قُلْ مَنۢ بِيَدِهِۦ مَلَكُوتُ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ وَهُوَ يُجِيرُ وَلَا يُجَارُ عَلَيْهِ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ 88
Translations
Say, "In whose hand is the realm of all things - and He protects while none can protect against Him - if you should know?"
Transliteration
Qul man bi-yadihi malakūtu kulli shay'in wa-huwa yujīru wa-lā yujāru 'alayhi in kuntum ta'lamūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
The Prophet (peace be upon him) is commanded to ask the disbelievers: 'Who possesses dominion and sovereignty over all things, and who grants refuge/protection while none can grant refuge against Him?' This ayah emphasizes Allah's absolute power and authority over creation, challenging the polytheists to rationally recognize God's uniqueness. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir note this serves as a rhetorical proof (hujjah) against idolatry, as no created being possesses such ultimate authority and protective power.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Meccan surah Al-Mu'minun during the period of intense missionary preaching in Mecca. It is part of a series of rhetorical questions (ayaat 84-89) directed at the Quraysh polytheists to reason about tawhīd (monotheism). The context addresses the Quraysh's denial of the Resurrection and their worship of idols alongside Allah.
Related Hadiths
The theme of Allah's exclusive dominion is reinforced in the hadith narrated by Abu Hurayrah in Sahih Muslim: 'The most truthful word spoken by a poet is the statement of Labid: 'Verily, everything besides Allah is falsehood.' A relevant Quranic parallel is found in Surah Ad-Dukhan (44:4): 'By this Book and by the Clear Book. We have made it a Quran in Arabic so that you might understand.'
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah invites believers to contemplate Allah's absolute dominion and to recognize that true security and refuge come only from Him, not from created beings or false deities. It teaches that acknowledging God's unique authority is not merely a matter of belief but a rational conclusion accessible to human reason and reflection.