Verses 11–22
67. Al-Mulk · The Sovereignty
Makkan30 verses
فَٱعْتَرَفُوا۟ بِذَنۢبِهِمْ فَسُحْقًۭا لِّأَصْحَٰبِ ٱلسَّعِيرِ
67:11Thus they will admit their sin. So away with the inmates of the Blaze!1
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُم بِٱلْغَيْبِ لَهُم مَّغْفِرَةٌۭ وَأَجْرٌۭ كَبِيرٌۭ
67:12Indeed for those who fear their Lord in secret there will be forgiveness and a great reward.2
وَأَسِرُّوا۟ قَوْلَكُمْ أَوِ ٱجْهَرُوا۟ بِهِۦٓ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ عَلِيمٌۢ بِذَاتِ ٱلصُّدُورِ
67:13Speak secretly, or do so openly, indeed He knows well what is in the breasts.3
أَلَا يَعْلَمُ مَنْ خَلَقَ وَهُوَ ٱللَّطِيفُ ٱلْخَبِيرُ
67:14Would He who has created not know? And He is the All-attentive, the All-aware.
هُوَ ٱلَّذِى جَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلْأَرْضَ ذَلُولًۭا فَٱمْشُوا۟ فِى مَنَاكِبِهَا وَكُلُوا۟ مِن رِّزْقِهِۦ ۖ وَإِلَيْهِ ٱلنُّشُورُ
67:15It is He who made the earth tractable for you; so walk on its flanks and eat of His provision, and towards Him is the resurrection.456
ءَأَمِنتُم مَّن فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ أَن يَخْسِفَ بِكُمُ ٱلْأَرْضَ فَإِذَا هِىَ تَمُورُ
67:16Are you secure that He who is in the sky will not make the earth swallow you while it quakes?78
أَمْ أَمِنتُم مَّن فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ أَن يُرْسِلَ عَلَيْكُمْ حَاصِبًۭا ۖ فَسَتَعْلَمُونَ كَيْفَ نَذِيرِ
67:17Are you secure that He who is in the sky will not unleash upon you a rain of stones? Soon you will know how My warning has been!9
وَلَقَدْ كَذَّبَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ فَكَيْفَ كَانَ نَكِيرِ
67:18Certainly those who were before them had impugned [My apostles]; but then how was My rebuttal!
أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا۟ إِلَى ٱلطَّيْرِ فَوْقَهُمْ صَٰٓفَّٰتٍۢ وَيَقْبِضْنَ ۚ مَا يُمْسِكُهُنَّ إِلَّا ٱلرَّحْمَٰنُ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍۭ بَصِيرٌ
67:19Have they not regarded the birds above them spreading and closing their wings? No one sustains them except the All-beneficent. Indeed, He watches all things.10
أَمَّنْ هَٰذَا ٱلَّذِى هُوَ جُندٌۭ لَّكُمْ يَنصُرُكُم مِّن دُونِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ۚ إِنِ ٱلْكَٰفِرُونَ إِلَّا فِى غُرُورٍ
67:20Who is it that is your host who may help you, besides the All-beneficent? The faithless only dwell in delusion.11
أَمَّنْ هَٰذَا ٱلَّذِى يَرْزُقُكُمْ إِنْ أَمْسَكَ رِزْقَهُۥ ۚ بَل لَّجُّوا۟ فِى عُتُوٍّۢ وَنُفُورٍ
67:21Who is it that may provide for you if He withholds His provision? Indeed, they persist in defiance and aversion.121314
أَفَمَن يَمْشِى مُكِبًّا عَلَىٰ وَجْهِهِۦٓ أَهْدَىٰٓ أَمَّن يَمْشِى سَوِيًّا عَلَىٰ صِرَٰطٍۢ مُّسْتَقِيمٍۢ
67:22Is he who walks prone on his face better guided, or he who walks upright on a straight path?15
Tafsir
Commentary on this passage
Verse 15
1.Man apparently thinks that the earth is stationary and he is moving on its surface. However both these things are against facts, the earth is moving and it is round in shape, therefore man is not walking on its surface, rather he walking on its edges. Because in the spherical thing there is no levelled surface. it has only sides, vicinity and edges. Which on the basis of its expanse man considers it to be straight surface. The Quran by comparing the earth to the animal who can be tamed, has drawn the attention towards its movement and by giving the command to walk on its edges has indicated about its being of the shape of a vessel. And this is the masterpieces of its eloquence that both a learned man and an ignorant can benefit equally.
Verse 19
2.This is for drawing the attention towards this subtle point that what is the support that keeps the heavenly bodies in space? On land one can imagine that there is provision to stand and one can stand on it. But in the atmosphere this is also is not present. Then what is the secret of this stability. Hundreds of years before the discovery of the gravitational force the Quran has drawn the attention of man towards this subtle point and invited him to ponder, think and observe that there exists someone who is endowed with the marvel wonder that whole universe is thus sustained. Otherwise if this gravitation force had not have been there, the whole of the universe would have dispersed and scattered and there would have been no chance of its existence.
Footnotes
Explanations of words and phrases in these verses
- 1
Sohoq - Distance from divine mercy.
- 2
Khashiyat - The fear that goes deep into the heart which finds expression in deeds and character. The fear of lack of recognition is not deserving of being called Khashiyat.
- 3
Israr- To speak in a secret manner which was the particular habit of polytheists. They used to conspire secretly against the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) so that no one learns of it.
- 4
Zalool - soft, steady and obedient.
- 5
Manakib - Plural of Mankab - Shoulders and sides.
- 6
Nushoor - To be made alive again.
- 7
Man fissanaa implies the Being of Allah which is not living in Heaven with regard to place, but its control is existing there also.
- 8
Moor - Coming and going, movement and restlessness. Haasib - Wind carrying stones.
- 9
Nakeer - Terrible chastisement.
- 10
Saaffaat - The birds that fly by spreading out their wings.
- 11
Ghuroor - Satanic deceit.
- 12
Lajjoo - Lajaaj is to enter into a prohibited area in spite of prevention.
- 13
Utoo - Pride and arrogance.
- 14
Nufoor - Being fed up with truth.
- 15
Mukeb - One who falls on this face.
Benefit: The 15th ayat is proof that man depends upon his intellect and insight. And this is the reason that Islam has given such emphasis to reason. And the first chapter of Usoole Kafi is called the chapter oflntellect and there are details therein that when Adam (a.s.) chose intellect, sight and life both were bestowed on him. Because the three of them cannot remain in exclusion of others.
Benefit
Zalool - Softness of earth implies that it is best in itself and in its distance from the sun most beneficial for human beings. But the command of “Mahee” (toil) shows that hard work is necessary to get benefit from it.