مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ

Master of the Day of Judgement.

EXEGESIS

Mālik: master, owner, possessor. This word has also been recited as malik, meaning king and sovereign. Since the verse is about a day – the Day of Judgement – it would make more sense to talk about the king of the day, not the owner of the day. This could be confirmed by how the Day of Resurrection is described elsewhere: The day when they will emerge [from their graves], nothing about them will be hidden from Allah. ‘To whom does the kingdom belong today?’ ‘To Allah, the one, the all-paramount!’ (40:16). However, the verses about mulk (kingdom, sovereignty) talk about the kingdom belonging to God, implying that He is mālik (master, owner, possessor) of kingdom: O Allah, master of all kingdom (3:26). Moreover, the meanings of mulk and malik are apparently derived from milk (ownership) as the original and root meaning. In other words, a king is called malik because his authority over his subjects is compared to ownership; it is as if he owns them and thus can rule over them.^{‎[1]Alusi, 1/86.} Another point is that the authority of malik primarily applies to human beings, or more generally intelligent beings, while the authority of mālik applies to objects and inanimate things as well. Thus, mālik could be more pertinent here since the verse talks about a day.^{‎[2]Manar, 1/54.}

The final say about the priority of mālik over malik can be deduced from the last verse of chapter 82 which specifically defines the Day of Judgement: And what will show you what is the Day of Judgement? Again, what will show you what is the Day of Judgement? It is a day when no soul will possess anything of another soul and all command that day will belong to Allah (82:17-19). The verse denies all possession (lā tamliku) from other than God, and ascribes all amr (command, affair) to God. Matching these verses, we can interpret māliki yawm al-dīn as mālik fī yawm al-dīn, or more precisely, mālik al-amr fī yawm al-dīn (master of all command on the Day of Judgement). In other words, the Day of Judgement is not the object of God’s milk (possession) or mulk (rule), but it is the temporal container (ẓarf) for God’s possession of all command and affair. This meaning is directly deduced from adding verse 82:19 to the current verse.

Dīn: the root meaning is subservience, submission, and subjection. Dayn means debt, which makes the debtor subject to his debt and the lender. Dīn meaning religion is also derived from this sense of submission and obedience. Madīnah (city) is a place where the citizens are subject to the ruler’s command and social order (tamaddun). Yawm al-dīn is defined as a day when all command that day will belong to Allah (82:19). This shows that dīn here refers to God’s rule, command, and judgement. It is called yawm al-dīn because everyone and all command will be submissive and subject to God’s judgement.^{‎[3]Maqayis, under d-y-n; Tahqiq, under d-y-n.} All faces shall be humbled before the Living One, the all-sustainer (20:111). Given its Quranic usages, yawm al-dīn can best be interpreted as the Day of Judgement or the Day of Retribution. On that day, Allah will pay them in full their due recompense (dīnahum al-ḥaqq), and they shall know that Allah is the manifest reality (24:25). There are two possible explanations for why the hereafter is referred to as a day: 1. Day is meant as a fixed period of time, as used in verses that talk about the creation of the heavens and the earth in six days (7:54, 10:3, 25:59, 32:4, 46:33, 50:38, 57:4). 2. Day is meant as opposed to night, on the account of all people, secrets, and hidden realities being revealed and examined on that day (14:48, 31:16, 40:16, 86:9, 100:10). They will all be presented before Allah (14:21).

EXPOSITION

Reference to the Day of Judgement at the onset of God’s book of guidance shows the centrality of belief in the hereafter in Islam. That is a day when nothing will be of any avail to anyone, all ties will be cut, and all powers will be lost, and the only source of power, impact, and authority will be God (2:48, 2:123, 2:166, 2:254, 3:10, 3:116, 6:94, 23:101, 40:16, 58:17, 60:3, 82:19). Such a source of sovereignty and judgement is indeed worthy of praise, and no one else. Therefore, this verse also implies monotheism and God’s unity because it reminds the readers that the final decision and command belongs to no one but God. And to Him belongs all sovereignty on the day when the trumpet will be blown (6:73). One should thus always try to please Him because He is the master and ruler of the Final Day, and one’s salvation or damnation hinges on His decree and judgement.^{‎[4]Razi, 1/205.}

He is the master and owner of everyone, everything, and every command. He has full authority, control, and power to manage and govern His property as He wills, as Prophet Jesus (a) glorifies Him: If You punish them, they are indeed Your servants; and if You forgive them, You are indeed the all-mighty, the all-wise (5:118). He is not questioned concerning what He does, but they are questioned (21:23). Therefore, this verse shows God’s might, independence, and dominion. At the same time, it is a promising verse because it entails that all affairs and decisions on the Day of Judgement will be in the hands of the praiseworthy Lord of all nations (verse 2) who is The all-beneficent, the all-merciful (verse 3). Hence, the verse involves both threat and promise, depending on where one stands in terms of faith. On that day true sovereignty will belong to the All-Beneficent, and it will be a hard day for the faithless (25:26). A desert Arab once asked the Prophet: ‘O Messenger of God, who will take account of people on the Day of Resurrection?’ The Prophet answered: ‘Allah, the mighty and majestic.’ The Arab man said: ‘By the God of the Kaaba we shall be saved!’ The Prophet asked him: ‘How come, O Bedouin?’ He said: ‘Because when the benevolent gains the upper hand, he forgives.’^{‎[5]Majmūʿat Warrām, 1/9; Kanz, 14/628, h. 39749.} In another narration the desert Arab said: ‘By the God of the Kaaba I am delivered, because He will not ask for what is due to Him [out of His magnanimity].’^{‎[6]Ibn Abī al-Dunyā, Ḥusn al-Ẓann bi-llāh, p. 39, h. 25; ʿAjlūnī, Kashf al-Khafāʾ, 2/110, h. 1925.}

Do not suppose that you will be barred

From reaching our king’s court and yard,

Because with the benevolent nothing is hard.^{‎[7]Rūmī, Mathnawī, v. 1, line 222.}

He is a king who does not oppress His subjects. Rather, He is a king who is al-quddūs (all-holy, sacrosanct; 59:23, 62:1). He is a benevolent master, and that is why He is worthy of praise for His sovereignty. To Him belongs all sovereignty and to Him belongs all praise (64:1).

God, in this life, gives and forgives,

Despite our immersion in sins and shame.

A good spring shows that the year is good,

So rest assured that the next world is the same.^{‎[8]Bahāʾ al-Dīn al-ʿĀmilī, Rubāʿiyyāt.}

There are a few possible explanations for why this verse refers to the Day of Judgement in particular even though God is the absolute master of all affairs in all planes of existence including this world: 1. The verse does not deny the other dimensions and domains of His sovereignty because it is not meant to define the boundaries of His mastership. Rather, the verse intends to turn our attention toward our eternal life and warn us about how the affairs will be on that day. 2. This verse complements verse 2, where verse 2 asserts God’s lordship of everyone in this world, and this verse adds the hereafter to it.^{‎[9]Tabrisi, 1/100.} 3. The emphasis on God’s authority on the Day of Judgement is because of its significance. But the wares of the life of this world compared with the hereafter are but insignificant (9:38). 4. There are some forms of ownership and sovereignty that people have in this world (in the apparent sense) which will fade away on the Day of Judgement. The temporary shares of influence and possession that God has given His creatures will terminate at that point. On that day, God will be the sole possessor of all benefit, harm, speech, and intercession (34:42, 40:16, 43:86, 78:37). 5. His mastership and dominion will become most manifest on that day such that no one can deny (40:16), as opposed to this life which is a period of respite and trial. It is a day when the invalidity, ineffectiveness, and vanity of the presumed gods, partners, and idols will become evident to everyone. The day He will call out to them and say: ‘Where are My partners that you used to claim?’ We shall draw from every nation a witness and say: ‘Produce your evidence.’ Then they will know that all reality belongs to Allah and what they used to fabricate will forsake them (28:75); and they will be returned to Allah, their real master, and what they used to fabricate will forsake them (10:30; also see 6:24, 7:37, 7:53, 11:21, 16:87, and 41:47-48). God’s absolute mastership and authority in this world is expressed most eloquently in verses 3:26-27.

He is the absolute monarch, everywhere and always;

In His might and majesty He’s immersed with praise.^{‎[10]ʿAṭṭār, Manṭiq al-Ṭayr, āghāz-e kitāb.}

INSIGHTS FROM HADITH

1. According to the narrations, the Prophet recited this verse as both mālik (master, owner) and malik (king, sovereign).^{‎[11]Suyuti, 1/13-14.}
2. It is narrated that Imam al-Sajjād (a) used to repeat this verse in his recitation to the point that he was about to expire.^{‎[12]Ayyashi, 1/23, h. 23; Kafi, 2/602, h. 13; Mishkat, p. 120.}
3. Imam al-Bāqir (a) said: ‘Dīn means ḥisāb (reckoning).’^{‎[13]Tabrisi, 1/98.} Similarly, it is narrated from Ibn Masʿūd, Ibn Abbas, and some other companions: ‘Yawm al-dīn means the Day of Reckoning.’^{‎[14]Suyuti, 1/14.}
4. Imam Ali (a) was once asked about the meaning of ‘There is no movement or power except by God’. He said: ‘We are not masters of anything along with God, and we are not masters of anything save what He makes us masters of. So, when He makes us masters of something – over which He has more mastery than we do – He also assigns some duties to us. And when He takes it away, He takes away those duties as well.’^{‎[15]Nahj, saying 404.}

Notes: 1. This narration shows that God’s mastership and ownership of things is different from every other form of ownership. He is a master and Lord over everything, including things that apparently have other masters and owners. This is because the very existence and subsistence of all beings hinge on Him. That is why the movement and power to fulfil any duty is from Him. 2. This hadith refers to only one instance of the universal usage of the expression: lā ḥawla wa lā quwwata illā bi-llāh. According to another hadith, the expression means that ‘there is no abstention from disobeying God, nor any power to obey Him except by His help’.^{‎[16]Bihar, 5/123, h. 70.}

REVIEW OF TAFSIR LITERATURE

Some exegetes have interpreted dīn in this verse as religion, where yawm al-dīn means a day when nothing will avail except religion.^{‎[17]Tabrisi, 1/100, narrated from Muhammad ibn Kaʿb.} Although this is true about the Day of Judgement, it is not supported by the Quranic usage of yawm al-dīn, as discussed under Exegesis.

God’s sovereignty and rule is often mentioned in the Quran next to His mercy, justice, and/or holiness. This could be an instruction for all rulers and masters – at any level, whether major or minor – to not be oppressive against their subjects, but be merciful, fair, and benevolent, just like God.^{‎[18]Razi, 1/206.} This is an important, practical, and right observation, but it should be considered as a secondary inference from these verses, not their primary meaning and intent.

INSIGHTS FROM OTHER TRADITIONS

1. And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.^{‎[19]Revelation 11:15.}

[1] Alusi, 1/86.
[2] Manar, 1/54.
[3] Maqayis, under d-y-n; Tahqiq, under d-y-n.
[4] Razi, 1/205.
[5] Majmūʿat Warrām, 1/9; Kanz, 14/628, h. 39749.
[6] Ibn Abī al-Dunyā, Ḥusn al-Ẓann bi-llāh, p. 39, h. 25; ʿAjlūnī, Kashf al-Khafāʾ, 2/110, h. 1925.
[7] Rūmī, Mathnawī, v. 1, line 222.
[8] Bahāʾ al-Dīn al-ʿĀmilī, Rubāʿiyyāt.
[9] Tabrisi, 1/100.
[10] ʿAṭṭār, Manṭiq al-Ṭayr, āghāz-e kitāb.
[11] Suyuti, 1/13-14.
[12] Ayyashi, 1/23, h. 23; Kafi, 2/602, h. 13; Mishkat, p. 120.
[13] Tabrisi, 1/98.
[14] Suyuti, 1/14.
[15] Nahj, saying 404.
[16] Bihar, 5/123, h. 70.
[17] Tabrisi, 1/100, narrated from Muhammad ibn Kaʿb.
[18] Razi, 1/206.
[19] Revelation 11:15.