Surah 67. Al-Mulk

for, suffering in hell awaits all who are [thus] bent on blaspheming against their Sustainer:⁶ and how vile a journey's end!

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., by presuming to know what will happen in the future - a knowledge which rests with God alone. This connects with the statement in verse {4} that man can never truly unravel the mysteries of cosmic space ("the heavens"), which in its turn implies that he should not presume to foretell terrestrial events from the position and the aspects of the stars. Since only God knows "that which is beyond the reach of a created being's perception" (al-ghayb), any such attempt is a blasphemy (kufr).

As for those who disbelieve their Rabb, there will be the punishment of hell, which is an evil abode.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Those who disbelieve in their Lord will suffer the punishment of Hell. What an evil destination!

  - Mustafa Khattab

And for those who disbelieve in their Lord there is the doom of hell, a hapless journey's end!

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

For those who reject their Lord (and Cherisher) is the Penalty of Hell: and evil is (such) destination. ⁵⁵⁶³

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

We have seen how the fire in the stars can suggest the beauty and order of the external world; and yet, when it meets with resistance and disharmony, it can burn and destroy. So in the moral and spiritual world. What can be a greater sign of evil, disharmony, and rebellion than to reject the Cherisher and Sustainer, on Whom our life depends, and from Whom we receive nothing but goodness? The Punishment, then, is Fire in its fiercest intensity, as typified in the next two verses.

When they are cast into that [hell], they will hear its breath indrawing as it boils up,

  - Mohammad Asad

When they will be plunged into its fire, they shall hear its roaring and boiling

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

When they are tossed into it, they will hear its roaring as it boils over,

  - Mustafa Khattab

When they are flung therein they hear its roaring as it boileth up,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

When they are cast therein they will hear the (terrible) drawing in of its breath even as it blazes forth. ⁵⁵⁶⁴

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

For shahiq see n. 1607 to xi. 106. There shahiq (sobs) was contrasted with zafir (sighs): in the one case it is the drawing in of breath, and in the other the emission of a deep breath. Here the latter process is represented by the verb fara, to swell, to blaze forth, to gush forth. In xi. 40, the verb fara was applied to the gushing forth of the waters of the Flood; here the verb is applied to the blazing forth of the Fire of Punishment. Fire is personified: in its in-take it has a fierce appetite; in the flames which it throws out, it has a fierce aggressiveness. And yet in ultimate result evil meets the same fate, whether typified by water or fire.

well-nigh bursting with fury; [and] every time a host [of such sinners] is flung into it, its keepers will ask them, "Has no warner ever come to you?"

  - Mohammad Asad

as though bursting with rage. Every time a group is plunged therein, its guards will ask: "Did not a Warner come to you?"

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

almost bursting in fury. Every time a group is cast into it, its keepers will ask them, 'Did a warner not come to you?'

  - Mustafa Khattab

As it would burst with rage. Whenever a (fresh) host flung therein the wardens thereof ask them: Came there unto you no warner?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Almost bursting with fury: every time a Group is cast therein its Keepers will ask "Did no Warner come to you?" ⁵⁵⁶⁵

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Cf. xxxix. 71, n. 4348. "Every time": it may not be the same angels who are guarding the gates of Hell every time new inmates come in. The pure, innocent angel nature does not know the crookedness of human evil, and is surprised at so many human beings coming in for punishment: it wonders if no warning was conveyed to men, whereas in fact men have a warning in Clear Signs during all the period of their probation. The Clear Signs come from Revelation, from their own conscience, and from all nature around them.

They will reply: "Yea, a warner did indeed come unto us, but we gave him the lie and said, 'Never has God sent down anything [by way of revelation]! You [self-styled warners] are but lost in a great delusion!'"⁷

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "You are in nothing but a great error (dalal)" - thus denying the reality of divine revelation as such.

They will answer: "Yes indeed, a Warner did come to us, but we rejected him and said, Allah has revealed nothing - you are merely in gross error."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

They will reply, 'Yes, a warner did come to us, but we denied and said, 'Allah has revealed nothing. You are extremely astray.''

  - Mustafa Khattab

They say: Yea, verily, a warner came unto us; but we denied and said: Allah hath naught revealed; ye are in naught but a great error.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

They will say: "Yes indeed: a Warner did come to us but we rejected him and said `Allah never sent down any (Message): ye are in nothing but an egregious delusion!' " ⁵⁵⁶⁶

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Allah's Signs were not only rejected or defied, but their very existence was denied. Nay, more, even their possibility was denied, and alas! righteous people and Prophets were persecuted or mocked (xxxvi. 30). They were called fools or madmen, or men under a delusion!

And they will add: "Had we but listened [to those warnings], or [at least] used our own reason, we would not [now] be among those who are destined for the blazing flame!"⁸

  - Mohammad Asad

Reason, properly used, must lead man to a cognition of God's existence and, thus, of the fact that a definite plan underlies all His creation. A logical concomitant of that cognition is the realisation that certain aspects of the divine plan touching upon human life - in particular, the distinction between right and wrong - are being continuously disclosed to man through the medium of the revelation which God bestows on His chosen message-bearers, the prophets. This innate "bond with God" (referred to in 2:27 and explained in the corresponding note [19]) may be broken only at the expense of man's spiritual future, with suffering in the life to come as the inevitable alternative.

They will further say: "Had we only listened or used our intelligence, we would have not been among the inmates of the blazing fire."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And they will lament, 'If only we had listened and reasoned, we would not be among the residents of the Blaze!'

  - Mustafa Khattab

And they say: Had we been wont to listen or have sense, we had not been among the dwellers in the flames.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

They will further say: "Had we but listened or used our intelligence we should not (now) be among the Companions of the Blazing Fire!" ⁵⁵⁶⁷

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Man has himself the power given to him to distinguish good from evil, and he is further helped by the teachings of the great Messengers or World Teachers. Where such Teachers do not come into personal contact with an individual or a generation, the true meaning of their teaching can be understood by means of the Reason which Allah has given to every human soul to judge by. It is failure to follow a man's light sincerely that leads to his degradation and destruction.

Thus will they come to realize their sins: but [by that time,] remote will have become all good from those who are destined for the blazing flame.

  - Mohammad Asad

Thus shall they confess their sin; so away from the mercy of Allah will be the dwellers of hell.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And so they will confess their sins. So away with the residents of the Blaze!

  - Mustafa Khattab

So they acknowledge their sins; but far removed (from mercy) are the dwellers in the flames.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

They will then confess their sins: but far will be (Forgiveness) from the Companions of the Blazing Fire! ⁵⁵⁶⁸

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The will then have passed through the fire of Judgment and will now be in the fire of Punishment. The Reality will not only now be clear to them, but after the questionings of the angels they cannot even pretend to make any excuses. They will freely confess, but that is not repentance, for repentance implies amendment, and the time for repentance and amendment will have long been past.

[As against this,] behold, for those who stand in awe of God although He is beyond the reach of their perception,⁹ there is forgiveness in store and a great reward.

  - Mohammad Asad

For this rendering of the expression bi'l-ghayb, see surah {2}, note [3].

As for those who fear their Rabb, although they have not seen Him, shall have forgiveness and a great reward.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Indeed, those in awe of their Lord without seeing Him¹ will have forgiveness and a mighty reward.

  - Mustafa Khattab

 This can also mean that they are in awe of their Lord as much in private as they are in public.

Lo! those who fear their Lord in secret, theirs will be forgiveness and a great reward.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

As for those who fear their Lord unseen for them is Forgiveness and a great Reward. ⁵⁵⁶⁹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

See n. 3902 to xxxv. 18. Read "unseen" adverbially. To fear the Lord is to love Him so intensely that you fear to do anything which is against His Will, and you do it because you realise Him intensely in your hearts, though you do not see Him with your bodily senses. Nor is it of any consequences whether other people see your love or the consequences that flow from your love, for your good deeds are for the love of Allah and not for show in the eyes of men. Such intensity of love obtains forgiveness for any past, and is indeed rewarded with Allah's love, which is immeasurably precious beyond any merits you may possess.

AND [know, O men, that] whether you keep your beliefs¹⁰ secret or state them openly, He has full knowledge indeed of all that is in [your] hearts.¹¹

  - Mohammad Asad

While the primary significance of the noun qawl is "a saying" or "an utterance", it is often used tropically in the sense of "a statement", i.e., of a belief, an opinion, a teaching, a doctrine, etc. In the present context it evidently relates to man's beliefs in general, be they affirmative or negative: hence the plural form in my rendering of this term.

I.e., He knows why one person believes in Him and another rejects this belief; hence, He takes man's innermost motivations, abilities and inabilities fully into account.

Whether you speak in secret or aloud, surely He is aware of all that is in the breasts.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Whether you speak secretly or openly- He surely knows best what is 'hidden' in the heart.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And keep your opinion secret or proclaim it, lo! He is Knower of all that is in the breasts (of men).

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

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

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

How could it be that He who has created [all] should not know [all]?¹² Yea, He alone is unfathomable [in His wisdom], all-aware!¹³

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "Does He not know, [He] who has created?"

See surah {6}, note [89].

Would He not know, Who has created them? He is the Knower of finest mysteries, and aware of everything.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

How could He not know His Own creation? For He 'alone' is the Most Subtle, All-Aware.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Should He not know what He created? And He is the Subtile, the Aware.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Should He not know He that created? And He is the One that understands the finest mysteries (and) is well-acquainted (with them). ⁵⁵⁷⁰

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

He Who creates must necessarily know His own handiwork. But lest we should measure His knowledge by such imperfect knowledge as we possess. His knowledge is further characterised as understanding the finest mysteries and being well acquainted with them (Latif and Khabir): see xxii. 63. n. 2844.

He it is who has made the earth easy to live upon:¹⁴ go about, then, in all its regions, and partake of the sustenance which He provides: but [always bear in mind that] unto Him you shall be resurrected.

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "who has made the earth submissive (dhalulan) to you": i.e., yielding to the intelligence with which He has endowed man.

It is He Who has made the earth subservient to you, to walk through its tracts and eat of His provided sustenance. To Him is the return at resurrection.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

He is the One Who smoothed out the earth for you, so move about in its regions and eat from His provisions. And to Him is the resurrection 'of all'.

  - Mustafa Khattab

He it is Who hath made the earth subservient unto you, so walk in the paths thereof and eat of His providence. And unto Him will be the resurrection (of the dead).

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

It is He Who has made the earth manageable for you so traverse ye through its tracts and enjoy of the Sustenance which He furnishes: but unto Him is the Resurrection. ^{5571 5572}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Zalal is used in ii. 71 for an animal trained and tractable: here it is used to qualify the earth, and I have translated 'manageable'. Man has managed to make paths through deserts and over mountains: through rivers and seas by means of ships; through the air by means of airways; he has made bridges and tunnels and other means of communication. But this he has only been able to do because Allah has given him the necessary intelligence and has made the earth tractable to that intelligence.

In describing Allah's gifts and mercies and watchful care in this our temporary sojourn on this earth, it is made clear that the ultimate end is the Hereafter. The real Beyond, which is the goal, is the life after the Resurrection.

Can you ever feel secure that He who is in heaven¹⁵ will not cause the earth to swallow you up when, lo and behold, it begins to quake?

  - Mohammad Asad

This expression is, of course, purely metaphorical since God is limitless in space as well as in time. Its use here is apparently meant to stress the unfathomable quality of His existence and power, which penetrates, and reveals itself in, every aspect of His cosmic creativeness, symbolized in the term "heaven".

Do you feel secure that He Who is in heaven, will not cause the earth to cave in beneath you and start shaking suddenly?

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Do you feel secure that the One Who is in heaven will not cause the earth to swallow you up as it quakes violently?

  - Mustafa Khattab

Have ye taken security from Him Who is in the heaven that He will not cause the earth to swallow you when lo! it is convulsed?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Do ye feel secure that He Who is in heaven will not cause you to be swallowed up by the earth when it shakes (as in an earthquake)? ⁵⁵⁷³

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Cf. xvii. 68. and n. 2263. Also cf. the story of Qarun in xxviii. 76-82. If we feel safe on land, it is because Allah has made this earth amenable, manageable and serviceable to us (verse 15 above). But if we defy Allah and break His Law, have we any security, that even this comparatively unimportant safety in a fleeting world will last? Looking at it from a purely physical point of view, have there not been dreadful earthquakes, typhoons, and tornadoes?

Or can you ever feel secure that He who is in heaven will not let loose against you a deadly stormwind,¹⁶ whereupon you would come to know how [true] My warning was?

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "a stormwind that raises stones".

Or do you feel secure that He Who is in heaven will not send against you a violent tornado, then you shall know how was My warning!

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Or do you feel secure that the One Who is in heaven will not unleash upon you a storm of stones. Only then would you know how 'serious' My warning was!

  - Mustafa Khattab

Or have ye taken security from Him Who is in the heaven that He will not let loose on you a hurricane? But ye shall know the manner of My warning.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Or do ye feel secure that He Who is in Heaven will not send against you a violent tornado (with showers of stones) so that ye shall know how (terrible) was My warning? ⁵⁵⁷⁴

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Cf. xvii. 68; and xxix. 40, n. 3462. Such a violent wind destroyed the wicked Cities which defied Lut's warning.

And, indeed, [many of] those who lived aforetime¹⁷ did give the lie [to My warnings]: and how awesome was My rejection [of them]!

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "before them" (min qablihim). This personal pronoun relates - as does the whole of the passage beginning with verse {13} - to people of all times, who are herewith reminded of what happened to deniers of the truth in earlier times; hence my rendering of min qablihim as "aforetime".

Those who have gone before them likewise disbelieved, then see how terrible was the way I rejected them?

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And certainly those before them denied 'as well', then how severe was My response!

  - Mustafa Khattab

And verily those before them denied, then (see) the manner of My wrath (with them)!

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

But indeed men before them rejected (My warning): then how (terrible) was My rejection (of them)? ⁵⁵⁷⁵

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Cf. xxii. 42-44, and n. 2822.

Have they, then, never beheld the birds above them, spreading their wings and drawing them in? None but the Most Gracious upholds them: for, verily, He keeps all things in His sight.

  - Mohammad Asad

Do they not observe the birds above them spreading their wings and folding them? None could hold them except the Compassionate (Allah), surely it is He Who watches over all things.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Have they not seen the birds above them, spreading and folding their wings? None holds them up except the Most Compassionate. Indeed, He is All-Seeing of everything.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Have they not seen the birds above them spreading out their wings and closing them? Naught upholdeth them save the Beneficent. Lo! He is Seer of all things.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Do they not observe the birds above them spreading their wings and folding them in? None can uphold them except (Allah) Most Gracious: truly it is He that watches over all things. ^{5576 5577}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The flight of birds is one of the most beautiful and wonderful things in nature. The make and arrangement of their feathers and bones, and their stream-line shapes, from beak to tail, are instances of purposive adaptation. They soar with outstretched wings; they dart about with folded wings; their motions upwards and downwards, as well as their stabilisation in the air, and when they rest on their feet, have given many ideas to man in the science and art of aeronautics. But who taught or gave to birds this wonderful adaptation? None but Allah, Whose infinite Mercy provides for every creature just those conditions which are best adapted for its life.

In the Arabic, there is an artistic touch which it is not possible to reproduce in the translation. Saffat (spreading their wings) is in the form of the active participle, suggesting the continuous soaring on outspread wings; while yaqbidhna (folding them in) is in the Aorist form, suggesting the spasmodic flapping of wings.

[And] is there any, beside the Most Gracious, that could be a shield¹⁸ for you, and succour you [against danger]? They who deny this truth are but lost in self-delusion!

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "an army".

What force is there that can help you besides the Compassionate? In fact, the unbelievers are suffering from delusion.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Also, which 'powerless' force will come to your help instead of the Most Compassionate? Indeed, the disbelievers are only 'lost' in delusion.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Or who is he that will be an army unto you to help you instead of the Beneficent? The disbelievers are in naught but illusion.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Nay who is there that can help you (even as) an army besides (Allah) Most Merciful? In nothing but delusion are the Unbelievers. ⁵⁵⁷⁸

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Not the greatest army that man can muster is of any use against the Wrath of Allah; while the constant watchful care of Allah is all-in-all to us, and we can never do without it. If the godless wander about in search for blessings otherwise than in the Mercy and Grace of Allah, they are wandering in vain delusions.