In the Name of Almighty Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate
30 آية
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
Surah Al-Mulk is the 67th chapter of the Quran, containing 30 verses. Revealed in Makkah, it opens with the word “Tabarak” (Blessed) and takes its name from its opening verses, which extol the absolute sovereignty (mulk) of Allah, who created life and death to test which of His servants excel in good deeds, and who fashioned the seven heavens in perfect harmony. The surah calls on the disbelievers to reflect on Allah’s signs in creation, describes the punishment awaiting them in Hellfire, and reminds all people that their hearing, sight and reason are blessings from Allah for which they will be held to account. Below you can read the full Surah Al-Mulk in Arabic with a clear English translation and a verse-by-verse tafsir (explanation of the meaning) from Aysar al-Tafaseer, with the option to jump to any specific verse.
1. Allah Almighty glorifies His noble Self and informs His servants that to Him belongs the dominion and He disposes of all His creatures. His judgement is incontestable. He has Power to do anything, and nothing can deter Him.
2. He created the creatures from nothing, then created death, which ends life. He assigned an appointed time for death and lifewhich none but He knows. He created death and life to try you so that He may know which of you does better deeds, is more fearful of Allah’s forbidden acts, and is more prompt to obey Him. Allah is Exalted in Might. He avenges Himself on those who disobey Him, and He is most forgiving of anyone who repents.
3. Allah Almighty created seven skies, one above the other, all established according to a wonderful order, without any pillars to support them or ties to fasten them. In the creation of the skies one cannot see any imperfection or flaw. If anyone doubts this, he has but to look up at the skies to realize the harmony in them. He will see no flaw, discord or cracks.
4. If man turns his sight again to the heavens above to try and find flaws and cracks or discord, his vision will return mortified and humbled, for he will see no defect or flaw, and his sight will be exhausted by the search.
5. Allah Almighty embellished the lower sky, which is closest to the earth, with planets which are like lanterns at night, just as people decorate their homes and mosques with lanterns. Allah Almighty made those planets sources of flames to strike the devils with. Allah prepared for them a humiliation in life on earth by being hit by flames and a severe torture in the Hereafter.
6. Allah Almighty prepared for those who disbelieved in their Lord and associated partners with Him a severe punishment in Hellfire. Evil is Hellfire for the unbelievers to dwell in.
7. When the unbelievers are thrust in Hellfire, they will hear a cry like that of a very angry person. It bubbles over with the people in it and boils as does a kettle with what it contains.
8. It almost bursts with fury and rage at those unbelievers. Each time a group of unbelievers is cast into it, the keepers of the Fire ask them reproachfully: “Did not a prophet from your Lord come to you to warn you of this Day?”
9. They answer the keepers of Hell and say: “Yes indeed! A messenger from our Lord did come to us to call us to believe in Allah and to warn us of His punishment; but we treated him as a liar and said: ‘Allah sent down nothing to us and did not send any messenger. You, O Messenger, are nothing but a human being like us. You are in true error when you claim that you bring a message from Allah. You are indeed far from the truth.’”
10. They say showing repentance and sorrow at a time when no repentance is of benefit: “If only we had ears to hear with and minds to appreciate and comprehend what Allah sent down, we would not have lived in disbelief, nor would we have been deceived by life and its pleasures. We would not have been afflicted with this humiliation and severe punishment in Hellfire today.”
11. They confessed their disbelief and denial of the messengers and their indulgence in the pleasures of life. But their confession will not avail them on this Day, for the inhabitants of the blazing fire of Hell are far from Allah’s mercy. In a noble Hadith the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Men are only destroyed after they have excused themselves.” And in another Hadith the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Anyone who is admitted to the Fire will know that the Fire is more deserving of him than Paradise.”
12. Those who fear their Lord, refrain from sinning, and perform their duties secretly, unseen by all except Allah Almighty, Allah promises them that He will forgive their evil deeds, reward them for their good actions, and admit them to gardens beneath which rivers flow.
13. Allah Almighty draws the attention of His servants to the fact that He knows what they conceal and what they reveal; thus, whether they hide something within themselves or disclose it, Allah knows it. Therefore, they should be careful of their actions and deeds, for nothing they conceal is hidden from their Lord.
14. How could Allah Almighty not know the secrets of men and what they reveal when it is He who created all things in this world by His wisdom, knowledge and power? His knowledge encompasses everything, both hidden and revealed.
15. Allah Almighty subjected the earth to men and made it manageable. He fixed it firmly by means of mountains, so it would not move and throw people over. He brought water out from the earth and made it run in streams and rivers for people and their cattle to drink from and to use for irrigation. He made paths on the earth, so travel where you will across the earth, O men, looking for sustenance and trade. Eat what He has sent forth from it as sustenance. To Allah return all matters and to Him return all creatures to be judged on Judgement Day. All creatures strive to look for sustenance according to the efforts necessary for it. However, their endeavour alone is not enough and will be of no benefit unless Allah makes it easy for them. The struggle for sustenance does not invalidate the reliance on Allah.
17. Or do you feel secure that your Lord will not send a violent wind carrying pebbles to destroy you as He destroyed the people of Lot? Then you will know how the punishment which He warned you of, will be. But your knowledge will be of no benefit to you on that Day.
18. Previous nations treated the messengers whom Allah sent to them to warn them as liars. So how was Allah’s disapproval of their disbelief and how was His punishment?
19. Do those deniers ignore Allah’s power to create and resurrect? Do they not observe the birds which fly in the sky above them, spreading their wings at times while they are flying and folding them at others? None can keep them from falling to the ground but Allah, their Creator, who inspired them how to fly. Allah Almighty watches over His creatures and He knows what is appropriate for the state of each of them and therefore facilitates it.
20. Who is there to help you drive the punishment and harm away from you if Allah chooses to inflict it on you? The unbelievers who think that the statues and idols they worship instead of Allah are capable of saving them from disaster and misfortune, are truly arrogant in their delusion. Satan has lured them and deceived them with false hopes. For Allah alone is the One who can protect them with His care and mercy. If Allah were to punish people for their injustice, He would leave no one on the face of this earth.
21. If Allah detained His provisions (such as withholding rain, or drying up the streams and rivers) who could provide you with sustenance? The unbelievers know this reality and they know that there is no one who could provide sustenance but Allah Almighty. In spite of that, they worship others. This is merely insolence and obstinacy and a hatred of accepting the truth and submitting to it.
(22) – [Tafsir not available in the source document for this verse; to be added.]
Surah Al-Mulk: Verse 22
22. This is an example that Allah Almighty gives for both the believers and unbelievers. The unbeliever is like one who walks bent over, stumbling on the way, and falling on his face at each step due to the ruggedness of the road. He does not know where to go. On the other hand, the believer is like one who walks tall and straight. He knows his way for he is guided. He who stumbles and falls on his face as he walks and he who walks straight are not alike. Neither is the believer who is guided by his Lord like the unbeliever who has strayed from the right path.
23. Tell them: “Your Lord has created you from nothing. He gave you the faculties of hearing so that you can hear the admonitions; of sight so that you can see the wonders of Allah’s creation; and of understanding so that you can contemplate the creation of your Lord in this universe. But you do not use these faculties as Allah meant you to and, therefore, you do not know their value or the extent of their benefit, and you do not thank Allah enough for them.”
24. Tell them as you draw their attention to their faults: “It was your Lord who created you and scattered you over the earth and made nations and tribes of you. Then, when your appointed time comes, He will cause you to die. He will then resurrect you and gather you all to Him on Judgement Day for the account and retribution.”
25. Those criminal unbelievers ask sarcastically: “When will the promised collapse of the earth and the violent winds with pebbles take place in this life here below? And when will the resurrection, judgement and punishment take place in the Hereafter if you are truthful in what you say?
(26) – [Tafsir not available in the source document for this verse; to be added.]
Surah Al-Mulk: Verse 26
26. Answer them and say: “No one knows the exact time except Allah. He has commanded me to tell you that it will surely happen, so beware! My duty is only to inform and exhort you and I have fulfilled my assignment.”
27. When the Hour is established, Allah will resurrect all His creatures for judgement and recompense. The unbelievers will then see the punishment and will know that it was close at hand. For all that is coming is always close at hand. They will be distressed, and their faces will be gloomy and become black. This is because their Lord’s command has been fulfilled although they had not expected it. They will be told reproachfully: “This is the punishment that you sarcastically used to hasten in life, and now it has caught up with you with all its terrors.”
28. O Mohammad! Tell those polytheists who repudiate His blessings and favours: “Tell me how you will benefit from my death? Whether Allah causes me and those with me to die or whether He delays our appointed time, what good will that do you? Who will deliver you from His punishment when it descends upon you? Do you think that the idols which you worshipped are capable of protecting you or saving you from the torture in Hellfire? They will do you no good. For the only one who can protect and save you is Allah Alone, without associates. Therefore, worship Him and believe in His Books, His messengers, the resurrection and judgement.”
29. Tell them: “I and those with me believe in our Lord, the All-Merciful, the Compassionate. We rely on Him in all our affairs. Soon you will know who among us all has erred and who has been guided. You will also know who on Judgement Day will be destroyed and who will be delivered.”
30. Tell them: “If all the water were lost in the earth and you could not reach it, who then can supply you with clear flowing water to drink from? None but Allah can do that. Therefore you must believe in Him Alone without associates, devote yourselves to His worship and abandon the worship of equals and associates.”
Tafsir by Dr. Assaad Homad (1917–2011), Syrian scholar and jurist, author of Aysar al-Tafaseer, an accessible interpretation of the Quran reviewed by Sheikh Muhammad Mutwally Al-Shaarawi and certified by the Ministries of Awqaf in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. English translation by the Homad family. Read more about the author and this tafsir →
Source: This series of Tafsir books has been made available online by the family of Dr. Assaad Homad (may Allah have mercy on him). These volumes were entirely digitized to provide an accessible and easy format for todays digital age. Please keep Dr. Assaad and his family in your sincere prayers.
تم إتاحة هذه السلسلة من كتب التفسير عبر الإنترنت من قبل عائلة الدكتور أسعد حومد (رحمه الله). لقد قمنا برقمنة هذه المجلدات بالكامل لتوفير تنسيق يسهل الوصول إليه واستخدامه في عصرنا الرقمي الحالي. نرجو منكم ألا تنسوا الدكتور أسعد وعائلته من صالح دعائكم.