The content for this presentation on the Tafseer of Surah Al-Mulk is taken from the book 'An Enlightening Commentary into the Holy Quran' which is a translation of Tafsir e Namuna.
Please recite a Fateha for my late father, Syed Abbas Mosavi. JazakAllah.
2. Overview
The blessed Chapter generally treats of the following:
1. Topics regarding the Origin of existence, Divine Attributes, the
marvelous system of the Creation of the world of existence and man,
and man’s means of gaining knowledge;
2. Topics concerning the Hereafter, torments of the Hell, and the
conversations of the people of the Hell on the Day of Resurrection;
3. Warning the disbelievers and wrong doers against being afflicted
with torments in this world and the Hereafter.
3. Merit of reciting the Surah
Noble Prophet (S) as saying:
"One who recites Surah al-Tabarak is like one who wakes up praying in
the Night of Ordainment/Qadr.”
Memorizing this Surah has great reward. If memorized, this Surah acts
as a protection from the torment of the grave, and it intercedes on
behalf of the one who has memorized it on the Day of Judgement.
4. Verses 1 & 2
يرِدَق ٍءْيَش ُِلك ٰ
ىَلَع َوُهَو ُكْلُمْلا ِهِدَيِب يِذَّلا َكَارَبَت
َع ُنَسْحَأ ْمُكُّيَأ ْمُكَوُلْبَيِل َةاَيَحْلاَو َت ْوَمْلا َقَلَخ يِذَّلا
الًلَم
ُورُفَغْلا ُيز ِ
زَعْلاَوُهَو
1. Bountiful is He in Whose Hand is the Sovereignty and He is All-Able
to do all things.
2. The Lord who created death and life so that He may test you that
which of you is better in deed. And He is the Omnipotent, the Oft-
Forgiving.
5. Verse 1
1. Bountiful is He in Whose Hand is the Sovereignty and He is All-Able
to do all things.
The blessed Chapter opens with the significant issue of Divine
Ownership, Sovereignty, and His Everlasting Pure Essence which serves
as the key to all the discussions raised in the Chapter wherein it is said
that He is Bountiful and Everlasting. He is the One in Whose Hand is the
Sovereignty of the world of existence and He is Omnipotent.
6. Verse 2
2. The Lord who created death and life so that He may test you that which
of you is better in deed. And He is the Omnipotent, the Oft-Forgiving.
The precedence of death over life herein is because of the profound
impression made by giving attention to death in performing good deeds.
It is mentioned in some Prophetic traditions that
"good deeds"
connotes perfect intellect, fear of God Almighty, and being fully aware of
Divine Commands even if the good deeds happen to be few in terms of
number.
7. Verses 3 & 4
َٰمْحَّالر ِقْلَخ يِف ٰ
ىَرَت اَّم اًقاَبِط ٍتاَاوَمَس َعْبَس َقَلَخ يِذَّلا
ِن
نِم
ٍ
ورُطُف نِم ٰ
ىَرَت ْلَه َرَصَبْلا ِع ِجْارَف ٍتُاوَفَت
َّمُث
ِساَخ ُرَصَبْلا َكْيَلِإ ْبِلَقنَي ِنْيَتَّرَك َرَصَبْلا ِع ِجْار
يرِسَح َوُهَو ًاًئ
3. Who has created the seven heavens one above another and you
can see no flaw in the Creation of the Most Gracious. Then, behold
again: "Can you see any rifts?"
4. Then, behold time and again. Your sight will return to you in a state
of humbleness and exhaustion.
8. Verse 3
3. Who has created the seven heavens one
above another and you can see no flaw in
the Creation of the Most Gracious. Then,
behold again: "Can you see any rifts?“
Despite all its greatness, the world of
creation is based on systematicity,
consistency, well-measured constituents,
and precise laws such that had any disorder
found its way into the world of creation, it
would have caused its destruction.
9. Verse 4
4. Then, behold time and again. Your sight will return to you in a state
of humbleness and exhaustion.
The blessed Qur’anic Verses urges people to observe the world of
creation thrice and thereby study the secrets of creation. In other
words, they are encouraged to be attentive time and again so that they
see for themselves that there is not a single flaw in such marvelous
system of creation and thereby gain further acquaintance with the
Omnipotence and Omniscience of the Creator of such system and the
world of existence.
10. Verse 5
5. And indeed We have adorned the heaven of the world with lamps
and We have made such lamps as means of driving away the devils
and have prepared for them the blazing torment.
11. Verses 6 to 8
ُير ِ
صَمْلا َ
سًْئِبَو َمَّنَهَج ُابَذَع ْمِهِبَرِب واُرَفَك َِينذَّلِلَو
ُورُفَت َيِهَو اًقيَِهش اَهَل واُعِمَس اَهيِف واُقْلُأ اَذِإ
َزَخ ْمُهَلَأَس ج ْوَف اَهيِف َيِقْلُأ اَمَّلُك ِظْيَغْلا َنِم ُزَّيَمَت ُداَكَت
اَهُتَن
ْمَلَأ
ِيرذَن ْمُكِتْأَي
6. And for those who disbelieve in their Lord is the torment of Hell and
worst indeed is that abode.
7. When they are cast therein, they hear a horrible sound out of it while
they are perpetually boiled in it.
8. It almost bursts up with fury. Every time a group is cast therein, the
keepers of the Hell will ask them: "Did no warner come unto you?"
12. Verse 6
6. And for those who disbelieve in their Lord is the torment of Hell and
worst indeed is that abode.
13. Verse 7
7. When they are cast therein, they hear a horrible sound out of it
while they are perpetually boiled in it.
The blessed Verse 7 briefly treats of such horrible torment saying that
upon being cast in the Hell, they hear a fearsome sound while it is
perpetually boiling. When they are cast into it with utmost humility and
disgrace, they hear a horrible and long cry from the Hell enwrapping
them in horror
14. Verse 8
8. It almost bursts up with fury. Every time a group is cast therein, the
keepers of the Hell will ask them: "Did no warner come unto you?"
The blessed Verse 8 depicts the intensity of the rage of the Hell, saying
that it is almost cleft asunder, like a huge vessel laid on an
extraordinarily blazing fire boiling such that it may shatter into pieces at
any time or like a person raging and shouting in such manner that he
appears to be on the verge of explosion.
Thus is the depiction of the Hell, the focal point of Divine Wrath.
15. Verses 9 - 11
ِم ُ َّ
اَّلل َلَّزَن اَم اَنْلُقَو اَنْبَّذَكَف ِيرذَن اَنَءاَج ْدَق ٰ
ىَلَب واُلاَق
ْنِإ ٍءْيَش ن
ٍ
يرِبَك ٍلالَلَض يِف الَّلِإ ْمُتنَأ
ِ
يرِعَّسال ِباَحْصَأ يِف اَّنُك اَم ُلِقْعَن ْوَأ ُعَمْسَن اَّنُك ْوَل واُلاَقَو
ِ
يرِعَّسال ِباَحْصَألِل اًقْحُسَف ْمِهِبنَذِب واُفَرَتْعاَف
9. They will say: "Yes, indeed a warner came unto us, but we belied him
and said: 'Allah never sent down anything, you are only in great error."
10. And they will say: "Had we but listened or used our intellect, we would
not have been amongst the dwellers of the blazing Fire!"
11. Then they will confess to their sins. So, damned are the dwellers of the
Fire!
16. Verses 9 - 11
These blessed Verses make references to three confessions made by
disbelievers on the Day of Resurrection:
1. They confess that the Prophets came unto them, though they belied
them;
2. They confess that they failed to use their intellect and listen to the
word of truth;
3. They confess to having committed sins.
17. Verses 9 - 11
These Qur’anic Verses treat of the dire fate of the people of the Hell as
well as the main cause of their misfortune saying that God Almighty
had provided them with hearing, intelligence, and intellect on the one
hand and His Messengers with clear proofs on the other thus they had
the opportunity to tread on the path to happiness.
However, when man who has the hearing, vision, and intellect, but fails
to perceive and think, may not be affected by all the Messengers and
Divine Scriptures.
18. The importance of intellect
• Imam Sadiq (as) as saying:
"Whoever possesses intellect has faith and whoever has
faith shall enter Paradise."
Thus, Paradise is the abode of the wise.
According to a Prophetic tradition, man’s character
depends on his intellect and whoever lacks intellect,
lacks faith.
It is narrated from the Commander of the Faithful, Imam
‘Ali (as): "Intellect is man’s guide and ignorance entails
error."
19. Verses 12 - 14
ْجَأَو ةَرِفْغَّم مُهَل ِبْيَغْلاِب مُهَّبَر َن َْوشْخَي َينِذَّلا َّنِإ
يرِبَك ر
ِ
ُوردُّصال ِتاَذِب يمِلَع ُهَّنِإ ِهِب واُرَهْاج ِوَأ ْمُكَل ْوَق واُّرِسَأَو
ُيرِبَخْلا ُيفِطَّلال َوُهَو َقَلَخ ْنَم ُمَلْعَي الَلَأ
12. Verily, those who fear their Lord inwardly, theirs shall be
forgiveness and a great Reward.
13. Whether you keep your talk secret or disclose it, Verily, He is the
Omniscient of what is in the breasts.
14. Is not He Who has created All-Aware of the states of His creatures
whereas He is the Most Precise, the All-Aware?
20. Verse 12
12. Verily, those who fear their Lord inwardly, theirs shall be
forgiveness and a great Reward.
The blessed Verse 12, resuming the discussions raised in the preceding
Verses regarding the disbelievers and their fate on the Day of
Resurrection, is saying that those who fear their Lord inwardly, their
sins shall be forgiven and they shall receive a great Reward.
21. Verse 13
13. Whether you keep your talk secret or disclose it, Verily, He is the
Omniscient of what is in the breasts.
The blessed Verse 13 lays further emphasis in this regard, saying that
whether you conceal or disclose your intentions, God Almighty is All-Aware
of whatever is in the hearts.
Some Qur’an exegetes have narrated an occasion of Revelation for the
blessed Verse in question on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas to the effect that
some of the disbelievers or hypocrites talked evil of the Noble Prophet (S)
and Gabriel informed the Noble Prophet (S) of their slanders. Some of them
said unto each other to conceal their words so that Muhammad’s (S) God
may not hear them.
22. Verse 14
14. Is not He Who has created All-Aware of the states of His creatures
whereas He is the Most Precise, the All-Aware?
The Divine Attribute Latif reflects Divine Omniscience as to the
delicacies and secrets of the world of Creation and the Creation of
delicate and minute beings. The Attribute implies that God Almighty is
All-Aware of innermost secrets concealed in the hearts, the words
exchanged at secret sessions, and the sins committed in secret places.
23. Verse 15
َو اَهِبِكاَنَم يِف ُواشْامَف الًلوُلَذ َ
ضْرَألْلا ُمُكَل َلَعَج يِذَّلا َوُه
نِم واُلُك
ِهْيَلِإَو ِهِقْز ِ
ر
ُُورشُّنال
15. He it is the One Who has made the earth subservient to you. So
proceed on the path thereof and eat of His provision and know that
toward Him will be the Resurrection.
25. Verses 16 - 18
وُمَت َيِه اَذِإَف َ
ضْرَألْلا ُمُكِب َفِسْخَي نَأ ِاءَمَّسال يِف نَّم مُتنِمَأَأ
ُر
َلْعَتَسَف اًب ِ
اصَح ْمُكْيَلَع َلِسْرُي نَأ ِاءَمَّسال يِف نَّم مُتنِمَأ ْمَأ
َونُم
ِ
ِيرذَن َفْيَك
ِ
يرِكَن َانَك َفْيَكَف ْمِهِلْبَق نِم َِينذَّلا َبَّذَك ْدَقَلَو
16. Do you feel secure about the torments inflicted by Him, Who is over the
heaven, will not cause the earth to sink with you and then it should quake?
17. Or do you feel secure about the torments inflicted by Him, Who is over
the heaven, will not send against you a violent whirlwind abounding with
gravel? Then you shall know how has My Warning been.
18. And indeed those before them belied Divine Signs, but behold how
terrible was My Chastisement.
26. Verse 16
16. Do you feel secure about the torments inflicted by Him, Who is
over the heaven, will not cause the earth to sink with you and then it
should quake?
"Do you feel secure about the torments of the One Who is the Absolute
Sovereign in the heavens? Are you aware that He may command that
the earth be torn asunder and swallow you and permanently quake? If
He commands, the tranquil earth revolts and turns into a stubborn
beast. Then, the earth will quake and clefts appear in the earth
swallowing you and your houses and cities. The earth will still quake.”
27. Verse 17
17. Or do you feel secure about the torments inflicted by Him, Who is
over the heaven, will not send against you a violent whirlwind
abounding with gravel? Then you shall know how has My Warning
been.
The blessed Verse 17 is saying that there is no need to experience earth
quakes, since He may command whirlwinds abounding in gravel to bury
you beneath heaps of them. You shall notice before long how Divine
Warnings shall be realized. The point may be easily grasped by those
who have experienced the sand and hasib winds, namely those moving
the heaps of sand.
28. Verse 18
18. And indeed those before them belied Divine Signs, but behold how
terrible was My Chastisement.
29. Verse 19
ُي اَم َنْضِبْقَيَو ٍتاَّفاَص ْمُهَق ْوَف ِ
رْيَّطال ىَلِإ ا ْوَرَي ْمَلَوَأ
َّنُهُكِسْم
ير ِ
صَب ٍءْيَش ُِلكِب ُهَّنِإ ُنَٰمْحَّالر الَّلِإ
19. Do they not see the birds above them, spreading out their wings
and folding them in? None upholds them in the sky except the Most
Gracious Lord. Verily, He is the All-Seer of everything.
30. Verse 20
ِنَٰمْحَّالر ُِوند نِم ُمكُرُصنَي ْمُكَّل ندُج َوُه يِذَّلا اَذَٰه ْنَّمَأ
ِنِإ
ٍ
ورُرُغ يِف الَّلِإ َونُرِفاَكْلا
20. Who is he besides the Most Gracious that may serve as your host
against God Almighty? The disbelievers are preoccupied with nothing
but vanity.
31. Verse 20
The blessed Verse in question makes a reference to the point that the
disbelievers may not find any support against God Almighty, asking:
“Who may render you assistance against God Almighty? They are not
only unable to render you support at the time of afflictions, but if God
Almighty wills, He assigns them to cause affliction for you.”
Water, wind, dust, and fire are subservient to you and constitute the
pillars on which your life rests. Nonetheless, God Almighty assigned
them to cause the perdition of the disobedient peoples.
32. Verse 21
يِف واُّجَّل لَب ُهَقْز ِ
ر َكَسْمَأ ْنِإ ْمُكُقُزْرَي يِذَّلا اَذَٰه ْنَّمَأ
ٍوُتُع
ٍ
ورُفُنَو
21. Who may provide for you if He should withhold His provision?
However, they continue to be obdurate in their disobedience and
evading the truth.
33. Verse 21
The blessed Verse is saying that if God Almighty withholds His
Provision, no one may meet your requirements and provide for you. If
he commands the heaven to desist from sending down rain, plants may
not grow on the earth, and numerous blights may destroy the
cultivated lands and no one may provide you with your daily
sustenance.
If the spiritual provisions and Divine Revelation be withheld, no one will
be able to guide you.
34. Verse 22
ًّيِوَس يِشْمَي نَّمَأ ٰ
َىدْهَأ ِهِهْجَو ٰ
ىَلَع اًّبِكُم يِشْمَي نَمَفَأ
ٰ
ىَلَع ا
ٍيمِقَتْسُّم ٍاطَر ِ
ص
22. Is he who walks prone on his face, more rightly guided or he who
walks upright on the Straight Path?
36. Verse 23
اَو َارَصْبَألْلاَو َعْمَّسال ُمُكَل َلَعَجَو ْمُكََأشنَأ يِذَّلا َوُه ْلُق
َونُُركْشَت اَّم الًليِلَق َةَدًِئْفَألْل
23. Say it is He Who has created you and endowed you with hearing
and seeing and hearts, though little thanks you give.
37. Verse 23
God Almighty provided you with the means
of observation and experience (vision), that
of gaining awareness as to the products of
other people’s thought (hearing), and that of
reflection on intellectual sciences (heart).
Thus, you have been endowed with all the
required means of obtaining intellectual and
narrational knowledge, though there are few
who offer their gratitude for such great
Bounties.
38. Verse 24
َونَُرشْحُت ِهْيَلِإَو ِ
ضْرَألْلا يِف ْمُكَأَرَذ يِذَّلا َوُه ْلُق
24. Say: "It is He Who has created you on the earth and to Him you
shall return.
The blessed Verse is saying that God Almighty Who created you on the
earth and from the earth is All-Able to resurrect you. God Almighty
disseminates mankind all over the world and He shall resurrect and
gather them on the Day of Resurrection.
39. Verses 25 - 27
َينِقِداَص ْمُتُنك نِإ ُدْعَوْلا اَذَٰه ٰ
ىَتَم َونُلوُقَيَو
ينِبُّم ِيرذَن اَنَأ اَمَّنِإَو ِ َّ
اَّلل َدنِع ُمْلِعْلا اَمَّنِإ ْلُق
َّلا اَذَٰه َليِقَو واُرَفَك َِينذَّلا ُهوُجُو َْتًئيِس ًةَفْلُز ُه ْوَأَر اَّمَلَف
مُتُنك ِيذ
َُونعَّدَت ِهِب
25. They say: "When will this promise come to pass if you are telling the
truth?"
26. Say: "The knowledge is with Allah only and I am merely a plain warner.
27. But when they see it approaching, the faces of those who disbelieve will
turn ugly and black and it will be said unto them: "This is what you were
calling for!"
40. Verses 25 - 26
The knowledge of the unseen falls into two categories:
one granted to His chosen believers
("This is of the news of the unseen which We reveal unto you,")
and one which is solely with God Almighty
and even His Messengers are unaware of it, instances of which include
the specified time of Resurrection as mentioned in the preceding
blessed Verse and the supplication including
• "By the Knowledge which is solely with you."
41. Verse 27
27. But when they see it approaching, the faces of those who
disbelieve will turn ugly and black and it will be said unto them: "This
is what you were calling for!"
The blessed Verse 27 is saying that when they experience the Divine
Promises and torments, the faces of the disbelievers turn ugly and
black, such that they reflect their sorrows. It will be said unto them that
it is what you called for.
42. Verses 28 - 29
28. Say: "If Allah destroys me and those with me or He bestows His
Mercy on us, who can save the disbelievers from an excruciating
torment?"
29. Say: "He is the Most Gracious, in Him we believe and in Him we
put our trust. So you will come to know who it is that is in manifest
error."
43. Verse 28
28. Say: "If Allah destroys me and those with me or He bestows His
Mercy on us, who can save the disbelievers from an excruciating
torment?"
According to some traditions, Meccan disbelievers cursed the Noble
Prophet (S) and the Muslims and called for his death under the false
impression that had he passed away, his Prophetic Call would
disappear, but the blessed Verse was revealed to provide them with a
reply.
44. Verse 29
29. Say: "He is the Most Gracious, in Him we
believe and in Him we put our trust. So you will
come to know who it is that is in manifest error."
In other words, We believe in God Almighty and
have chosen Him as our Guardian. The reason is
crystal clear. He is the Most Gracious Lord. His
Graciousness enwraps all things everywhere and
friends and foes benefit from the Emanation of His
Bounties.
45. Verse 30
ٍاءَمِب ُمكيِتْأَي نَمَف اًر ْوَغ ْمُكُؤاَم َحَبْصَأ ْنِإ ْمُتْيَأَرَأ ْلُق
ٍينِعَّم
30. Say: "Say unto me! If the water of your land were to sink away,
who then can supply you with flowing water?"
46. Verse 30
Flowing water is mentioned herein as
an instance of Divine Graciousness.
The preceding blessed Verse said:
"We put our trust in Him,"
but the blessed Verse in question is
saying that the believers put their
trust in God Almighty since if the
water sank away into the earth, no
one can supply you with flowing
water but God Almighty.