رَّبُّ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا وَرَبُّ ٱلْمَشَـٰرِقِ 5
Translations
Lord of the heavens and the earth and that between them and Lord of the sunrises.
Transliteration
Rabbu as-samawati wa-al-ardi wa-ma baynahuma wa-rabbu al-mashariq
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah affirms Allah's lordship (Rububiyyah) over the heavens, the earth, and everything between them, as well as His dominion over all the directions and places where the sun rises. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir emphasize that this declaration of Allah's comprehensive sovereignty serves as a foundational response to polytheism and idolatry, establishing that no being shares in Allah's dominion or creative power. Al-Tabari notes that the repetition of 'Rabb' (Lord) underscores the absolute nature of Allah's lordship in all aspects of creation.
Revelation Context
Surah As-Saffat is a Meccan surah revealed during the early period of Islamic preaching when Prophet Muhammad faced significant opposition from the Meccan polytheists. This ayah appears in the opening section where Allah establishes His attributes and oneness, providing a powerful theological foundation to counter the idolatry prevalent in pre-Islamic Arabia and strengthen the believers' conviction in tawhid (monotheism).
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'The best supplication is 'There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, and He has no partner. To Him belongs the dominion, and to Him belongs all praise, and He is over all things competent' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi). This hadith echoes the comprehensive lordship described in this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that Allah's authority and dominion are absolute and all-encompassing, leaving no room for associating partners with Him; recognizing this truth should inspire humble submission to Allah's will and trust in His perfect governance of all affairs in heaven and on earth.