Reflections on the Name of Allah: Al-Malik (The Eternal Lord)
Table of Contents
- The Definition of Al-Mulk (Ownership)
- Real vs. Metaphoric Ownership
- The Perfection of Divine Authority
- Possessing the Hearts of Worshippers
- The Divine Power to Give and to Perish
- The Wisdom Behind Testing and Generations
- Divine Disposal of the Universe
- Bringing the Living out of the Dead
- Shaqeeq Al-Balkhi and the Lesson of Repentance
The Definition of Al-Mulk (Ownership)
In Arabic the word "Mulk" means "the ability to deal with things limitlessly," and hence, Allah (The Almighty)'s Beautiful Name "The King" is derived from His Divine Character, but it can also be derived from His Acts as the Possessor of all things. Allah (The Almighty) is the King and Owner of kings. In other words, everything that can be owned belongs to Allah (The Almighty). Some scholars say that a king is someone who rules but does not own, while an owner is someone who owns but does not rule; but Allah (The Almighty), may His Glory be glorified, is the Owner and the King. Therefore, Allah (The Almighty)'s Ownership is Supreme and Absolute.
A Bedouin who owned cattle was once asked, "Whose are the cattle?" In reply, he said, "They belong to Allah (The Almighty), but they are in my hand (i.e. I have been allowed by Allah (The Almighty), their real Owner to deal with them)." Hence, a true believer is someone who believes that his house, shop, car, expertise, and social position belong to Allah (The Almighty). Well, the very best and most specialized physician may sometimes lose his memory or even become insane because of a blood clot in his brain and is, therefore, sent to an asylum. So, who is the Owner of the Kingdom? It is, undoubtedly, Allah (The Almighty), Glory and Praise belong to Him.
Who is the Owner of our eyes with which we see things? Who is the One Who owns our ears, tongue, movement, power? Allah (The Almighty), Exalted and Sublime be He, is. True Faith necessitates that one firmly believe that everything in one's possession belongs to Allah (The Almighty), Who allows one to deal with it.
Evidence from the Quran
"He is Allah (The Almighty) than Whom there is La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He) the Al-Malik (The Eternal Lord), the Al-Quddus (The Most Sacred), the As-Salam (The Embodiment of Peace), the Al-Mu'min (The Affirmer of Truth), the Al-Muhaymin (Preserver of Safety), the Al-Aziz (The Mighty One), the Al-Jabbar (The Omnipotent One), the Al-Mutakabbir (The Dominant One). Glory be to Allah (The Almighty)! (High is He) above all that they associate as partners with Him." [Al-Hashr 59:23]
(هُوَ اللَّهُ الَّذِي لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْمَلِكُ الْقُدُّوسُ السَّلَامُ الْمُؤْمِنُ الْمُهَيْمِنُ الْعَزِيزُ الْجَبَّارُ الْمُتَكَبِّرُ ۚ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ) [الحشر 59:23]
Real vs. Metaphoric Ownership
If we say, "Someone is a king", do we mean that he is really or metaphorically a king? Scholars said, "No one can really own anything except Allah (The Almighty); and any kind of ownership other than that of Allah (The Almighty) is only metaphoric and unreal. This is because the real king is someone who is self-sufficient regarding himself.
The Real King is He, Who is Self-Sufficient in Himself and Attributes and needs nothing but all things in existence need Him for everything. In other words, He is the King by Himself, His Existence, and His Attributes. He is in need of nothing, but all things do need Him. Such is the accurate definition of "The King", and none but Allah (The Almighty) deserves it.
"Say (O Muhammad PBUH): 'O Allah (The Almighty)! Possessor of the kingdom, You give the kingdom to whom You will, and You take the kingdom from whom You will, and You endue with honour whom You will, and You humiliate whom You will. In Your Hand is the good. Verily, You do all things.'" [Aal-Imran 3:26]
(قُلِ اللَّهُمَّ مَالِكَ الْمُلْكِ تُؤْتِي الْمُلْكَ مَن تَشَاءُ وَتَنزِعُ الْمُلْكَ مِمَّن تَشَاءُ وَتُعِزُّ مَن تَشَاءُ وَتُذِلُّ مَن تَشَاءُ ۖ بِيَدِكَ الْخَيْرُ ۖ إِنَّكَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ) [آل عمران 3:26]
The Perfection of Divine Authority
Scholars of Quran interpretation said, "This is real sovereignty that never perishes, sovereignty whereby one is happy forever, i.e. to get control of one's own self and dominate over one's whims and caprices." Al-Malik (The Eternal Lord) represents the ultimate authority and perfect sovereignty over the entire universe. Unlike human rulers whose power is often flawed and limited, the authority of Al-Malik (The Eternal Lord) is absolute, boundless, and free from any imperfection.
"My Lord! You have indeed bestowed on me of the sovereignty, and taught me the interpretation of dreams; The (only) Creator of the heavens and the earth! You are my Wali (Protector, Helper, Supporter, Guardian, etc.) in this world and in the Hereafter, cause me to die as a Muslim (the one submitting to Your Will), and join me with the righteous." [Yusuf 12:101]
(رَبِّ قَدْ آتَيْتَنِي مِنَ الْمُلْكِ وَعَلَّمْتَنِي مِن تَأْوِيلِ الْأَحَادِيثِ ۚ فَاطِرَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ أَنتَ وَلِيِّي فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ ۖ تَوَفَّنِي مُسْلِمًا وَأَلْحِقْنِي بِالصَّالِحِينَ) [يوسف 12:101]
Possessing the Hearts of Worshippers
Some say that the King is He Who possesses the hearts of worshippers and makes them preoccupied with their love for Him. When someone gets to know Allah (The Almighty), Exalted and Sublime be He, he enters a state of love and becomes possessed. He becomes great after having been trivial. Hence, he enters a state of permanent anxiety (he works hard in order not to deviate from the Right Path) until he meets his Lord, wondering, "Is my Lord contented with me? Does my work appeal to Allah (The Almighty), Ar-Rahman (The Most Merciful)? Does Allah (The Almighty) love me? Is my deed sincere enough? Is there any deviation in my deeds? Is there anything or anyone I seek other than Allah (The Almighty)?"
The Divine Power to Give and to Perish
They also say that the King is He Who possesses the hearts of those who know Him and causes such hearts to burn (out of love to Him); the King is He Who, if He so desires, grants ownership, or, if He so desires, causes to perish: "Verily, (O Muhammad (PBUH)) the Grip (Punishment) of your Lord is severe." [Al-Burooj 85:12] (إِنَّ بَطْشَ رَبِّكَ لَشَدِيدٌ) [البروج 85:12]
If He gives, He amazes; and if He brings someone to account, He inquires about everything. A few years ago, Allah (The Almighty) gave us heavy rain that amazed us and produced seventy folds as much as previous years of wheat; but if rain is withheld from us, who can ever order such rain to fall down? Even if all nations, counsels or leaderships gather together, they can by no means cause rain to fall down. Moreover, if rain is withheld from us, plants, animals and humans will inevitably die. We are slaves because we cannot survive without rain: "Say (O Muhammad PBUH): 'Tell me! If (all) your water were to be sunk away, who then can supply you with flowing (spring) water?'" [Al-Mulk 67:30] (قُلْ أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِنْ أَصْبَحَ مَاؤُكُمْ غَوْرًا فَمَن يَأْتِيكُم بِمَاءٍ مَّعِينٍ) [الملك 67:30]
Allah (The Almighty) is Al-Malik (The Eternal Lord), Who, if He so desires, grants ownership and dominion, and, if He so desires, causes to perish. He is the Real King, Whom none could ever defy or dispute with. None could ever resist His Irresistible Divine Will or prevent His Judgment. He is the King, by Whose Command all stars and planets run.
"And (remember) when Musa (Moses) said to his people: 'O my people! Why do you hurt me while you know certainly that I am the Messenger of Allah (The Almighty) to you?' So when they turned away (from the Path of Allah (The Almighty)), Allah (The Almighty) turned their hearts away (from the Right Path). And Allah (The Almighty) guides not the people who are Fasiqun (rebellious, disobedient to Allah (The Almighty))." [As-Saff 61:5]
(وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوْمِهِ يَا قَوْمِ لِمَ تُؤْذُونَنِي وَقَد تَّعْلَمُونَ أَنِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ ۖ فَلَمَّا زَاغُوا أَزَاغَ اللَّهُ قُلُوبَهُمْ ۚ وَاللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْفَاسِقِينَ) [الصف 61:5]
The Wisdom Behind Testing and Generations
Who has made you the owner of your own house? It is Allah (The Almighty). Who did your house previously belong to? It belonged to someone else. How did he sell it? He needed money, so he sold it. Who has made you the new owner of such a house? It is Allah (The Almighty). As for your job, who has given it to you? It is Allah (The Almighty). Why was someone else made to leave a job, so that it became yours? It is Allah (The Almighty), by His Infinite Divine Wisdom and Judgment. This is the second connotation of Allah (The Almighty)'s Words in the above Ayah from Surat Aal-Imran, "You grant kingdom (and ownership) to whom You will" in the worldly life.
"And it is He Who has made you generations coming after generations..." [Al-An'am 6:165]
(وَهُوَ الَّذِي جَعَلَكُمْ خَلَائِفَ الْأَرْضِ وَرَفَعَ بَعْضَكُمْ فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ دَرَجَاتٍ لِّيَبْلُوَكُمْ فِي مَا آتَاكُمْ ۗ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ سَرِيعُ الْعِقَابِ وَإِنَّهُ لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ) [الأنعام 6:165]
What is the wisdom behind this? Why does Allah (The Almighty) give someone ownership and deprive someone else of it? Why does he raise someone in rank above another and make someone else inferior to another? The answer is simply: "...That He may test you which of you is best in deed." [Al-Mulk 67:2]
(الَّذِي خَلَقَ الْمَوْتَ وَالْحَيَاةَ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا ۚ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْغَفُورُ) [الملك 67:2]
Allah (The Almighty) tries you in both richness and poverty, in both good health and sickness, and in both powerfulness and weakness. If someone is rebellious and disobedient to Allah (The Almighty), what is the remedy? The answer comes from the Lord, All-Mighty: "...and certainly He is Al-Ghafoor (The Great Forgiver), Ar-Raheem (The Bestower of Mercy)" [Al-An'am 6:165]. On the other hand, if man is obedient and devoted, then let him listen to this Ayah:
"And verily, I am indeed Al-Ghaffaar (The Great Forgiver) to him who repents, believes (in My Oneness, and associates none in worship with Me) and does righteous good deeds, and then remains constant in doing them, (till his death)." [Ta-Ha 20:82]
(وَإِنِّي لَغَفَّارٌ لِّمَن تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا ثُمَّ اهْتَدَىٰ) [طه 20:82]
Divine Disposal of the Universe
"You make the night to enter into the day" [Aal-Imran 3:27]. It denotes Allah (The Almighty)'s Divine Disposal with the universe. The earth goes round the sun in an elliptical orbit. Who makes it move in its accurate orbit round the sun? Is there in the whole universe any other power that can put the earth back to orbit if it were to go away from it? If it went away from its orbit round the sun, the earth would perish and be attracted by other heavenly objects!
"Verily! Allah (The Almighty) grasps the heavens and the earth lest they move away from their places, and if they were to move away from their places, there is not one that could grasp them after Him. Truly, He is Al-Haleem (The Clement One), Al-Ghafoor (The Great Forgiver)." [Fatir 35:41]
(إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُمْسِكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ أَن تَزُولَا ۚ وَلَئِن زَالَتَا إِنْ أَمْسَكَهُمَا مِنْ أَحَدٍ مِّن بَعْدِهِ ۚ إِنَّهُ كَانَ حَلِيمًا غَفُورًا) [فاطر 35:41]
The above Quranic Ayah denotes that Allah (The Almighty) holds the heavens and the earth in their orbits. If a train goes out of its rails, can a tiny creature like a baby, an ant or a fly bring it back to its rails? "...And if they were to move away from their places, there is not one that could grasp them after Him." [Fatir 35:41]. Who has made the earth go 30 km/hour round the sun? Who has made it turn round itself 1600 km/hour. Who has made it that big? Who has made it so far away? This is one of the connotations of Allah (The Almighty)'s Divine Name Al-Malik (The Eternal Lord).
"You make the night to enter into the day, and You make the day to enter into the night (i.e. increase and decrease in the hours of the night and the day during winter and summer), You bring the living out of the dead, and You bring the dead out of the living. And You give wealth and sustenance to whom You will, without limit (measure or account)." [Aal-Imran 3:27]
(تُولِجُ اللَّيْلَ فِي النَّهَارِ وَتُولِجُ النَّهَارَ فِي اللَّيْلِ ۖ وَتُخْرِجُ الْحَيَّ مِنَ الْمَيِّتِ وَتُخْرِجُ الْمَيِّتَ مِنَ الْحَيِّ ۖ وَتَرْزُقُ مَن تَشَاءُ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ) [آل عمران 3:27]
Bringing the Living out of the Dead
The phenomenon of animal, plant, and human generation is indicated in this part of the Ayah: "...and You bring the dead out of the living." [Aal-Imran, 3:27]. An olive seed seems like a lifeless piece of wood, but a real olive tree is hidden inside it. Consider types and circles of life: a tree is dry and dead in winter, but no sooner does spring come than it is brought back to life.
One of the connotations of Allah (The Almighty)'s being Al-Malik (The Eternal Lord) is that He alternates day and night and brings the living out of the dead and the dead out of the living. Consider this Ayah please: "You bring the living out of the dead, and You bring the dead out of the living" [Aal-Imran 3: 27]. One of its meanings is that a disbeliever might give birth to a believer and vice versa.
"And Nuh (Noah) called upon his Lord and said, 'O my Lord! Verily, my son is of my family! And certainly, Your Promise is true, and You are the Most Just of the judges.' He said: 'O Nuh (Noah)! Surely, he is not of your family; verily, his work is unrighteous, so ask not of Me that of which you have no knowledge! I admonish you, lest you be one of the ignorant.'" [Hud 11:45-46]
(وَنَادَىٰ نُوحٌ رَّبَّهُ فَقَالَ رَبِّ إِنَّ ابْنِي مِنْ أَهْلِي وَإِنَّ وَعْدَكَ الْحَقُّ وَأَنتَ أَحْكَمُ الْحَاكِمِينَ قَالَ يَا نُوحُ إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ مِنْ أَهْلِكَ ۖ إِنَّهُ عَمَلٌ غَيْرُ صَالِحٍ ۖ فَلَا تَسْأَلْنِ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ ۖ إِنِّي أَعِظُكَ أَن تَكُونَ مِنَ الْجَاهِلِينَ) [هود 11:45-46]
The last item of Allah (The Almighty)'s being Al-Malik (The Eternal Lord) is: "And You give wealth and sustenance to whom You will, without limit (measure or account)." [Aal-Imran 3: 27]. He, Most Merciful, also says:
"And He is Allah (The Almighty); La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He). His is all praise, in the first (i.e. in this world) and in the last (i.e.in the Hereafter). And for Him is the Decision, and to Him shall you (all) be returned.)" [Al-Qasas, 28: 70]
(وَهُوَ اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ لَهُ الْحَمْدُ فِي الْأُولَىٰ وَالْآخِرَةِ ۖ وَلَهُ الْحُكْمُ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ) [القصص 28:70]
Shaqeeq Al-Balkhi and the Lesson of Repentance
Shaqeeq Al-Balkhi was once quoted as saying, "My repentance began when, in a year of drought and famine, I saw a boy playing joyfully while all people were deeply depressed. I reproached him angrily, 'O you there! Playing happily while others are very sad? Are you not ashamed? Do you not see how miserable people are?' The boy replied, 'Why should I be unhappy? My master owns a whole village wherein I keep all that I need?' I said to myself, 'This boy, who is enslaved by a human master, does not feel unhappy or lonely at times of distress, because his master owns a village on earth, so why should I be unhappy or feel lonely and my Master is the King of all kings?!' So I knew the truth and repented." The slave boy gave him a lesson in repentance. That is why wise people say, "Whether you plan or not, the Disposer is Allah (The Almighty)."
It has been rightly said, "He who knows that the Real King is Allah (The Almighty) rejects haughtily to humiliate himself to any other human being. It has also been said, "How come that a free person humiliates himself to slaves while he gets from the Lord of all lords?"
Frequently Asked Questions About Al-Malik (The Eternal Lord)
Q: What is the linguistic meaning of Al-Mulk?
A: In Arabic, the word "Mulk" means the ability to deal with things limitlessly. It refers to the absolute capacity of Allah (The Almighty) to dispose of His creation as the real Possessor and Ruler.
Q: How does Al-Malik (The Eternal Lord) differ from human kings?
A: A human king may rule but not own, while an owner may own but not rule. Allah (The Almighty), Al-Malik (The Eternal Lord), is both the Owner and the King, possessing a sovereignty that is supreme, absolute, and free from any defect.
Q: How many times is the name Al-Malik (The Eternal Lord) mentioned in the Quran?
A: The divine name Al-Malik (The Eternal Lord) is mentioned exactly 5 times throughout the Holy Quran.
Q: What lesson can we learn from Shaqeeq Al-Balkhi's story?
A: The story teaches that true security comes from recognizing that our Master is the King of kings. If a slave can feel secure because his human master owns a village, a believer should feel complete peace knowing Allah (The Almighty) owns the entire universe.