Blog

Surah Al Mulk In Arabic

Surah Al Mulk In English

Bismillaahir Rahmaanir Raheem

1. Tabaarakal lazee biyadihil mulku wa huwa ‘alaa kulli shai-in qadeer
2. Allazee khalaqal mawta walhayaata liyabluwakum ayyukum ahsanu ‘amalaa; wa huwal ‘azeezul ghafoor
3. Allazee khalaqa sab’a samaawaatin tibaaqam maa taraa fee khalqir rahmaani min tafaawut farji’il basara hal taraa min futoor
4. Summar ji’il basara karrataini yanqalib ilaikal basaru khaasi’anw wa huwa haseer
5. Wa laqad zaiyannas samaaa’ad dunyaa bimasaa beeha wa ja’alnaahaa rujoomal lish shayaateeni wa a’tadnaa lahum ‘azaabas sa’eer
6. Wa lillazeena kafaroo bi rabbihim ‘azaabu jahannama wa bi’sal maseer
7. Izaaa ulqoo feehaa sami’oo lahaa shaheeqanw wa hiya tafoor
8. Takaadu tamayyazu minal ghaizz kullamaaa ulqiya feehaa fawjun sa alahum khazanatuhaaa alam ya’tikum nazeer
9. Qaaloo balaa qad jaaa’anaa nazeerun fakazzabnaa wa qulnaa maa nazzalal laahu min shai in in antum illaa fee dalaalin kabeer
10. Wa qaaloo law kunnaa nasma’u awna’qilu maa kunnaa feee as haabis sa’eer
11. Fa’tarafoo bizambihim fasuhqal li as haabis sa’eer
12. Innal lazeena yakhshawna rabbahum bilghaibi lahum maghfiratunw wa ajrun kabeer
13. Wa asirroo qawlakum awijharoo bih; innahoo ‘aleemum bizaatis sudoor
14. Alaa ya’lamu man khalaqa wa huwal lateeful khabeer
15. Huwal lazee ja’ala lakumul arda zaloolan famshoo fee manaakibihaa wa kuloo mir rizqih; wa ilaihin nushoor
16. ‘A-amintum man fissamaaa’i aiyakhsifa bi kumul arda fa izaa hiya tamoor
17. Am amintum man fissamaaa’i ai yursila ‘alaikum haasiban fasata’lamoona kaifa nazeer
18. Wa laqad kazzabal lazeena min qablihim fakaifa kaana nakeer
19. Awalam yaraw ilat tairi fawqahum saaaffaatinw wa yaqbidn; maa yumsikuhunna il’lar rahmaan; innahoo bikulli shai in baseer
20. Amman haazal lazee huwa jundul lakum yansurukum min doonir rahmaan; inilkaafiroona illaa fee ghuroor
21. Amman haazal lazee yarzuqukum in amsaka rizqah; bal lajjoo fee ‘utuwwinw wa nufoor
22. Afamai yamshee mukibban ‘alaa wajhihee ahdaaa ammany yamshee sawiyyan ‘alaa siratim mustaqeem
23. Qul huwal lazee ansha akum wa ja’ala lakumus sam’a wal absaara wal af’idata qaleelam maa tashkuroon
24. Qul huwal lazee zara akum fil ardi wa ilaihi tuhsharoon
25. Wa yaqooloona mataa haazal wa’du in kuntum saadiqeen
26. Qul innamal ‘ilmu ‘indallaahi wa innamaaa ana nazeerum mubeen
27. Falaammaa ra-awhu zulfatan seee’at wujoohul lazeena kafaroo wa qeela haazal lazee kuntum bihee tadda’oon
28. Qul ara’aytum in ahlaka niyal laahu wa mam ma’iya aw rahimanaa famai-yujeerul kaafireena min ‘azaabin aleem
29. Qul huwar rahmaanu aamannaa bihee wa ‘alaihi tawakkalnaa fasata’lamoona man huwa fee dalaalim mubeen
30. Qul ara’aytum in asbaha maaa’ukum ghawran famai ya’teekum bimaaa’im ma’een

Translation

With the name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Very-Merciful.

1. Glorious is the One in whose hand is the Kingdom (of the whole universe) , and He is powerful over every thing,
2. the One who created death and life, so that He may test you as to which of you is better in his deeds. And He is the All-Mighty, the Most-Forgiving,
3. who has created seven skies, one over the other. You will see nothing out of proportion in the creation of the RaHman (the All-Merciful Allah) . So, cast your eye again. Do you see any rifts?
4. Then cast your eye again and again, and the eye will come back to you abased, in a state of weariness.
5. And We have decorated the nearest sky with lamps, and have made them devices to stone the devils, and We have prepared for them the punishment of Hell.
6. And for those who disbelieved in their Lord, there is the punishment of Jahannam , and it is an evil end.
7. When they will be thrown in it, they will hear a terrible sound from it, and it will be boiling,
8. seeming as if it will burst out of fury. Whenever a group is thrown into it, its keepers will say to them, :Had no warner come to you?
9. They will say, :Yes, a warner had come to us, but We had rejected, and said, _Allah has not revealed anything. You are only in great error.‘
10. And they will say, :Had we been listening or understanding, we would not have been among the people of the Hell.
11. Thus they will confess their sin. So, away with the people of the Hell!
12. Surely, for those who have awe of their Lord without seeing (Him) , there is forgiveness and a big reward.
13. Whether you keep your talk secret or make it aloud, He knows well what lies in the hearts.
14. Is it (imaginable) that He who has created (them) will not have (such a) knowledge, while He is the Knower of the finest things, the All-Aware?
15. He is the One who has made the earth subjugated for you, so walk on its shoulders, and eat out of His provision, and to Him is the Resurrection.
16. Have you become fearless of Him who is in the sky if He makes you sink into the earth, and it starts trembling at once?
17. Or, have you become fearless of Him who is in the sky if He looses a violent wind with stones against you? So, you will soon come to know how was My warning!
18. And of course, those before them (also) rejected (the truth) . So, how was My censure?
19. Have they not looked to the birds above them spreading their wings, and (at times) they fold (them) in? No one holds them up except the RaHman (the All-Merciful Allah) . Surely He is watchful of every thing.
20. Now, who is there to act as a force for you to help you, except the RaHman ? The disbelievers are in nothing but delusion.
21. Or, who is there to give you sustenance, if He withholds His sustenance? Still, they persist in rebellion and aversion.
22. Then, is the one who walks falling down (frequently) on his face more right or the one who walks properly on a straight path?
23. Say, :He is the One who has originated you, and made for you ears and eyes and hearts. How little you pay gratitude!
24. Say, :He is the One who has scattered you on the earth, and to Him you will be assembled.
25. And they say, :When will this promise (of the Day of Judgment) be fulfilled, if you are true?
26. Say, :The knowledge (of that Day) is only with Allah, and I am only a plain warner.
27. Then, once they will see it approaching, the faces of the disbelievers will be turned awkward, and it will be said, :This is what you were calling for!
28. Say, :Tell me, if Allah destroys me and those who are with me (as you wish) , or has mercy on us (as we wish) , who can (in either case) save the disbelievers from a painful punishment?
29. Say, :He is the RaHman; we have believed in Him, and in Him we placed our trust. So, you will soon come to know who is in open error.
30. Say, :Tell me, Should your water vanish into the earth, who will bring you a flowing (stream of) water?

The Virtues of Surah Al-Mulk

Prophetic Tradition has named this Surah as Waqiyah (protector) and Munjiyah (saviour) as well. In a Tradition, the Holy Prophet (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) is reported to have said:

“It [ the Surah ] is the protector and saviour which will rescue and redeem him who recites it from the torment of the grave.” [ Transmitted by Tirmidhi who has graded it as ‘liasan, gharib’ as quoted by Qurtubl ]

Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas (رض) reports that the Messenger of Allah (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) said:

“It is my heart’s desire that Surah Al-Mulk be in every believer’s heart.” [ Tha` labi ]

Sayyidna Abu Hurairah (رض) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) has said:

“Verily, there is a Surah in the Book of Allah (Qur’an) containing thirty verses that will intercede on behalf of him who recites it until he is rescued from Hell and admitted to Paradise; and it is Surah Tabarak.” [ Qurtubi cites it from Tirmidhi ].

In short, the basic subject of the Surah is to prove the existence of Allah and His perfect knowledge and power by inviting consideration to the marvels of this universe. However, as a subsidiary subject, some other realities are also mentioned like punishment for unbelievers and reward for believers.

The Reality of Life and Death

Out of the human conditions, only two phenomena, i.e. life and death are mentioned here, because they cover all of human conditions and actions of his entire life. The creation of ‘life’ is quite obvious, because life is a positive reality that can be the object of creation and bringing into existence.

However, one may ask how ‘death’ can be ‘created’, while it is a negative concept that refers to a state of non-existence. In answer to this question, the leading commentators have come up with different explanations.

The most plausible one is that ‘death’ is not a state of pure non-existence. It actually refers to the removal of soul from the body and its transfer from one place to another. Thus it is a positive phenomenon. Just as ‘life’ is a phenomenon that relates to a human body, ‘death’ too is a phenomenon that overtakes him.

Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn ` Abbas (رض) and other leading commentators have mentioned that ‘life’ and ‘death’ are two corporal entities. ‘Death’ has the corporal shape of a ram, and ‘life’ that of a mare.

This statement apparently interprets the authentic Tradition which states that when the inmates of Paradise will have entered Paradise, and the inmates of Hell will have entered Hell, death will be brought in the form of a ram and will be slaughtered near Sirat (the Bridge) and it will be announced that there shall be no more death, and every one shall remain in the same state eternally as he or she will have attained. It may not necessarily be deduced from this Tradition that ‘death’ is a corporal entity in the mortal world also.

There are many abstract conditions and actions in this world, which will assume concrete shapes and bodies in the Hereafter. This is verified by many authentic Traditions. ‘Death’, which is a condition that overtakes man, will also assume the shape of a concretised ram and will be slaughtered. [Qurtubi]

Various Categories of Death and Life

It is stated in Tafsir Mazhari that Allah, with His Supreme Power and Consummate Wisdom, has divided His creation into different types. Each one is awarded ‘life’ befitting its type. The perfect and consummate life is awarded to man, which has been invested with the capability to recognise the Divine Being and His Attributes to a specific degree. It is on the basis of this recognition that he is made liable to carry out the sacred laws of Shari` ah, which has been termed by the Qur’an as a ‘trust’. The heavens, the earth and the mountains feared to bear the burden of this trust but man, on account of his God-given capability, bore it. The antonym of this type of ‘life’ is the particular type of ‘death’, which is mentioned in the verse:

‘Could it be that the one who was dead and We gave him life. [ 6:122] ‘

In this verse, a non-believer is referred to as ‘dead’ and a believer as ‘alive’, because a non-believer has wasted his ‘recognition of Allah’ that was the essential characteristic of this type of life. In other types or species of creation, this quality of life is absent, but they do possess senses and capability of movement, which is the second category of life. The antonym of this degree of life is the ‘death’ referred to by the Qur’an thus:

‘…you were lifeless and He gave you life, then He will make you die, then make you live again. [ 2:28]

In this context, ‘life’ refers to the ability to sense and move, and ‘death’ refers to its cessation. Some of the existent entities do not even possess the ability of sensing and movement. They merely possess the capability of growth as in the case of trees and vegetables. ‘Life’ is attributed to them as well in a limited sense (of growing), and as opposed to this, their ‘death’ is to lose the ability to grow. In this sense, the Holy Qur’an has used the words ‘life’ and ‘death’ in the following verse:

‘…how He brings the dead earth back to life. [ 30:50] ‘.

These degrees of life are confined to humankind, the animal kingdom and the vegetable kingdom. No other species of creation possesses these qualities of life. Therefore, idols made of stones are referred to in the Qur’an as

‘- dead, having no life_[ 16:21]

Nevertheless, inorganic matters too have a special (though very limited) element of ‘life’, which is necessary to the concept of existence. It is due to this element of ‘life’ that the Holy Qur’an says:

‘…And there is not a single thing that does not extol His purity and praise. [ 17:44]

This analysis also explains why ‘death’ in the above verse has been mentioned before ‘life’. The reason seems to be that death or non-existence is the state that comes before life. In other words, everything that came into existence was the beginning in a state of lifelessness or non-existence, then it was awarded life.

Another explanation of mentioning ‘death’ before ‘life’ could be that the verse itself has declared that the purpose of creating human death and life is ‘test’,

‘…so that He may test you as to which of you is better in deeds. [ 2]

This test is more important and is of greater significance in ‘death’ rather than in ‘life’, because the one who thinks of death constantly will have the tendency to do more and more righteous deeds. No doubt, the element of test is available in ‘life’ too, because every step of one’s life reminds him of his own inability and powerlessness as against Allah’s absolute power, which creates in him the tendency to act righteously. The thought of death, however, is most effective in correcting one’s conduct. Sayyidna ` Ammar Ibn Yasir reports a Prophetic Hadith which says:

“Death is sufficient as a preacher, and certitude is sufficient as a cause of being free from needs.” [ Transmitted by Shu’abul Iman Baihaqi: 10072 ]

This signifies that witnessing the death of friends and relatives is the most effective preacher. If that does not exert any influence on one, nothing else will. And he whom Allah has granted the wealth of faith and certitude is the most need-free person.

Sayyidna Rabi` Ibn Anas (رض) has stated that the thought of ‘death’ makes man disgusted with this world and makes him inclined towards the Hereafter.

لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا (…so that He may test you as to which of you is better in deeds…. 67:2). It should be noted here that Allah did not say ‘which of you does more deeds’, but said ‘which of you is better in deeds’. This indicates that it is not the quantity of actions that counts, but rather the quality of actions, that is, their being righteous and acceptable in the sight of Allah. That is why man’s actions will not be counted on the Day of Judgment, but they will be weighed. In some instances, the weight of one action would be heavier than a thousand actions.

What is a Good Action?

Sayyidna Ibn ` Umar (رض) said that once the Holy Prophet (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ) recited verse [ 2] and when he reached the words “better in deeds”, he stopped and explained that ‘better in deeds’ is the person who abstains most from the things Allah has forbidden and is always ready to obey Him. [ Qurtubi ]

Specifying ears, eyes and Heart

Of all the human sense organs, only three are mentioned here on which depends knowledge and perception of the external world. Philosophers have identified five sources of knowledge and perception that are called ‘five senses’: to see, hear, smell, taste or feel something. Allah has equipped man with ‘nose’ to smell, with ‘tongue’ to taste, with ‘ears’ to hear and with ‘eyes’ to see; Allah has spread ‘skin’ throughout man’s body to feel.

But out of the five physical senses, only two have been mentioned, namely, ears and eyes, because man receives a very limited range of knowledge by smelling, tasting and feeling. Man depends for information largely on hearing and seeing. Of the two organs, his sense of hearing is mentioned first, because a careful analysis shows that most of the information gathered in human life is through hearing, not so much by seeing.

The third organ mentioned specifically is the ‘heart’, because that is the centre of knowledge. Knowledge received through hearing and seeing depends on the human ‘heart’, unlike the theory of the philosophers and scientists who believe that the centre of knowledge is the human ‘brain’.

After this, the non-believers are threatened with punishment. Towards the end of the Surah, a statement is once again repeated to remind them which purports to say: ‘0 you who live on the earth, dig wells and drink water from it to quench your thirst and grow plants and vegetation, do not forget that none of these things is your personal property.

They are a Divine gift. He sent down water, and loaded it in the form of ice and reserved it on the peaks of mountains, so that it may not putrefy. Then He caused the congealed water to melt gradually and allow it to seep or soak into the earth through the pores or small interstices of the mountains and allowed a network of melted water to spread throughout the earth without any pipeline. Whenever man requires, he could dig a few meters deep into the earth from its upper surface to obtain water. This is a Divine gift. If He wills, He could send the water down into the depths of the earth, and it would not be accessible to anyone.