67. Al-Mulk

Blessed is He in whose hand is dominion, and He is over all things competent -

Blessed is He in whose hand is the Kingdom: He has power over all things

Eternally Blessed is He in Whose hand is the Supreme Kingdom of the Universe, and He is the Powerful Designer of His Laws for everything

[He] who created death and life to test you [as to] which of you is best in deed - and He is the Exalted in Might, the Forgiving -

He created death and life so that He might test you, and find out which of you is best in conduct. He is the Mighty, the Most Forgiving One

He has created death and life to distinguish for yourselves who would do better. The Almighty, the Absolver of imperfections, has designed this System in His Infinite Wisdom

[And] who created seven heavens in layers.1 You do not see in the creation of the Most Merciful any inconsistency. So return [your] vision [to the sky]; do you see any breaks?

He created seven heavens one above the other in layers. You will not find any flaw in the creation of the Gracious One. Then look once again: can you see any flaw

He has created seven Cosmic Systems in great harmony. Look! No fault will you see in the creation of the Beneficent. And turn your vision upon it once more. Can you see any flaw

Then return [your] vision twice again.1 [Your] vision will return to you humbled while it is fatigued.

Then look again and again. Your gaze will come back to you confused and exhausted

Then look again and yet again, and every time your vision will fall back upon you, dazzled and defeated

And We have certainly beautified the nearest heaven with lamps [i.e., stars] and have made [from] them what is thrown at the devils1 and have prepared for them the punishment of the Blaze.

We have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps, and We have made them for driving away devils. For them We have prepared the punishment of the blazing Fire

And indeed, We have beautified the sky of the world with shining lamps. And made them objects of futile guesses for the satans. (15:17), (37:6-9), (72:8). And for them We have prepared the doom of blazing flames

And for those who disbelieved in their Lord is the punishment of Hell, and wretched is the destination.

Those who are bent on blaspheming against their Lord will have the punishment of Hell: an evil destination

Suffering in Hell awaits all who thus blaspheme against their Sustainer. What a miserable destination

When they are thrown into it, they hear from it a [dreadful] inhaling while it boils up.

When they are cast into it, they will hear its roaring as it boils up

When they are flung into Hell, they will hear and feel its fury as it fumes

It almost bursts with rage. Every time a company is thrown into it, its keepers ask them, "Did there not come to you a warner?"

as though bursting with rage. Each time a group is cast into it, its keepers will ask them, "Did no warner come to you

As if it would burst with rage. Whenever a group is cast in it, the guardians of Hell will ask them, "Did you not receive a Warner

They will say, "Yes, a warner had come to us, but we denied and said, 'Allāh has not sent down anything. You are not but in great error.'"

They will say, "Of course, a warner did come to us, but we belied him and we said, 'God has revealed nothing; you are in gross error

They will say, "Yes, verily, a Warner did come to us but we denied him saying that Allah has not revealed anything! You are but lost in a great error

And they will say, "If only we had been listening or reasoning, we would not be among the companions of the Blaze."

They will say, "If we had only listened or understood, we should not now be among the inmates of Hell

And they will say, "If we really listened and used our sense, we would not be among the dwellers of the Flames

And they will admit their sin, so [it is] alienation1 for the companions of the Blaze.

and thus they will confess their sin; far from God's mercy are the inmates of Hell

They will acknowledge that they did trail behind in humanity. Thus, far removed are the dwellers of the Flames from Divine Grace

Indeed, those who fear their Lord unseen will have forgiveness and great reward.

As for those who fear their Lord in the unseen will have forgiveness and a rich reward

Those who fear violating the Laws of their Lord even in privacy, for them is the protection of forgiveness and a Great Reward. (They keep in mind that every action has a consequence, even though it may not be immediately apparent)

And conceal your speech or publicize it; indeed, He is Knowing of that within the breasts.

Whether you speak in secret or aloud, He knows what is in every heart

Whether you hide your word and thought or make it known, behold, He is the Knower of what is in the hearts. ('Qaul' = Word = Saying = Utterance. It also signifies thought, opinion, belief and idea)

Does He who created not know,1 while He is the Subtle, the Aware?

How could He who created not know His own creation, when He alone is the Most Subtle in His wisdom and the All Aware

How could it be that He Who has created all should not know all things and events? For, He is the Unfathomable, the Aware

It is He who made the earth tame1 for you - so walk among its slopes and eat of His provision - and to Him is the resurrection.

It is He who has made the earth subservient to you, so traverse its regions and eat its provisions. To Him you shall all be resurrected

He it is Who has made the earth humble at your service. So move through its tracts and enjoy His provisions. Bear in mind that the revival to New Life will again be in His Dominion

Do you feel secure that He who is above1 would not cause the earth to swallow you and suddenly it would sway?2

Do you feel secure that He who is in heaven will not cause the earth to sink beneath you and then begin to quake

Can you ever feel secure that the High Sovereign will not cause the earth to swallow you up when it begins to quake? (Life of the world is too brief and unpredictable to postpone the good until tomorrow (67:21), (67)

Or do you feel secure that He who is above would not send against you a storm of stones? Then you would know how [severe] was My warning.

Do you feel secure that the One in heaven will not send against you a whirlwind to pelt you with stones, so that you will know how [true] My warning was

Or can you ever feel secure that the High Sovereign will not let loose on you a deadly hurricane? So that you shall know how My disapproval was

And already had those before them denied, and how [terrible] was My reproach.

Those who went before them belied [the truth]: then how great was My rejection of them

And verily nations before them rejected, then, how awesome was My rejection of them

Do they not see the birds above them with wings outspread and [sometimes] folded in? None holds them [aloft] except the Most Merciful. Indeed He is, of all things, Seeing.

Do they not see the birds above them spreading and closing their wings? None save the Merciful sustains them. Surely, He observes all things

Have they, then, never seen the birds above them spreading their wings and drawing them in? Nothing upholds them but the Beneficent - for, verily, He is ever Seer of all things

Or who is it that could be an army for you to aid you other than the Most Merciful? The disbelievers are not but in delusion.

Who is there to defend you like an army, besides the Lord of Mercy? Those who deny the truth are in deception

Nay, who is there besides the Beneficent, that could be an army unto you to shield and help you? They who deny this truth, are but lost in self-deception

Or who is it that could provide for you if He withheld His provision? But they have persisted in insolence and aversion.

Who can provide for you, if He withholds His provision? Yet they obstinately persist in rebellion and avoidance of the truth

Who is there to provide for you if He should withhold His providence? Nay, they are victims of their own pride and hatred (for the poor)

Then is one who walks fallen on his face better guided or one who walks erect on a straight path?

Is he who walks grovelling upon his face better guided, or he who walks upright upon a straight path

Is the one who goes prone on his face close to the ground (like an earthworm), better guided or one who walks straight on the Straight Path

Say, "It is He who has produced you and made for you hearing and vision and hearts [i.e., intellect]; little are you grateful."

Say, "It is He who brought you into being, and made ears and eyes and hearts for you, yet you are seldom grateful

Say, "He it is Who brought you into being and gave you hearing, sight and the faculty of understanding. But how seldom are you grateful by way of using them to full potential

Say, "It is He who has multiplied you throughout the earth, and to Him you will be gathered."

Say, "It is He who has scattered you on the earth; and it is to Him that you shall all be gathered [on the Day of Resurrection]

Say, "He it is Who has multiplied you through the earth, and to Him shall you be gathered." (You will always remain within His Supreme Kingdom)

And they say, "When is this promise, if you should be truthful?"

They ask, "When will this promise be fulfilled, if you are truthful

But they say, "When will this promise be fulfilled if you are men of truth

Say, "The knowledge is only with Allāh, and I am only a clear warner."

Say, "God alone has knowledge of that; and I am only a plain warner

Say, "This knowledge rests with Allah alone and I am only a plain Warner

But when they see it1 approaching, the faces of those who disbelieve will be distressed, and it will be said, "This is that for which you used to call."2

But when they see it drawing near, the faces of those who deny the truth will turn gloomy and they will be told, "This is what you were calling for

But when they see it close at hand, grieved will be the faces of the rejecters, and they will be told, "This it is which you were calling for

Say, [O Muḥammad], "Have you considered:1 whether Allāh should cause my death and those with me or have mercy upon us, who can protect the disbelievers from a painful punishment?"

Say, "Have you thought: if God destroys me and those who are with me, or treats us mercifully, then who will protect those who deny the truth from a painful chastisement

Say (O Messenger), "Have you ever thought? Whether Allah causes me and my companions to perish or embraces us in His Grace, who will protect the rejecters from the doom of suffering

Say, "He is the Most Merciful; we have believed in Him, and upon Him we have relied. And you will [come to] know who it is that is in clear error."

Say, "He is the Most Gracious: we believe in Him and we put our trust in Him. You will soon come to know who is in evident error

Say, "He is the Beneficent. In Him we believe and in Him we place our trust, (so our Mission will succeed). And soon you will come to know who it is that is in obvious error

Say, "Have you considered: if your water was to become sunken [into the earth], then who could bring you flowing water?"

Say, "Have you considered if your water were to sink into the ground, who could then bring you flowing water

Say, "Do you see? If all your water were to vanish into the earth, who, then, could bring you fresh water springs?" ((56:63-74), (67:21). Likewise, who can bestow upon you the graceful Spring of guidance but Allah