67: The Kingdom (Al-Mulk)
Revealed at Makkah
From here to the end of the Holy Quran there are 48 chapters all revealed during the Makkah period of the Holy Prophet’s life, except ch. 110 which was revealed near the very end of his life. All of these contain prophecies of the greatness to which Islam would rise during the time of the Holy Prophet and later into the distant future, even though these are mostly very early reve-lations. The title of this chapter is taken from the statement in the first verse that The Kingdom is in Allah’s hand, meaning that the prophesied Kingdom of God was now about to be established on earth. The chapter then draws attention to the working of laws in the physical world, from which it is inferred that there is a law relating to good and evil working in the spiritual world. The second half of the chapter speaks of the doom that awaits those who disbelieve due to their ungratefulness to God.
Section 1 (Verses 67:1–67:14): The Kingdom of God
67:1
تَبٰرَکَ الَّذِیۡ بِیَدِہِ الۡمُلۡکُ ۫ وَ ہُوَ عَلٰی کُلِّ شَیۡءٍ قَدِیۡرُۨ ۙ﴿۱﴾
Blessed is He in Whose hand is the Kingdom, and He is Powerful over all things,
The short chapters revealed at Makkah, which are no doubt generally among the earliest revelations of the Holy Prophet, often speak most forcibly of the greatness and glory of Allah. The statement here refers prophetically to the kingdom of Islam, which was really the kingdom of God.
67:2
الَّذِیۡ خَلَقَ الۡمَوۡتَ وَ الۡحَیٰوۃَ لِیَبۡلُوَکُمۡ اَیُّکُمۡ اَحۡسَنُ عَمَلًا ؕ وَ ہُوَ الۡعَزِیۡزُ الۡغَفُوۡرُ ۙ﴿۲﴾
Who created death and life that He might try you (as to) which of you is best in deeds. And He is the Mighty, the Forgiving,
The law of life and death or growth and decay works throughout nature, but in case of man death does not end his life, but is really the starting-point for a new life of spiritual progress. Life to him below is a trial, i.e., a means of bringing to light his hidden qualifications for the performance of good. There is also the life and death of nations. Nations that work evil are swept away, and others are raised in their place that they may do good.
67:3
الَّذِیۡ خَلَقَ سَبۡعَ سَمٰوٰتٍ طِبَاقًا ؕ مَا تَرٰی فِیۡ خَلۡقِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ مِنۡ تَفٰوُتٍ ؕ فَارۡجِعِ الۡبَصَرَ ۙ ہَلۡ تَرٰی مِنۡ فُطُوۡرٍ ﴿۳﴾
Who created the seven heavens alike. You see no anomaly in the creation of the Beneficent. Then look again: Can you see any disorder?
Alike (ṭibāq) here means conforming or corresponding to one another. This significance suits the context, for the verse goes on to describe the uniformity prevailing in nature.
67:4
ثُمَّ ارۡجِعِ الۡبَصَرَ کَرَّتَیۡنِ یَنۡقَلِبۡ اِلَیۡکَ الۡبَصَرُ خَاسِئًا وَّ ہُوَ حَسِیۡرٌ ﴿۴﴾
Then look again and again — your sight will return to you confused, while it is fatigued.
67:5
وَ لَقَدۡ زَیَّنَّا السَّمَآءَ الدُّنۡیَا بِمَصَابِیۡحَ وَ جَعَلۡنٰہَا رُجُوۡمًا لِّلشَّیٰطِیۡنِ وَ اَعۡتَدۡنَا لَہُمۡ عَذَابَ السَّعِیۡرِ ﴿۵﴾
And certainly We have adorned this lower heaven with lamps and We make them means of conjectures for the devils, and We have prepared for them the punishment of burning.
The lamps with which the lower heaven is lighted, i.e., the stars, are made the means of conjectures regarding the future by the astrologers. The word rujūm is the plural of rajm which, according to many early authorities, is used to signify conjectures and surmises. Thus the astrologers, who deceived people by telling them many things which they posed as having learned from the stars, are referred to here as the devils making conjectures.
67:6
وَ لِلَّذِیۡنَ کَفَرُوۡا بِرَبِّہِمۡ عَذَابُ جَہَنَّمَ ؕ وَ بِئۡسَ الۡمَصِیۡرُ ﴿۶﴾
And for those who disbelieve in their Lord is the punishment of hell, and evil is the destination.
67:7
اِذَاۤ اُلۡقُوۡا فِیۡہَا سَمِعُوۡا لَہَا شَہِیۡقًا وَّ ہِیَ تَفُوۡرُ ۙ﴿۷﴾
When they are cast into it, they will hear a loud moaning of it as it heaves,
67:8
تَکَادُ تَمَیَّزُ مِنَ الۡغَیۡظِ ؕ کُلَّمَاۤ اُلۡقِیَ فِیۡہَا فَوۡجٌ سَاَلَہُمۡ خَزَنَتُہَاۤ اَلَمۡ یَاۡتِکُمۡ نَذِیۡرٌ ﴿۸﴾
almost bursting for fury. Whenever a group is cast into it, its keepers ask them: Did not a warner come to you?
67:9
قَالُوۡا بَلٰی قَدۡ جَآءَنَا نَذِیۡرٌ ۬ۙ فَکَذَّبۡنَا وَ قُلۡنَا مَا نَزَّلَ اللّٰہُ مِنۡ شَیۡءٍ ۚۖ اِنۡ اَنۡتُمۡ اِلَّا فِیۡ ضَلٰلٍ کَبِیۡرٍ ﴿۹﴾
They say: Yes, indeed a warner came to us, but we denied and said: Allah has revealed nothing; you are only in great error.
67:10
وَ قَالُوۡا لَوۡ کُنَّا نَسۡمَعُ اَوۡ نَعۡقِلُ مَا کُنَّا فِیۡۤ اَصۡحٰبِ السَّعِیۡرِ ﴿۱۰﴾
And they say: If only we had listened or pondered, we should not have been among the inmates of the burning Fire.
67:11
فَاعۡتَرَفُوۡا بِذَنۡۢبِہِمۡ ۚ فَسُحۡقًا لِّاَصۡحٰبِ السَّعِیۡرِ ﴿۱۱﴾
Thus they will confess their sins; so far (from good) are the inmates of the burning Fire.
67:12
اِنَّ الَّذِیۡنَ یَخۡشَوۡنَ رَبَّہُمۡ بِالۡغَیۡبِ لَہُمۡ مَّغۡفِرَۃٌ وَّ اَجۡرٌ کَبِیۡرٌ ﴿۱۲﴾
Those who fear their Lord in secret, for them is surely forgiveness and a great reward.
67:13
وَ اَسِرُّوۡا قَوۡلَکُمۡ اَوِ اجۡہَرُوۡا بِہٖ ؕ اِنَّہٗ عَلِیۡمٌۢ بِذَاتِ الصُّدُوۡرِ ﴿۱۳﴾
And (whether you) conceal your word or speak it openly, truly He is Knower of what is in the hearts.
67:14
اَلَا یَعۡلَمُ مَنۡ خَلَقَ ؕ وَ ہُوَ اللَّطِیۡفُ الۡخَبِیۡرُ ﴿٪۱۴﴾
Does He, Who created, not know? And He is the Knower of subtleties, the Aware.
Section 2 (Verses 67:15–67:30): The Disbelievers’ Doom
67:15
ہُوَ الَّذِیۡ جَعَلَ لَکُمُ الۡاَرۡضَ ذَلُوۡلًا فَامۡشُوۡا فِیۡ مَنَاکِبِہَا وَ کُلُوۡا مِنۡ رِّزۡقِہٖ ؕ وَ اِلَیۡہِ النُّشُوۡرُ ﴿۱۵﴾
He it is Who made the earth subservient to you, so go about in its spacious sides, and eat from His sustenance. And to Him is the rising (after death).
67:16
ءَاَمِنۡتُمۡ مَّنۡ فِی السَّمَآءِ اَنۡ یَّخۡسِفَ بِکُمُ الۡاَرۡضَ فَاِذَا ہِیَ تَمُوۡرُ ﴿ۙ۱۶﴾
Do you feel secure that He Who is in the heaven will not make the earth to swallow you up? Then lo! it will shake.
God is spoken of here as being in heaven; elsewhere He is spoken of as being in heaven and earth alike (43:84); and again He is spoken of as being “with you wherever you are” (57:4). The one thing certain is that God is not in one particular place to the exclusion of other places. Punishment sent by God is often described as coming from heaven, and thus He is spoken of here as being in heaven, or above all, so that none can avert the punishment sent by Him.
67:17
اَمۡ اَمِنۡتُمۡ مَّنۡ فِی السَّمَآءِ اَنۡ یُّرۡسِلَ عَلَیۡکُمۡ حَاصِبًا ؕ فَسَتَعۡلَمُوۡنَ کَیۡفَ نَذِیۡرِ ﴿۱۷﴾
Or do you feel secure that He Who is in the heaven will not send on you a violent wind? Then shall you know how (truthful) was My warning!
In the well-known Battle of the Allies in 4 A.H., when an army of twenty thousand was besieging Madinah and the Muslims were almost helpless against this mighty force, it was a violent wind which put all the armies to flight; see 33:9.
67:18
وَ لَقَدۡ کَذَّبَ الَّذِیۡنَ مِنۡ قَبۡلِہِمۡ فَکَیۡفَ کَانَ نَکِیۡرِ ﴿۱۸﴾
And certainly those before them denied, then how (terrible) was My disapproval!
67:19
اَوَ لَمۡ یَرَوۡا اِلَی الطَّیۡرِ فَوۡقَہُمۡ صٰٓفّٰتٍ وَّ یَقۡبِضۡنَ ؔۘؕ مَا یُمۡسِکُہُنَّ اِلَّا الرَّحۡمٰنُ ؕ اِنَّہٗ بِکُلِّ شَیۡءٍۭ بَصِیۡرٌ ﴿۱۹﴾
Do they not see the birds above them spreading and contracting (their wings)? Nothing upholds them except the Beneficent. Surely He is Seer of all things.
The withholding of the birds signifies the delay of the punishment, for birds are spoken of as following a victorious army; see 16:79 footnote. The question in the next verse as to who will help them corroborates this significance.
67:20
اَمَّنۡ ہٰذَا الَّذِیۡ ہُوَ جُنۡدٌ لَّکُمۡ یَنۡصُرُکُمۡ مِّنۡ دُوۡنِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ ؕ اِنِ الۡکٰفِرُوۡنَ اِلَّا فِیۡ غُرُوۡرٍ ﴿ۚ۲۰﴾
Or who is it that will be an army for you to help you against the Beneficent? The disbelievers are only in delusion.
67:21
اَمَّنۡ ہٰذَا الَّذِیۡ یَرۡزُقُکُمۡ اِنۡ اَمۡسَکَ رِزۡقَہٗ ۚ بَلۡ لَّجُّوۡا فِیۡ عُتُوٍّ وَّ نُفُوۡرٍ ﴿۲۱﴾
Or who is it that will give you sustenance, if He should withhold His sustenance? But they persist in disdain and aversion.
This is also a prophecy. Their sustenance was withheld in the great famine which prevailed at Makkah, prophecies regarding which are met with in the Quran in early as well as later revelation; see 44:10.
67:22
اَفَمَنۡ یَّمۡشِیۡ مُکِبًّا عَلٰی وَجۡہِہٖۤ اَہۡدٰۤی اَمَّنۡ یَّمۡشِیۡ سَوِیًّا عَلٰی صِرَاطٍ مُّسۡتَقِیۡمٍ ﴿۲۲﴾
Is, then, he who goes along falling upon his face better guided or he who walks upright on a straight path?
67:23
قُلۡ ہُوَ الَّذِیۡۤ اَنۡشَاَکُمۡ وَ جَعَلَ لَکُمُ السَّمۡعَ وَ الۡاَبۡصَارَ وَ الۡاَفۡـِٕدَۃَ ؕ قَلِیۡلًا مَّا تَشۡکُرُوۡنَ ﴿۲۳﴾
Say: He it is Who brought you into being and made for you ears and eyes and hearts. Little thanks you give!
67:24
قُلۡ ہُوَ الَّذِیۡ ذَرَاَکُمۡ فِی الۡاَرۡضِ وَ اِلَیۡہِ تُحۡشَرُوۡنَ ﴿۲۴﴾
Say: He it is Who multiplies you in the earth and to Him you will be gathered.
67:25
وَ یَقُوۡلُوۡنَ مَتٰی ہٰذَا الۡوَعۡدُ اِنۡ کُنۡتُمۡ صٰدِقِیۡنَ ﴿۲۵﴾
And they say: When will this promise come to pass, if you are truthful?
67:26
قُلۡ اِنَّمَا الۡعِلۡمُ عِنۡدَ اللّٰہِ ۪ وَ اِنَّمَاۤ اَنَا نَذِیۡرٌ مُّبِیۡنٌ ﴿۲۶﴾
Say: The knowledge is with Allah only, and I am only a plain warner.
67:27
فَلَمَّا رَاَوۡہُ زُلۡفَۃً سِیۡٓـَٔتۡ وُجُوۡہُ الَّذِیۡنَ کَفَرُوۡا وَ قِیۡلَ ہٰذَا الَّذِیۡ کُنۡتُمۡ بِہٖ تَدَّعُوۡنَ ﴿۲۷﴾
But when they see it near at hand, the faces of those who disbelieve will be grieved, and it will be said: This is what you used to call for.
67:28
قُلۡ اَرَءَیۡتُمۡ اِنۡ اَہۡلَکَنِیَ اللّٰہُ وَ مَنۡ مَّعِیَ اَوۡ رَحِمَنَا ۙ فَمَنۡ یُّجِیۡرُ الۡکٰفِرِیۡنَ مِنۡ عَذَابٍ اَلِیۡمٍ ﴿۲۸﴾
Say: Have you considered if Allah should destroy me and those with me — rather He will have mercy on us — yet who will protect the disbelievers from a painful punishment?
The meaning is that the guilty will by all means be called to account and suffer the evil consequences of what they have done, whether the Prophet and his companions live or die, but the uncertainty as to the reward of the righteous is at once removed by the words rather He will have mercy on us. The particle au (usually meaning ‘or’) can mean rather as well.
67:29
قُلۡ ہُوَ الرَّحۡمٰنُ اٰمَنَّا بِہٖ وَ عَلَیۡہِ تَوَکَّلۡنَا ۚ فَسَتَعۡلَمُوۡنَ مَنۡ ہُوَ فِیۡ ضَلٰلٍ مُّبِیۡنٍ ﴿۲۹﴾
Say: He is the Beneficent — we believe in Him and on Him do we rely. So you will come to know who it is that is in clear error.
67:30
قُلۡ اَرَءَیۡتُمۡ اِنۡ اَصۡبَحَ مَآؤُکُمۡ غَوۡرًا فَمَنۡ یَّاۡتِیۡکُمۡ بِمَآءٍ مَّعِیۡنٍ ﴿٪۳۰﴾
Say: Have you considered if your water should subside, who is it then that will bring you flowing water?