قُلِ ٱللَّهُمَّ مَـٰلِكَ ٱلْمُلْكِ تُؤْتِى ٱلْمُلْكَ مَن تَشَآءُ وَتَنزِعُ ٱلْمُلْكَ مِمَّن تَشَآءُ وَتُعِزُّ مَن تَشَآءُ وَتُذِلُّ مَن تَشَآءُ ۖ بِيَدِكَ ٱلْخَيْرُ ۖ إِنَّكَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ 26
Translations
Say, "O Allāh, Owner of Sovereignty, You give sovereignty to whom You will and You take sovereignty away from whom You will. You honor whom You will and You humble whom You will. In Your hand is [all] good. Indeed, You are over all things competent.
Transliteration
Qul Allahumma Malika al-Mulk tu'ti al-mulka man tasha'u wa tanzi'u al-mulka mimman tasha'u wa tu'izzu man tasha'u wa tudhillu man tasha'u. Bi-yadika al-khayru. Innaka 'ala kulli shay'in qadir.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah is a profound supplication (du'a) in which the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is commanded to address Allah as the Master of all sovereignty, affirming that all dominion, honor, and humiliation rest entirely in Allah's hands alone. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir explain that this du'a teaches believers that worldly power and authority are temporary gifts from Allah that He grants and withdraws according to His divine wisdom, and that all good ultimately derives from Allah's perfect control. Al-Qurtubi notes this ayah emphasizes absolute divine omnipotence and the futility of relying on created beings for power or protection.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Ali 'Imran (a Medinan surah), following discussions about the Battle of Badr and divine support for the believers. The broader context addresses the changing circumstances of the early Muslim community—victories and defeats—reminding them that ultimate authority belongs to Allah alone, not to worldly powers or human plans.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) would frequently recite du'as affirming Allah's sovereignty. While no single hadith directly quotes this du'a, the concept is reinforced in the hadith in Sunan Ibn Majah where the Prophet teaches that 'hearts are between two fingers of the Most Merciful and He directs them as He wills,' emphasizing Allah's control over all affairs.
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers should recognize that all worldly authority, wealth, and status are temporary trusts from Allah and should never become sources of arrogance or misplaced reliance; instead, we must direct our hopes and fears to Allah alone, understanding that true honor comes from pleasing Him rather than from temporal power.