Overview - Surah 67: al-Mulk (The Dominion )
It talks about the greatness of Allah and beautiful universe that He has created. It reminds people that if they consider the laws of universe and travel in the land with open eyes, they will indeed see that this whole kingdom belongs to Allah and He controls everything.
Surah al-Mulk takes its name from the first Ayat, تَبَارَكَ الَّذِي بِيَدِهِ الْمُلْكُ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ "Blessed is He in whose hand is dominion, and He is over all things competent -" [67:1].
There are 30 Ayat in this Surah.
Overview
| Total Ayat | 30 |
| Total Words * | 333 |
| Root Words * | 133 |
| Unique Root Words * | 0 |
| Makki / Madani | Makki |
| Chronological Order* | 77th (according to Ibn Abbas) |
| Year of Revelation* | |
| Events during/before this Surah*
N/A
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| Events during/after still to occur*
N/A
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| Names of Prophets Mentioned
No Prophets names are mentioned in this Surah
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| Surah Index
God (beyond definition) , God (grants life and death) , Astronomy (stars) (neighbourhood of Earth populated by), Birds, Death, Disbelievers (God’s promise to) , Earth, Earthquake, Heaven (several) , Hell, Jinn, Resurrection, Water, Weather (wind)
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In this Surah, on the one hand, the teachings of Islam have been introduced briefly and on the other, the people living in heedlessness have been aroused from their slumber in a most effective way. A characteristic of the earliest Surahs of the Makkan period is that they present the entire teachings of Islam and the object of the Prophet’s mission, not in detail, but briefly, so that they are assimilated by the people easily. Moreover, they are particularly directed to make the people shun heedlessness, to make them think and to arouse their dormant conscience.
In the first five verses man has been made to realise that the universe in which he lives in, is a most well organised and fortified Kingdom in which he cannot detect any fault, any weakness or flaw, however hard he may try to probe. This Kingdom has been brought from nothing into existence by God Almighty Himself and all the powers of controlling, administering and ruling it are also entirely in God’s hand and His power is infinite. Besides, man has also been told that in this wise system he has not been created without a purpose, but he has been sent here for a test and in this test he can succeed only by his righteous deeds and conduct.
In v. 6-11, dreadful consequences of disbelief which will appear in the Hereafter have been mentioned, and the people are told that God, by sending His Prophets, has warned them of these consequences in this very world, as if to say “Now, if you do not believe in what the Prophets say and correct your attitude and behaviour accordingly, in the Hereafter you will yourself have to admit that you really deserved the punishment that was being meted out to you.”
In v. 12-14, the truth that has been impressed on the minds is that the Creator cannot be unaware of His creation, as if to say: “He is aware of each open and hidden secret of yours, even of the innermost ideas of your hearts. Hence, the right basis of morality is that man should avoid evil, fearing the accountability of the unseen God, whether in the world there is a power to take him to task for this or not, and whether in the world there is a possibility of being harmed by such a power or not. Those who adopt such a conduct in the world alone will deserve forgiveness and a rich reward in the Hereafter.”
In v. 15-23, making allusions, one after the other to those common truths of daily occurrence, which man does not regard as worthy of much attention, he has been invited to consider them seriously. It has been said: “Look: the earth on which you move about with full satisfaction and peace of mind, and from which you obtain your sustenance has been subdued for you by God; otherwise this earth might at any time start shaking suddenly so as to cause your destruction, or a typhoon might occur, which may annihilate you completely. Look at the birds that fly above you; it is only God Who is sustaining them in the air. Look at your own means and resources: if God wills to inflict you with a punishment, none can save you from it; and if God wills to close the doors of sustenance on you, none can open them for you. These things are there to make you aware of the truth, but you see them like animals, which are unable to draw conclusions from observations, and you do not use your sight, hearing and minds which God has bestowed on you as men; that is why you do not see the right way.”
In v. 24-27, it has been said: “You have ultimately to appear before your God in any case. It is not for the Prophet to tell you the exact time and date of the event. His only duty is to warn you beforehand of its inevitable occurrence. Today you do not listen to him and demand that he should cause the event to occur and appear prematurely before you; but when it does occur, and you see it with your own eyes, you will then be astounded. Then, it will be said to you: “This is the very thing you were calling to be hastened.”
In v. 28-29 replies have been given to what the disbelievers of Makkah said against the Prophet and his Companions. They cursed the Prophet and prayed for his and the believers destruction. To this it has been said: “Whether those who call you to the right way are destroyed, or shown mercy by God, how will their fate change your destiny? You should look after yourselves and consider who would save you if you were overtaken by the punishment of God? You regard those who believe in God and put their trust in Him as the misguided. A time will come when it will become evident as to who was misguided in actual truth.”
In conclusion, the people have been asked this question and left to ponder over it: “If the water which has come out from the earth at some place in the desert or hill of Arabia and upon which depends your whole life activity, should sink and vanish underground, who beside God can restore to you this life-giving water?”
The Surah revolves around Allah's management of His mulk [dominion].
Manuscripts / Inscriptions
10th Century
10th Century
745 H 1344 CE
745 H 1344 CE
1st Century Hijrah (7th Century CE)
1st Century Hijrah (7th Century CE)
16th century AD
16th century AD
- Intercession to be forgiven. Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: سُورَةٌ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ ثَلاَثُونَ آيَةً تَشْفَعُ لِصَاحِبِهَا حَتَّى يُغْفَرَ لَهُ "A surah of the Qur'an containing thirty verses will intercede its reader till he will be forgiven. That is: "Blessed is He in Whose Hand is the sovereignty" [Surah Mulk 67]" Sunan Abu Dawud no. 1400
- Yahya related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab that Humayd ibn Abd ar-Rahman ibn Awf had told him that Surat al-Ikhlas (Sura 112) was equal to a third of the Qur'an, and that Surat al-Mulk (Sura 67) pleaded for its owner. Muwatta Malik
- Narrated Ibn 'Abbas: "One of the companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) pitched a tent on a grave without knowing that it was a grave. Suddenly he heard a person from the grave reciting Surah al-Mulk till he completed it. So he went to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said: 'Oh Messenger of Allah, I pitched my tent on a grave without realizing that is was a grave. Then suddenly I heard a person from the grave reciting Surah al-Mulk till he completed it.' The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'It is the defender, it is the deliverer - it delivers from the punishment of the grave.'" Tirmidhee no. 2890.
- Its recitation before sleep protects a person from the punishement of the grave.
Total Word Count per Ayat (shows how many words per Ayat) = 0* | ||
- The Prophet [saw] said: “A Surah from the Qur’aan containing thirty verses will intercede for a man so that he will be forgiven. It is the Surah "Tabaarak Alathi bi yadihi’l-mulk [i.e., Surat al-Mulk].” [Tirmidhi, 2891; Abu Dawood, 1400; Ibn Maajah, 3786]
Tafsir Zone
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Overview (Verse 22 -23) On top of all this, they described the Prophet and those who followed him as having gone astray, claiming that they were better guided than them. The same is levelled at the advocates of faith by unbelievers in every community. Therefore, the surah paints a true to life image of the status of both parties: "Is he who goes grovelling on his face better guided than the one who walks upright on a straight path?" (Verse 22) The one who grovels on his face is either someone who actually walks on his face instead of the right way using his feet and legs, or is someone who trips as he walks, falling on his face. He then lifts himself up only to trip again. Both are miserable conditions, beset with affliction and hardship. Neither leads to proper guidance or goodness. How far removed such conditions are from that of one who walks upright, steady along a way that is free of pitfalls and crookedness, fully aware of the goal towards which he moves. The first is the situation of a miserable person who has deviated from God's way and, as such, become deprived of His guidance. He is on a collision course with God's laws and creatures, taking up a way different from theirs. Therefore, he is always falling and tripping, tired and lost. The second situation is that of a happy person, benefiting by God's guidance and enjoying travelling along the way charted by believers who always glorify and praise Him. Thus, he joins the procession of the entire universe and of all living and inanimate creatures. The life of faith is that of ease, straightforwardness and clear objectives. By contrast, the life of disbelief is marked by hardship and error. Which, then, is better guided? Does the question require an answer? It is a rhetorical question, designed to drive its message home. Both question and answer fade away, giving way to a moving image in which we see two groups of people. The first either grovel or fall on their faces, lacking a goal or charted line. The second group walk with their heads held high. They are steady of step, following a straight path that takes them to a set destination. In connection with following guidance or error, the surah reminds people of the means God has provided for them and the faculties of understanding He has equipped them with, yet still they do not put these to good use: Say: It is He who has brought you into being, and given you hearing, sight and hearts. Yet seldom are you thankful. (Verse 23) The surah mentions this truth here in order to add a reminder about the means of learning, which God has equipped man with: "Say: It is He who has brought you into being, and given you hearing, sight and hearts." How does man receive such great favours and blessings: "Yet seldom are you thankful." (Verse 23) Hearing and sight are two great miracles about which we have learnt some remarkable aspects. 'Heart' is often used in the Qur'an in reference to the faculty of knowledge acquisition and understanding. This is an even greater and more remarkable miracle about which we only know very little. It is one of God's secrets in man's creation. Science has made significant attempts to understand the nature of hearing and sight, and here it is perhaps useful to mention briefly some of its findings: The hearing system begins with the outer ear, but only God knows where it ends. Science says that sound vibration is carried through the air which directs its entry through the auditory canal to the eardrum, which then transmits it to the labyrinth inside the ear. The labyrinth includes the cochlea and semicircular canals. In the cochlea part there are four thousand minute arches connected to the auditory nerve. Can we imagine the length and size of these arches, and how each of these thousands of arches is fitted in place? What space do they occupy? Yet in this hardly visible labyrinth there are some tiny bones. The ear contains 100,000 hearing cells. The hair cells trigger nerve impulses. Such microscopic accuracy in organization is most amazing. The retina is composed of nine separate layers, all of which together are no thicker than thin paper. The inmost layer is made up of rods and cones, which are said to number thirty million rods and three million cones. These are all arranged in perfect relation to each other and to the lens, but, strangely enough, they turn their backs upon the lens and look inward, not outward... The lens of our eye varies in density so that all rays are brought into focus. Man finds this unattainable in any homogeneous substance, such as glass.' `Heart', which is often used in the Qur'an interchangeably with `mind', is the quality that makes man what he is. It denotes the faculty of understanding, distinction and knowledge which qualifies man to take charge of the earth and to shoulder the great trust. This is the trust that the heavens, the earth and the mountains feared to bear. It is to believe by choice and to discern guidance by self motivation. It signifies the diligent observance, by will and choice, of the code God has laid down. No one knows the nature of this faculty, or its centre, or whether it is inside or outside the human body. It is a secret God has not given anyone. Yet despite having all such grace and gifts to fulfil his momentous trust, man is ungrateful to God: "Yet seldom are you thankful." (Verse 23) Man should feel ashamed of himself when he is thus reminded. He does not thank God for all the blessings He has favoured him with. Had man devoted all his life to expressing gratitude to God, it still would not thank Him enough. |
Ibn Kathir (English)
Sayyid Qutb
Sha'rawi
Al Jalalain
Mawdudi
الطبري - جامع البيان
ابن كثير - تفسير القرآن العظيم
القرطبي - الجامع لأحكام
البغوي - معالم التنزيل
ابن أبي حاتم الرازي - تفسير القرآن
ابن عاشور - التحرير والتنوير
ابن القيم - تفسير ابن قيّم
السيوطي - الدر المنثور
الشنقيطي - أضواء البيان
ابن الجوزي - زاد المسير
الآلوسي - روح المعاني
ابن عطية - المحرر الوجيز
الرازي - مفاتيح الغيب
أبو السعود - إرشاد العقل السليم
الزمخشري - الكشاف
البقاعي - نظم الدرر
الهداية إلى بلوغ النهاية — مكي ابن أبي طالب
القاسمي - محاسن التأويل
الماوردي - النكت والعيون
السعدي - تيسير الكريم الرحمن
عبد الرحمن الثعالبي - الجواهر الحسان
السمرقندي - بحر العلوم
أبو إسحاق الثعلبي - الكشف والبيان
الشوكاني - فتح القدير
النيسابوري - التفسير البسيط
أبو حيان - البحر المحيط
البيضاوي - أنوار التنزيل
النسفي - مدارك التنزيل
ابن جُزَيّ - التسهيل لعلوم التنزيل
علي الواحدي النيسابوري - الوجيز
السيوطي - تفسير الجلالين
المختصر في التفسير — مركز تفسير
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Overview (Verse 22 -23) On top of all this, they described the Prophet and those who followed him as having gone astray, claiming that they were better guided than them. The same is levelled at the advocates of faith by unbelievers in every community. Therefore, the surah paints a true to life image of the status of both parties: "Is he who goes grovelling on his face better guided than the one who walks upright on a straight path?" (Verse 22) The one who grovels on his face is either someone who actually walks on his face instead of the right way using his feet and legs, or is someone who trips as he walks, falling on his face. He then lifts himself up only to trip again. Both are miserable conditions, beset with affliction and hardship. Neither leads to proper guidance or goodness. How far removed such conditions are from that of one who walks upright, steady along a way that is free of pitfalls and crookedness, fully aware of the goal towards which he moves. The first is the situation of a miserable person who has deviated from God's way and, as such, become deprived of His guidance. He is on a collision course with God's laws and creatures, taking up a way different from theirs. Therefore, he is always falling and tripping, tired and lost. The second situation is that of a happy person, benefiting by God's guidance and enjoying travelling along the way charted by believers who always glorify and praise Him. Thus, he joins the procession of the entire universe and of all living and inanimate creatures. The life of faith is that of ease, straightforwardness and clear objectives. By contrast, the life of disbelief is marked by hardship and error. Which, then, is better guided? Does the question require an answer? It is a rhetorical question, designed to drive its message home. Both question and answer fade away, giving way to a moving image in which we see two groups of people. The first either grovel or fall on their faces, lacking a goal or charted line. The second group walk with their heads held high. They are steady of step, following a straight path that takes them to a set destination. In connection with following guidance or error, the surah reminds people of the means God has provided for them and the faculties of understanding He has equipped them with, yet still they do not put these to good use: Say: It is He who has brought you into being, and given you hearing, sight and hearts. Yet seldom are you thankful. (Verse 23) The surah mentions this truth here in order to add a reminder about the means of learning, which God has equipped man with: "Say: It is He who has brought you into being, and given you hearing, sight and hearts." How does man receive such great favours and blessings: "Yet seldom are you thankful." (Verse 23) Hearing and sight are two great miracles about which we have learnt some remarkable aspects. 'Heart' is often used in the Qur'an in reference to the faculty of knowledge acquisition and understanding. This is an even greater and more remarkable miracle about which we only know very little. It is one of God's secrets in man's creation. Science has made significant attempts to understand the nature of hearing and sight, and here it is perhaps useful to mention briefly some of its findings: The hearing system begins with the outer ear, but only God knows where it ends. Science says that sound vibration is carried through the air which directs its entry through the auditory canal to the eardrum, which then transmits it to the labyrinth inside the ear. The labyrinth includes the cochlea and semicircular canals. In the cochlea part there are four thousand minute arches connected to the auditory nerve. Can we imagine the length and size of these arches, and how each of these thousands of arches is fitted in place? What space do they occupy? Yet in this hardly visible labyrinth there are some tiny bones. The ear contains 100,000 hearing cells. The hair cells trigger nerve impulses. Such microscopic accuracy in organization is most amazing. The retina is composed of nine separate layers, all of which together are no thicker than thin paper. The inmost layer is made up of rods and cones, which are said to number thirty million rods and three million cones. These are all arranged in perfect relation to each other and to the lens, but, strangely enough, they turn their backs upon the lens and look inward, not outward... The lens of our eye varies in density so that all rays are brought into focus. Man finds this unattainable in any homogeneous substance, such as glass.' `Heart', which is often used in the Qur'an interchangeably with `mind', is the quality that makes man what he is. It denotes the faculty of understanding, distinction and knowledge which qualifies man to take charge of the earth and to shoulder the great trust. This is the trust that the heavens, the earth and the mountains feared to bear. It is to believe by choice and to discern guidance by self motivation. It signifies the diligent observance, by will and choice, of the code God has laid down. No one knows the nature of this faculty, or its centre, or whether it is inside or outside the human body. It is a secret God has not given anyone. Yet despite having all such grace and gifts to fulfil his momentous trust, man is ungrateful to God: "Yet seldom are you thankful." (Verse 23) Man should feel ashamed of himself when he is thus reminded. He does not thank God for all the blessings He has favoured him with. Had man devoted all his life to expressing gratitude to God, it still would not thank Him enough. |
- Surah 67. Al-Mulk - Saad al Ghamidi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrhhfhBuFuE&list=PLhM2xiAUdw2cAqW_o3zZkbhJNw0bnaBZN&index=67
- Surah 67. Al-Mulk Mahmoud Khalil Al Hussary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krA3W-QDzWU&list=PLxpAkjlGauHfMFWX22VZWOKpzjr-vH_BM&index=67
- Surah 67. Al-Mulk Muhammad Al Luhaydan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oo3kWEbC9DE&list=PLxpAkjlGauHfKAYuQLRNAZomoezhfhRZe&index=67
- Idris Abkar Surah Al-Mulk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAltrucANkA
- Surah 67. Al-Mulk Muhammad Minshawi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVlP0VozLKc&index=67&list=PLxpAkjlGauHdUcO_uc-8F8J2NUQRDZjPG
- Surah 67. Sahih International Translation with English Transliteration of Arabic Text https://myislam.org/surah-al-mulk/
