قُلْ مَن رَّبُّ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ ٱلسَّبْعِ وَرَبُّ ٱلْعَرْشِ ٱلْعَظِيمِ 86
Translations
Say, "Who is Lord of the seven heavens and Lord of the Great Throne?"
Transliteration
Qul man rabbu as-samawati as-saba wa rabbu al-arshi al-azim
Tafsir (Explanation)
In this ayah, Allah commands the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to pose a rhetorical question to the disbelievers, asking them who is the Lord of the seven heavens and the Lord of the Mighty Throne. This question is designed to lead them to acknowledge Allah's absolute lordship and sovereignty, as even the polytheists of Mecca recognized that Allah alone created and sustains the heavens and the earth. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this ayah emphasizes that despite their polytheistic practices, the disbelievers could not deny Allah's role as the sole Creator and Sustainer, thereby exposing the contradiction and irrationality of their idolatry.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Al-Mu'minun, a Meccan chapter revealed during the early period of Islam when the Prophet faced intense opposition from the Quraysh polytheists. The surah is part of a series of chapters addressing the disbelievers' rejection of tawhid (monotheism) and employing logical arguments to demonstrate the absurdity of associating partners with Allah in worship.
Related Hadiths
The concept is reflected in the hadith in Sahih Bukhari where the Prophet taught that when someone says 'Subhan'Allah wa bihamdihi' (Glory be to Allah and praise be to Him), it is a means of seeking forgiveness and acknowledging Allah's majesty. Additionally, the hadith about the boy who asked about the Creator in Sahih Muslim relates to this theme of recognizing Allah's lordship through His creation.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers to use reason and logical questioning when calling others to Islam, helping them recognize the contradiction in associating partners with the One who created and sustains everything. It reminds us that acknowledging Allah's absolute lordship over creation is the foundation of correct belief, and appeals to this universal recognition can be a powerful tool in conveying the message of tawhid.