The Sovereignty (Al-Mulk)

In the name of Allah, Gracious, Merciful.

¹Blessed be He in whose hands is dominion: and He who has power over all things.

²He who created death and life that He may try which of you is best in deed: and He is the exalted in might, always forgiving

³He who created the seven heavens one above another; no want of proportion wilt you see in the creation of the most gracious, so turn your vision again: Do you see any flaw?

⁴Again turn your vision a second time; your vision will come back to you, dull and discomfited in a state worn out.

Bismillahi Rahmani Rahim

¹Tabarakal lazi biyadil mulku wahuwa ala syain qadir

²Alazi halakal mauta wal hayata liyab luwakumay yukum ahsanu ama la wa huwal azizul gafur

³Aflazi halaqa saba samawatin tibaqa ma tara fi halqir rahmani min tafawut farjiil basara hal tara min futur

⁴Sumar jiil basara karataini yankalib ilaikal basaru kasian wa huwa hasir

[Commentary continues below.]

⁵And We have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps and We have made such missiles to drive away the evil ones and have prepared for them the penalty of the blazing fire.¹

⁶For those who reject their Lord is the penalty of hell: and evil is such destination.

⁷When they are cast therein they will hear the drawing in of its breath even as it blazes forth.

⁸Almost bursting with fury: every time a group is cast therein its keepers will ask “Did no warner come to you?”

⁹They will say: “Yes indeed: a warner did come to us but we rejected him and said `Allah never sent down any message: you are in nothing but an egregious delusion!’”²

5Wa laqad zayan nasama adunya bimasabiha wa jaalnaha rujumal lisyayatini wa atadna lahum azabasair

6Wa lillazina kafaru birabihim azabu jahanam wa bisal masir

7Iza ulqu fiha samiu laha sahiqaw wa hiya tafur

8Takadu tama yazu minal gaiz kulama ulqiya fiha faujun sa alahum hazanatuha alam yatikum nazir.

9Qalu bala qad jaana nazirun fakazabna wa qulna ma nazalal lahu min syain in antum illa fi dalalin kabir

1. The moon and the stars adorn the heaven, but they are not used as missiles against evil. God’s power delegated to the angels fight off the evils ones as in the case of Daniel when he began to pray for the salvation of the Jews in Babylon; Daniel 10:13: “The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia...”

There are principalities and powers of darkness in high places. They are Satan and his demons, running wild all over the world and they are found practically everywhere: under water, in trees, beneath the earth’s surface and, of course, in the sky.

It is for this reason we are told as Christians to put on the whole armor of God so we can withstand the devil. Ephesians 6:10-18 reads:

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty strength. Put on the whole armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the devil's strategies.

For our struggle is not against a human opponent, but against rulers, against authorities, against cosmic powers in the darkness around us, against evil spiritual forces in the heavenly realm. For this reason, take up the whole armor of God so that you may be able to take a stand in that evil day. And when you have done everything you could, you will be able to stand firm. Stand firm, therefore, having fastened the belt of truth around your waist, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having put shoes on your feet so that you are ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. In addition to all of these, having taken up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to put out all the flaming arrows of the evil one, also take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times with every kind of prayer and request there is. For the same reason be alert with every kind of effort and request for all the saints.

It is this and like verses which casts doubts on the integrity of the Allah of the Qur’an.

2. The Bible says that the Gospel of Jesus Christ shall be preached in all nations and then the end of the world will come. That way no one will have an excuse to blame or accuse God Almighty for being unfair. Jesus, talking to His disciples about the end times, had this to say in Matthew 24:5-14:

For many will come in my name and say, 'I am the Christ,' and they will deceive many people. You are going to hear of wars and rumors of wars. See to it that you are not alarmed. These things must take place, but the end hasn't come yet. For nation will rise up in arms against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. But all these things are only the beginning of the birth pains." "Then they will hand you over to suffering and will kill you, and you will be hated by all the nations because of my name. Then many people will fall by the way and will betray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will appear and deceive many people, and because lawlessness will increase, the love of many people will grow cold. But the person who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."

These things and much more are happening today as a testimony to the fact that the end of the world is near and we share the Gospel of Christ with through the pages of this Book.

¹⁰They will further say: “Had we but listened or used our intelligence we should not be among the companions of the blazing fire!”

¹¹They will then confess their sins: but far will be forgiveness from the companions of the blazing fire!³

¹²As for those who fear their Lord, unseen for them is forgiveness and a great reward.

¹³And whether you hide your word or publish it, He certainly has (full) knowledge of the secrets of all hearts.

¹⁴Should He not know He that created? And He is the One that understands the finest mysteries and is well acquainted with them.

¹⁵It is He who has made the earth manageable for you, so traverse through its tracts and enjoy of the sustenance which He furnishes: but unto Him is the resurrection.

¹⁰Wa qalu lau kunna nasmau au naqilu ma kunna fi ashabi sair

¹¹Fa tarafu bizan bihim fasuhqal liashabisair

¹²Inanl lazina yaksyauna rabahum bil gaibi lahum magfiratu wa ajrun kabir

¹³Wa asiru qaulakum awij haru bih innahu alimun bizatis sudur

¹⁴Ala yalamu man halaq wa huwal la tiful kabir

¹⁵Huwa lazi jaala lakumul arda zalulan famsu fi manakibiha wa kulu mir rizqi wa ilaihin nusur

3. Please refer to verse 11. Prayer for the dead is vain, there is no purgatory where the not-so-righteous-dead will go and wait until a living relative intercedes on their behalf. Like saying a prayer such as “peace be upon him” will not bring him peace. To attain peace in the hereafter, one has to attain it here in this world before death’s chilly hands lay hold on him.

[Commentary continues below.]

¹⁶Do you feel secure that He who is in heaven will not cause you to be swallowed up by the earth when it shakes?

¹⁷Or do you feel secure that He who is in heaven will not send against you a violent tornado so that you shall know how terrible My warning was?

¹⁸And indeed men before them rejected My warning: then how terrible was My rejection of them?

¹⁹Do they not observe the birds above them spreading their wings and folding them in? None can uphold them except the most gracious: truly, it is He that watches over all things.

²⁰No, who is there that can help you an army besides the most merciful? In nothing but delusion are the Unbelievers.

¹⁶A amitum man fisamai ay yahsifa bikumul arda faiza hiya tamur

¹⁷Am amintum manfisamai ayursi la alaikum hasiba fasatalamuna kaifa nazir

¹⁸Wa laqad kazabal lazina min qablihim fakaifa kana nakir

¹⁹Awalam yarau ilat tairi fauqahum safatiw wa yaqbidin ma yumsikuhun na illarahman innahu bi kuli saiin basir

²⁰Am man hazal lazi huwa jundul lakum yanshurukum min dunir rahman inil kafiruna illa fi ghurur

 [Commentary continues below.]

²¹Or who is there that can provide you with sustenance if He were to withhold His provision? No, they obstinately persist in insolent impiety and flight.

²²Is then one who walks headlong with his face groveling, better guided or one who walks evenly on a straight way?

²³Say: “It is He who has created you and made for you the faculties of hearing, seeing, feeling, and understanding: little thanks it is you give.”

²⁴Say: “It is He who has multiplied you through the earth and to Him shall you be gathered together.”

²⁵They ask: When will this promise be? If you are telling the truth.

²⁶Say: “As to the knowledge of the time it is with Allah alone: I am only to warn plainly in public.”⁴

²¹Amman hazal lazi yarzuqukum in amsaka rizqahu ballaj jufi utuw wiw wa nufur

²²Afama yamsyi mukib ban ala waj hihi ahda am mayamsyi sawiy yan ala shirathim mustaqim

²³Qul huwal lazi ansya akum wa jaala lakumus sama wal abshara wal af I dahqalilam ma tasykurun

²⁴Qul huwal lazi zara akum filardhi wa ilaihi tuhsyarun

²⁵Wa yaquluna mata hazal wadu inkuntum shadiqin

²⁶Qul innamal ilmu indallahi wa innama anna nadzirum mubin

4. Over five centuries earlier, Jesus Christ had given the same answer to His disciples when they inquired about the end times Matthew 24:36 reads “No one knows when that day or hour will come-not the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”

[Commentary continues below.]

²⁷At length when they see it close at hand, grieved will be the faces of the unbelievers and it will be said: “This is which you were calling for!”

²⁸Say: “Do you see? If Allah were to destroy me and those with me or if He bestows His mercy on us, yet who can deliver the unbelievers from a grievous penalty?”

²⁹Say: “He is the most gracious: we have believed in Him and on Him have we put our trust: so soon will you know which it is that is in manifest error.”

³⁰Say: “Do you see? If your stream be some morning lost who then can supply you with clear flowing water?”

²⁷Falam ma ra auhu zulfatan si at wujuhul ladzina kafaru wa qila hazallazi kuntum bihi taddaun

²⁸Qul araaitum in ahlakaniyal tahu wa mam maiya aurahimana famay yuji rul kafirina min azabin alim

²⁹Qul huwa rahmanu aman na bihi wa alaihi tawak kalna fasatalamuna man huwa fi dhalalim mubin

³⁰Qul ara aitum in ashbana ma ukum ghauran famay yatikum bima imma in