made projectiles against satans, this alludes to those specific pebble-like objects. But how the satans are struck by these arrow-like meteors — which are small wandering stones in the heavens — has been explained in detail in Tafsīr-i Namūna, volume 11, under verse 18 of Surah al-Ḥijr, and volume 19, under verse 20 of Surah al-Ṣāffāt.

The Qur’an, although revealed in the comparatively underdeveloped environment of pre‑Islamic Arabia, repeatedly emphasizes the importance of reflection and intellectual inquiry into the عظیم mysteries of the universe. Such a focus had virtually no precedent in that milieu, and this itself constitutes a clear indication that the Qur’an originates from a higher source. As human knowledge and scientific understanding continue to advance, the significance of these Qur’anic emphases becomes increasingly evident. We know that the Earth, despite its immense size, is exceedingly small in comparison with the Sun—the central body of our solar system—to the extent that approximately 1.2 million Earths would be required to equal its volume. At the same time, our solar system itself forms only a small part of an immense galaxy—the Milky Way. Galaxies are vast collections of stars, often described as “stellar cities,” and despite their relative proximity in cosmic terms, the distance between them can extend to millions of light‑years. According to astronomical estimates, our own galaxy contains more than one hundred billion stars, and our Sun, despite its apparent magnitude, is regarded merely as an average star among them. Furthermore, within this vast universe, there exist countless galaxies beyond calculation and enumeration. As observational instruments such as telescopes become more refined and powerful, ever more galaxies continue to be discovered. All of this points toward the greatness and majesty of the Creator, who has brought into existence this immense and finely ordered cosmos with such precision and harmony.

See ayat 11 for tafseer.

See ayat 11 for tafseer.

See ayat 11 for tafseer.

See ayat 11 for tafseer.

See ayat 11 for tafseer.

In the preceding verses, after discussing the signs of divine power and the evidences present in the cosmos, the Qur’an turns to those who disregarded these proofs, chose the path of disbelief and evil, and, like the rebellious, brought divine punishment upon themselves. It first states: “وَلِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِرَبِّهِمْ عَذَابُ جَهَنَّمَ وَبِئْسَ الْمَصِيرُ” For those who disbelieve in their Lord there is the punishment of Hell, and it is an evil destination. The verse then describes one aspect of this terrifying punishment: “إِذَا أُلْقُوا فِيهَا سَمِعُوا لَهَا شَهِيقًا وَهِيَ تَفُورُ” When they are cast into it, they will hear from it a dreadful roaring sound while it is boiling intensely. This emphasizes the humiliation of being thrown into Hell and the horrifying sounds that fill it, overwhelming the senses and instilling terror. The term “شهيق” conveys a harsh, unsettling, and prolonged sound, indicating continuous cries and tumultuous noise. The Qur’an further intensifies the description: “تَكَادُ تَمَيَّزُ مِنَ الْغَيْظِ” It is as though Hell is almost bursting apart from rage. This imagery portrays Hell as filled with overwhelming fury, like a boiling vessel on intense heat or a person consumed by uncontrollable anger. The scene continues with dialogue between the keepers of Hell and its inhabitants: “كُلَّمَا أُلْقِيَ فِيهَا فَوْجٌ سَأَلَهُمْ خَزَنَتُهَا أَلَمْ يَأْتِكُمْ نَذِيرٌ” Whenever a group is cast into it, its guardians ask them: Did no warner come to you? This question reflects astonishment and reproach: how could people knowingly choose such a fate despite receiving guidance? The disbelievers respond: “قَالُوا بَلَىٰ قَدْ جَاءَنَا نَذِيرٌ فَكَذَّبْنَا…” Yes, indeed a warner came to us, but we denied him and rejected the message, claiming that no revelation had been sent. Not only did they ignore the guidance, but they opposed it and labeled the messengers as misguided. Then they acknowledge the core reason for their downfall: “وَقَالُوا لَوْ كُنَّا نَسْمَعُ أَوْ نَعْقِلُ…” Had we listened or used our reason, we would not have been among the inhabitants of the Blaze. Thus, two fundamental faculties—hearing (receptivity) and intellect (reflection)—are identified as essential for guidance. Their failure to utilize these faculties led directly to their misguidance. Finally, the verse concludes: “فَاعْتَرَفُوا بِذَنبِهِمْ فَسُحْقًا لِّأَصْحَابِ السَّعِيرِ” They confess their sin, but they are driven far from the mercy of God. The term “سحق” here signifies complete distancing and exclusion from divine mercy. Their acknowledgment of wrongdoing, though sincere, comes too late—after the opportunity for change has passed. These verses clearly demonstrate that the root cause of their misfortune lies in neglecting both divine guidance (through prophets) and internal capacities (hearing and intellect). When these two sources—external revelation and internal understanding—fail to operate together, human beings fall into error. Even if all prophets and divine books were presented before such individuals, they would derive no benefit, because they have rendered their faculties ineffective. A narration highlights this principle: when a man was praised before the Prophet (صلی اللہ علیہ و آلہ وسلم), he asked: “How is his intellect?” When the companions expressed surprise, the Prophet replied that a fool’s harm can be greater than the wickedness of a sinner, and that people will be raised in ranks according to their intellect. Thus, intellect—properly used—is the foundation of faith and salvation. Without it, even outward religiosity cannot guarantee success, and with it, a person is able to comprehend truth, respond to guidance, and attain proximity to God.

This is not the first instance in which the Qur’an highlights the supreme value and importance of intellect (ʿaql). Rather, it repeatedly identifies the failure to utilize this divine faculty as the fundamental cause of the أهل النار and the primary factor behind their misfortune. Anyone familiar with the Qur’an recognizes that it consistently emphasizes this theme in various contexts. Contrary to those who claim that religion dulls the intellect or disregards reason, Islam establishes the foundation of knowledge of God, as well as human salvation and felicity, upon intellect. Indeed, the Qur’an repeatedly addresses “اولوا الألباب” (people of understanding) and “اولوا الأبصار” (people of insight), directing its message toward those who reflect and reason. Within Islamic sources, a vast number of traditions emphasize this point. It is noteworthy that the renowned collection al‑Kāfī, one of the most authoritative works of ḥadīth, opens with a book entitled Kitāb al‑ʿAql wa al‑Jahl (The Book of Intellect and Ignorance). The traditions found therein clearly demonstrate the depth and centrality of intellect in Islamic thought. Two such narrations are sufficient to illustrate this perspective. In one narration, it is reported from Amīr al‑Muʾminīn ʿAlī (ʿalayhi al‑salām) that Jibrīl descended upon Ādam (ʿalayhi al‑salām) and said: “I have been commanded to offer you a choice among three blessings; choose one of them and leave the other two.” Ādam asked: “What are these blessings?” Jibrīl replied: “ʿAql (intellect), ḥayāʾ (modesty), and dīn (religion).” Ādam said: “I choose ʿaql.” Jibrīl then said to ḥayāʾ and dīn: “Depart and leave him.” They replied: “We have been commanded to remain wherever ʿaql is present and not to separate from it.” Jibrīl then said: “In that case, fulfill your command,” and he ascended to the heavens (Uṣūl al‑Kāfī, as cited in Nūr al‑Thaqalayn, vol. 5, p. 382). This narration expresses, with subtle eloquence, the essential relationship between intellect, religion, and modesty. If religion becomes detached from intellect, it deteriorates or becomes subject to distortion. As for modesty, which restrains individuals from wrongdoing, it too is a natural outcome of awareness and rational discernment. This account also indicates that Ādam possessed a significant degree of understanding, as he selected intellect as the highest of these qualities, thereby ensuring that both religion and modesty remained alongside it. In another narration from Imam al‑Ṣādiq (ʿalayhi al‑salām), it is stated: “من كان عاقلاً كان له دین، ومن له دین دخل الجنّة.” “Whoever possesses intellect will have religion, and whoever has religion will enter Paradise” (Uṣūl al‑Kāfī, as cited in Nūr al‑Thaqalayn, vol. 5, p. 382). Thus, Paradise is, in reality, the abode of those endowed with true intellect. It should be noted that “ʿaql” here refers to genuine understanding and sound awareness, not to the cunning or manipulative intelligence sometimes observed in oppressive or unjust political figures. As stated by Imam al‑Ṣādiq (ʿalayhi al‑salām): “شبيهة بالعقل، وليست بالعقل” “It resembles intellect, but it is not intellect.” (Uṣūl al‑Kāfī, as cited in Nūr al‑Thaqalayn, vol. 5, p. 382). Accordingly, true intellect is inseparable from moral awareness, truth‑seeking, and alignment with divine guidance, and it constitutes the foundation upon which human responsibility, faith, and ultimate success are built.

See ayat 14 for tafseer.

See ayat 14 for tafseer.

After the discussions set forth in the preceding verses concerning the disbelievers and their fate on the Day of Resurrection, the verses under consideration set forth the believers and their great recompenses. First it states: "For those who fear their Lord in the unseen, there is forgiveness and a great reward." (إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَخشَونَ رَبَّهُم بِالغَيبِ لَهُم مَّغفِرَةٌ وَأَجرٌ كَبِيرٌ). The expression "ghayb" here may possibly allude to knowledge of God who is unseen, or to the unseen Resurrection and Day of Judgment, or to all of these things together. The interpretive possibility has also been given that this may allude to fear of God concerning hidden sins — for if a person does not commit any sin in concealment, he will most certainly not commit it openly either. Or this expression may allude to the station of sincerity of intention in refraining from sins and fulfilling divine commands, since an act performed in concealment is far removed from ostentation and display. There is no impediment to combining these interpretations. The indefinite form of "maghfira" and likewise "ajrun kabīrun" alludes to the greatness and importance of their magnitude — that is, this forgiveness and reward will be so great as to be unknown to all. Thereafter by way of emphasis it further states: "Whether you conceal your discourse or speak it openly, He is All-Knowing of what is within the breasts." (وَأَسِرُّوا قَولَكُم أَوِ اجهَرُوا بِهِ إِنَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِذَاتِ الصُّدُورِ). Some exegetes have transmitted on the authority of Ibn 'Abbās an occasion of revelation for this verse: a group of hypocritical disbelievers used to make improper remarks behind the Prophet's back, and Gabriel would come and inform the Prophet. Some of them then said to one another: "أَسِرُّوا قَولَكُم" — speak your words in concealment so that the God of Muḥammad does not hear them — whereupon the above verse was revealed, stating: whether you speak openly or in concealment, God is aware. [References: Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī, vol. 3, p. 66; Rūḥ al-Bayān, vol. 10, p. 86, under the verses under consideration.] The subsequent verse is presented as a proof for what was set forth in the preceding verse. It states: "Does He who created not know? While He is the All-Subtle, the All-Aware." (أَلَا يَعلَمُ مَن خَلَقَ وَهُوَ اللَّطِيفُ الخَبِيرٌ). Several interpretive possibilities have been offered for the sentence "a-lā ya'lamu man khalaqa." Some have said that what is meant is: does the God who created the hearts not know the secrets within them? Or that the God who created the servants — is He unaware of those servants' secrets? Or that the God who created the entire realm of existence is aware of all the secrets of the universe — so could the secrets of the human being, who is one being within this great creation, be hidden from God? In any case, in order to comprehend this truth, attention should always be given to the point that God's creation is perpetual — that is, the bounty of existence reaches the created beings from Him at every moment; the matter is not such that He creates them and then leaves them to their own state. In principle all contingent beings are bound to His existence — if their connection with His pure essence were severed for even a single moment they would take the path of annihilation. This perpetual relationship and continuous attention to creation is the best proof of God's knowledge of the secrets of all beings in every time and place. God's description with "laṭīf" is on account of the fact that "laṭīf" means knowing subtle and delicate things — so God's being "laṭīf" alludes to His knowledge of the fine and delicate secrets of creation. This word also sometimes carries the meaning of subtle bodies, microscopic particles, and what lies beyond them. This alludes to the fact that however concealed your inner intentions may be, however secretly you speak your words in gatherings, or however clandestinely you perform wrongful acts in private — the All-Subtle, All-Aware God is informed of all of it. Some exegetes have stated in the interpretation of "laṭīf": "huwa alladhī yukalliful-yasīra wa-yu'ṭī al-kathīra" — "He is the Being who assigns easy obligations yet grants abundant recompense" — and this too is in reality a kind of subtlety and delicacy in mercy. Some have also said that God's description with "laṭīf" is because He penetrates all things and the entire universe has no place empty of Him. But all these statements point to the same reality and constitute an emphasis upon God's knowledge and His awareness of all secrets — hidden and manifest.

See ayat 18 for tafseer.

See ayat 18 for tafseer.

See ayat 18 for tafseer.

After the preceding discussion—where the conditions of the people of Hell and Paradise, and the contrast between disbelievers and believers, were described—these verses now encourage joining the ranks of the أهل الجنّة and warn against the path of the أهل النار by reminding of several divine blessings and then pointing to aspects of punishment. It is stated: “هُوَ الَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ الْأَرْضَ ذَلُولًا” — He is the One who has made the earth تذلّل for you. Then it continues: “فَامْشُوا فِي مَنَاكِبِهَا وَكُلُوا مِن رِّزْقِهِ وَإِلَيْهِ النُّشُورُ” — So walk upon its shoulders, partake of His provision, and know that to Him is the resurrection. The expression “ذلول” is one of the most comprehensive descriptions for the earth. Despite its multiple forms of motion—such as rotation, revolution around the sun, and movement within the cosmic system—it appears entirely stable and calm. At the same time, it is neither excessively hard nor excessively soft; rather, it is perfectly balanced for human life. Its distance from the sun, atmospheric conditions, and gravitational force are all set in precise equilibrium, enabling life to flourish. Thus, the earth is entirely compliant and accommodating for human existence. The term “مناكب” (shoulders) suggests that humans move across the earth with ease and stability, as though walking upon a steady foundation. This expression also implies that human beings must exert effort; without striving, one cannot benefit from the resources of the earth. The term “رزق” encompasses all forms of provision—animal, plant, and mineral—indicating the breadth of divine sustenance. Yet, these provisions are not the ultimate goal; they are means for achieving the final مقصد: the awakening (نشور) and eternal life in the Hereafter. After this encouragement, the tone shifts to warning: “أَأَمِنتُم مَّن فِي السَّمَاءِ…” — Do you feel secure from the One who is in authority over the heaven that He might cause the earth to swallow you? If God wills, this very earth—now calm and supportive—can become unstable, shaking violently, splitting open, and engulfing its inhabitants. The expression “فَإِذَا هِيَ تَمُورُ” indicates continuous trembling and instability, suggesting either constant seismic upheaval or a state in which the earth loses its equilibrium entirely. Moreover, punishment is not restricted to earthquakes: “أَمْ أَمِنتُم مَّن فِي السَّمَاءِ أَن يُرْسِلَ عَلَيْكُمْ حَاصِبًا” — Or do you feel secure that He will not send upon you a storm of stones? Such storms, carrying sand and debris, can bury entire communities within moments. These examples emphasize that divine punishment in this world can take multiple forms, as evidenced by the fate of earlier nations. Accordingly, it is stated: “وَلَقَدْ كَذَّبَ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ فَكَيْفَ كَانَ نَكِيرِ” — Indeed, those before them denied, so how was My retribution? Various past communities were destroyed through different forms of divine punishment—earthquakes, lightning, storms, and other calamities—and their ruins remain as lessons for reflection. These verses thus present a comprehensive teaching: - The earth, with all its harmony and resources, is a sign of divine grace. - Human beings are required to strive within it and utilize its provisions responsibly. - Yet, they must remain aware that ultimate return is to God. - Complacency in worldly comfort is dangerous, for divine power can transform security into destruction. In essence, the passage combines encouragement (through divine نعمت) with warning (through examples of عذاب), guiding human beings toward gratitude, awareness, and orientation toward the ultimate مقصد—the Hereafter.

See ayat 21 for tafseer.

See ayat 21 for tafseer.

In the opening verses of this surah, when the discussion concerned God's power and dominion, the discourse was about the seven heavens, their stars, and their celestial bodies. But here, in the first verse under consideration, the same matter of power is being expressed through the mention of what appears to be a small creature of the realm of existence. It states: "Have they not looked at the birds above them spreading their wings and folding them?" (أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا إِلَى الطَّيرِ فَوقَهُم صَافَّاتٍ وَيَقبِضنَ). [Explanatory note: "Al-ṭayr" is the plural of "ṭā'ir" — which is why its verb and attribute appear in the plural form. The supposition of some that "ṭayr" is singular contradicts the explicit statements of the lexicologists.] These heavy bodies rise from the earth against the law of gravity and continue their swift and gentle movement comfortably in the heights of the sky for hours, and at times for weeks and months continuously, without experiencing any difficulty. When in flight most birds hold their wings spread open — "ṣāffāt" — as though a mysterious force is propelling them; while some are always beating their wings, to which "yaqbiḍna" may allude. Some alternately beat their wings and then spread them; a fourth group beats for a period and when it gains speed folds its wings entirely and dives into the ocean of the atmosphere — such as the sparrow. In sum, even though they all fly, each has its own particular style. Who has created their bodies in such a manner that they soar through the air with ease and comfort? Who has granted their wings this capacity and taught them the knowledge of flight? Especially the complex collective migration of migratory birds — which sometimes extends for several months and covers thousands of kilometres, passing over numerous countries, mountains, passes, forests, and seas to reach their destination — who has truly granted them such power and awareness? Hence at the end of the verse it further states: "None holds them aloft save the All-Merciful, for He sees all things." (مَا يُمسِكُهُنَّ إِلَّا الرَّحمَنُ إِنَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيءٍ بَصِيرٌ). He is the One who has granted them the various means and capacities for flight. The All-Merciful God — whose universal mercy encompasses all beings — has given the birds too what they need. The being who holds the birds aloft in the sky and atmosphere is the same guardian of the earth and all other beings. When He wills, neither can a bird fly nor can the earth maintain its repose. The expressions "ṣāffātin" and "yaqbiḍna" — spreading and folding the wings — may allude to different species of birds or to the different states of a single bird. [Explanatory note: Regarding the fact that "ṣāffātin" appears in descriptive form while "yaqbiḍna" appears as an imperfect verb — this may be because the spreading of wings is a sustained manner of being, while the opening and closing of wings is a repeated action.] A detailed discussion of the world of birds and the marvels of their flight has been presented in Tafsīr-i Namūna, volume 6, under verse 79 of Surah al-Naḥl. In the subsequent verse, alluding to the meaning that the disbelievers have no kind of ally or helper against God's power, it states: "Who is this army of yours that can help you against the All-Merciful?" (أَمَّن هَذَا الَّذِي هُوَ جُندٌ لَّكُم يَنصُرُكُم مِّن دُونِ الرَّحمَنِ). [Explanatory note: "Am" in this sentence is a conjunctive particle. "Man" is the subject, "hādhā" the second subject, "alladhī" its predicate, "huwa jundun lakum" its relative clause, and "yanṣurukum" the attribute of "jund" and the predicate of the first subject. (Al-Bayān fī Gharīb I'rāb al-Qur'ān, vol. 2, p. 459.) However, it is more appropriate that "alladhī" be explanatory apposition and "yanṣurukum" the predicate — for without this the sentence is incomplete.] Not only can they give you no assistance in adversities, but if He wills He could appoint those very forces as agents of your punishment and destruction. Are not water, wind, soil, and fire in your service and the pillars of your life? Yet God appointed these very things as agents for the destruction of rebellious peoples. Likewise, history preserves many accounts of how the closest associates of kings, pharaohs, and tyrannical rulers became the very cause of their deaths — and in the history of the contemporary age as well it has been witnessed that the most loyal forces of governments rose in revolt against them and issued the decree of their destruction. "But the disbelievers are in nothing but delusion and deception." (إِنِ الكَافِرُونَ إِلَّا فِي غُرُورٍ). The veils of delusion, deception, and ignorance lie over their intellects, preventing them from seeing these instructive lessons on the pages of history or in the corners of their own lives. "Jund" originally means rough and hard ground in which very many stones have accumulated — and by this analogy a very large army is also called "jund." Some exegetes take "jund" in the verse under consideration as an allusion to the idols — which on the Day of Resurrection will have no capacity whatsoever to aid the polytheists. But it is apparent that the verse carries a broad meaning and the idols are one instance of it. Then by way of further emphasis it states: "Who is the being who provides for you — if He were to withhold His provision, who could make you independent of need?" (أَمَّن هَذَا الَّذِي يَرزُقُكُم إِن أَمسَكَ رِزقَهُ). [Explanatory note: The consequent clause of the conditional is implied; the full implied construction is: "in amsakа rizqahu man yarzuqukum ghayruhu" — "if He were to withhold His provision, who other than He would provide for you?"] If He were to command the sky not to send rain and the earth not to produce vegetation, or if various plant diseases were to destroy all the crops — who would have the power to provide any food for you? And if the spiritual provisions and heavenly revelation were cut off from you — who would have the power to guide you? These are manifest truths — but stubbornness and insolence become a veil before human perception and consciousness. Hence at the end of the verse it states: "But they persist in arrogance and aversion, fleeing from reality." (بَل لَجُّوا فِي عُتُوٍّ وَنُفُورٍ). Even in the present age — in which tremendous advances have been made in various dimensions of human life, especially in food production — if absolutely no rain were to fall for even a single year, what calamity would befall the entire world; or if swarms of locusts and plant diseases were to engulf every region, what disaster would occur.

In the preceding verses it was indicated that the absence of a receptive ear and an awakened intellect constitutes one of the most fundamental causes that draw people toward the Fire. In the verses under discussion, it is further clarified that four additional factors—deception and manipulation, stubbornness, rebellion (ʿutū), and withdrawal from the truth—also lead to human misguidance and wretchedness. If examined carefully, it becomes evident that these factors are closely interconnected with the earlier ones. These negative traits effectively place a veil over a person’s hearing and sight, preventing access to reality and obstructing the comprehension of truth.

See ayat 27 for tafseer.

See ayat 27 for tafseer.

See ayat 27 for tafseer.

See ayat 27 for tafseer.

See ayat 27 for tafseer.

Following the preceding verses, the first of the verses under discussion presents a striking analogy to portray the contrasting states of the believers and the disbelievers. It states: “أَفَمَن يَمْشِي مُكِبًّا عَلَى وَجْهِهِ أَهْدَى أَمَّن يَمْشِي سَوِيًّا عَلَى صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ” That is, is one who walks fallen upon his face more rightly guided, or one who walks upright upon a straight path? Here, the disbelievers—who are unjust, obstinate, and deceitful—are likened to a person moving along a rough and uneven path, advancing while fallen face‑down, crawling awkwardly upon the ground. Such a person cannot properly see the path ahead, nor look forward; he is unaware of obstacles, unable to move swiftly, advancing only slowly and becoming fatigued after a short distance. In contrast, the believers are likened to upright individuals moving steadily along a clear, level, and straight path, progressing with awareness, confidence, and ease. This analogy vividly captures the observable reality distinguishing the two groups. Some have regarded the exemplification of these two groups as referring specifically to the Prophet (ṣallā Allāhu ʿalayhi wa-ālīhi wa-sallam) and Abū Jahl; however, these are only illustrative instances and do not restrict the general meaning of the verse. The phrase “مُكِبًّا عَلَى وَجْهِهِ” has been interpreted in different ways. The interpretation most consistent with its literal sense is that of one crawling face‑down. Others have suggested that it refers to someone walking with head lowered, unable to perceive the path, or one who repeatedly loses balance and falls. Nevertheless, the first meaning remains the most coherent in contrast to the description of the upright walker (“سَوِيًّا”). This condition applies not only in the Hereafter but also in worldly life. The disbelievers, driven by self‑interest, stubbornness, and attachment to fleeting material gains, follow a path of confusion and instability, whereas the believers, freed from such constraints, advance along a clear and enlightened path with insight and purpose. The following verse addresses the Prophet: “قُلْ هُوَ الَّذِي أَنشَأَكُمْ وَجَعَلَ لَكُمُ السَّمْعَ وَالْأَبْصَارَ وَالْأَفْئِدَةَ قَلِيلًا مَّا تَشْكُرُونَ” Say: He is the One who created you and granted you hearing, sight, and hearts; yet little do you give thanks. God has provided the faculties of perception (hearing and sight) and reflection (intellect/heart), equipping humanity with all the necessary means to acquire both experiential and rational knowledge. However, true gratitude lies in using these faculties for their intended purposes—and few fulfill this responsibility. The discourse continues: “قُلْ هُوَ الَّذِي ذَرَأَكُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَإِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ” Say: He is the One who scattered you upon the earth, and to Him you shall be gathered. Thus, three essential dimensions are established: the clarification of the path (guidance), the provision of means (human faculties), and the articulation of the ultimate goal (return to God). The distinction between “أنشأكم” and “ذرأكم” may indicate, respectively, creation from nonexistence and the dispersion of humanity upon the earth from a material origin. The disbelievers, however, ask in mockery: “وَيَقُولُونَ مَتَى هَذَا الْوَعْدُ إِن كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ” “When will this promise be fulfilled, if you are truthful?” They demand a fixed time for the وقوع of the Resurrection. The response is: “قُلْ إِنَّمَا الْعِلْمُ عِندَ اللَّهِ وَإِنَّمَا أَنَا نَذِيرٌ مُّبِينٌ” Say: the knowledge of it is with God alone, and I am only a clear warner. The timing of the Day of Judgment remains unknown so that human responsibility and moral awareness may remain intact. Finally, it is stated: “فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهُ زُلْفَةً سِيئَتْ وُجُوهُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَقِيلَ هَذَا الَّذِي كُنتُم بِهِ تَدَّعُونَ” When they see it approaching, the faces of the disbelievers will be darkened, and it will be said to them: this is what you used to demand. At that moment, the reality becomes undeniable, and the very event they had demanded in mockery will manifest before them without any possibility of escape.

See ayat 30 for tafseer.

See ayat 30 for tafseer.

The above verses — which are among the final verses of Surah al-Mulk and each beginning with the word "qul" addressed to the Prophet, peace be upon him and his household — continue the same discourse that was held with the disbelievers in the preceding verses, setting forth other dimensions of it. First, concerning those who were presumably awaiting the death of the Prophet and his companions — supposing that his passing would bring his religion to an end and leave nothing remaining (as defeated enemies have always harboured this expectation toward true leaders) — it states: "Say: Tell me, if God destroys me and all those with me or has mercy upon us — who will protect the disbelievers from a painful punishment?" (قُل أَرَأَيتُم إِن أَهلَكَنِيَ اللهُ وَمَن مَّعِيَ أَو رَحِمَنَا فَمَن يُجِيرُ الكَافِرِينَ مِن عَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ). In certain narrations it is related that the disbelievers of Mecca used to curse the Prophet of Islam, peace be upon him and his household, and the Muslims and pray for their deaths, supposing that if he departed from the world his call too would come to an end — whereupon the above verse was revealed and gave them their answer. The counterpart of this meaning also appears in verse 30 of Surah al-Ṭūr, where it states: أَم يَقُولُونَ شَاعِرٌ نَّتَرَبَّصُ بِهِ رَيبَ المَنُونِ — "Or do they say: He is a poet whose death we are awaiting?" They are heedless of the fact that God Almighty has given His promise to Muḥammad Muṣṭafā, peace be upon him, that even if he dies, the message of truth will not die with him. The success of this religion and its prevailing over the entire world has been promised, and the life or death of the Prophet will change nothing. Some have offered another interpretation of this verse — that God is saying to the Prophet: "Say: We stand between fear and hope on account of our faith in God — what do you think of your own situation?" But the first interpretation appears more correct. Continuing the same discourse it further states: "Say to them: He is God the All-Merciful — we have believed in Him and upon Him we have placed our trust, and you will soon know who is in manifest misguidance." (قُل هُوَ الرَّحمَنُ آمَنَّا بِهِ وَعَلَيهِ تَوَكَّلنَا فَسَتَعلَمُونَ مَن هُوَ فِي ضَلَالٍ مُّبِينٍ). That is: if we have believed in God and taken Him as our guardian, advocate, and overseer, the proof is clear — He is the All-Merciful God whose universal mercy reaches everywhere and whose grace and bounty encompasses both friend and foe alike. A brief glance at the realm of existence and the page of life bears witness to this claim. But what have your deities accomplished? Although your misguidance and error is already clear from this, it will become even more evident in the Hereafter — or in this world, when Islam triumphs over the army of disbelief through divine assistance, and this miraculous victory will make the truth yet more manifest. This verse is in reality a kind of consolation for the Prophet of Islam and the believers — that they should not suppose they stand alone in this struggle between truth and falsehood; rather, the Bestowing and Merciful God is their friend and helper. In the final verse, by way of mentioning one instance of God's universal mercy — from which people are heedless — it states: "Say: Tell me, that water from which you are benefiting — if it were to sink into the depths of the earth, who could bring you flowing water?" (قُل أَرَأَيتُم إِن أَصبَحَ مَاؤُكُم غَوراً فَمَن يَأتِيكُم بِمَاءٍ مَعِينٍ). It is known that the earth is composed of two different kinds of strata: a permeable stratum that takes water into itself, and beneath it an impermeable stratum that retains the water there. All springs, wells, streams, and channels come into existence through the blessing of this particular structure. For if the entire surface of the earth were permeable to great depths, the water would sink so far down that no one could ever reach it; and if the whole of it were impermeable, all the water on the earth's surface would remain standing upon it and turn into swamps and mud, or quickly flow into the seas — and in this manner the subterranean reserves of water would be lost. This is a small example of God's mercy to which human life and death are intensely bound. "Ma'īn" is derived from the root "ma'n" (on the metrical pattern of "ṭa'n"), meaning the flowing of water — and some say it is derived from "'ayn" with an additional "mīm." This is why some exegetes have interpreted "ma'īn" as water that can be seen by the eye even if it is not flowing. However, the majority have interpreted it as flowing water. Although the water that is drunk is not limited to flowing water, there is no doubt that flowing water counts as its finest variety — whether in the form of rivers, channels, streams, or artesian wells. Some exegetes have related that when a disbeliever heard this verse — stating that if the water you use were to sink into the earth's depths, who would bring you flowing water — he said: "Rijālun shidādun wa-ma'āwilun ḥidādun" — "Strong men and sharp pickaxes would bring the water out from the earth's depths." But when he slept that night, dark water descended into his eye — glaucoma — and in that state he heard a voice saying: "Bring those strong men and sharp pickaxes to draw this water out of your eye." In the present age we know that if the impermeable stratum of the earth were to disappear, no strong-armed human being and no sharp pickaxe could extract the water. [Reference: Abū al-Futūḥ al-Rāzī, vol. 11, p. 219.]

In the narrations that have reached us from the Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt, peace be upon them, this final verse has been interpreted in connection with the advent of Imam al-Mahdī, peace be upon him, and his vast universal justice. Among these, in one hadith transmitted on the authority of Imam al-Bāqir, peace be upon him, in the exegesis of this verse it is stated: "نَزَلَت فِي الإِمَامِ القَائِمِ (ع) يَقُولُ إِن أَصبَحَ إِمَامُكُم غَائِباً عَنكُم لَا تَدرُونَ أَينَ هُوَ؟ فَمَن يَأتِيكُم بِإِمَامٍ ظَاهِرٍ يَأتِيكُم بِأَخبَارِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرضِ وَحَلَالِ اللهِ وَحَرَامِهِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ وَاللهِ مَا جَاءَ تَأوِيلُ هَذِهِ الآيَةِ وَلَا بُدَّ أَن يَجِيءَ تَأوِيلُهَا" — "This verse was revealed concerning the Imam who will rise with divine justice — Imam al-Mahdī, peace be upon him. He says: if your Imam becomes hidden from you and you do not know where he is, then who will bring you a manifest Imam who will convey to you the tidings of the heavens and the earth and the lawful and the unlawful of God? He then stated: By God, the realisation of this verse has not yet come, and its realisation must inevitably come." [Reference: Nūr al-Thaqalayn, vol. 5, p. 387.] The narrations on this subject are very numerous — however, it should be kept in mind that all of these are by way of application. In other words, the outward meaning of the verse is connected with flowing water that is the source of life and vitality for living beings; but the inward meaning of the verse is connected with the existence of the Imam and his vast knowledge and justice, since he too is the cause of the life of human society. It has been stated on numerous occasions that the Quranic verses have multiple meanings and possess both outward and inward dimensions — but the point also bears emphatic repetition that reaching and knowing the inward depths of the verses is not possible except for the Prophet, peace be upon him and his household, and the infallible Imam, and no person has the right to present anything of his own accord under the designation of the inward meaning of a verse. What is stated concerns the outward meanings of the verses, and what pertains to the inward dimensions of the verses ought only to be heard from the infallible, peace be upon them. Surah al-Mulk opened with God's sovereignty and dominion and is concluding with His all-encompassing mercy — which is a branch of His sovereignty and dominion — and in this manner its beginning and its end are in complete harmony. O Lord, make us the recipients of Your general and particular mercy and satiate us from the water of life that is the guardianship of Your saints. O Sustainer, hasten the advent of Imam al-Mahdī, peace be upon him, who is the wellspring of the water of life — yes, satiate those who are captivated by his beauty with the water of his advent. O God, You have granted us seeing eyes, hearing ears, and a comprehending intellect — so remove the veils of self-centeredness and arrogance from before them, that we may see the face of reality as it truly is and advance with upright steps upon the straight path of Your guidance. Āmīn, yā Rabb al-'Ālamīn.