قُلِ ٱللَّهُمَّ فَاطِرَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ عَـٰلِمَ ٱلْغَيْبِ وَٱلشَّهَـٰدَةِ أَنتَ تَحْكُمُ بَيْنَ عِبَادِكَ فِى مَا كَانُوا۟ فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ 46
Translations
Say, "O Allāh, Creator of the heavens and the earth, Knower of the unseen and the witnessed, You will judge between your servants concerning that over which they used to differ."
Transliteration
Qul Allāhumma Fāṭir as-samāwāti wa-al-arḍ, ʿālim al-ghayb wa-ash-shahādah, anta taḥkum bayna ʿibādika fī mā kānū fīhi yakhtalifūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah presents a powerful supplication addressing Allah by His greatest names and attributes: the Creator of the heavens and earth, the Knower of the unseen and the seen. The Prophet ﷺ is commanded to call upon Allah to judge between His servants in their disputes and disagreements, emphasizing that only Allah possesses complete knowledge and absolute authority to render just judgment. Classical scholars like Al-Qurtubi note this ayah affirms Allah's comprehensive knowledge and His role as the ultimate arbiter on the Day of Judgment, while Ibn Kathir highlights how these divine attributes establish Allah's perfect capability to adjudicate all matters with complete justice.
Revelation Context
Surah Az-Zumar is a Meccan surah addressing the polytheists and those who disputed with the Prophet ﷺ regarding monotheism and the afterlife. This ayah comes in a context where various groups held conflicting beliefs about Allah, creation, and divine judgment. The supplication serves as reassurance that despite earthly disagreements, Allah will ultimately settle all disputes with perfect knowledge and wisdom.
Related Hadiths
The Hadith of Jibril in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet ﷺ is questioned about Islam, Iman, and Ihsan, emphasizing Allah's complete knowledge of all affairs. Additionally, the practice of invoking Allah's names (Asma ul-Husna) in supplication is supported by the hadith: 'Verily, there are ninety-nine names of Allah' (Sahih Bukhari and Muslim).
Themes
Key Lesson
In times of disagreement or injustice, believers should turn to Allah in supplication, trusting in His infinite knowledge and perfect justice, knowing that He alone sees all hidden and visible matters and will ultimately judge all affairs with absolute wisdom. This ayah teaches us that earthly disputes are temporary, and believers should have complete reliance (tawakkul) on Allah's judgment rather than despair.
Related Ayahs
قُل لِّلَّهِ ٱلشَّفَـٰعَةُ جَمِيعًا ۖ لَّهُۥ مُلْكُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ
Say, "To Allāh belongs [the right to allow] intercession entirely. To Him belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. Then to Him you will be returned."
أَفَمَنْ حَقَّ عَلَيْهِ كَلِمَةُ ٱلْعَذَابِ أَفَأَنتَ تُنقِذُ مَن فِى ٱلنَّارِ
Then, is one who has deserved the decree of punishment [to be guided]? Then, can you save one who is in the Fire?
وَلَوْ أَنَّ لِلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ مَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا وَمِثْلَهُۥ مَعَهُۥ لَٱفْتَدَوْا۟ بِهِۦ مِن سُوٓءِ ٱلْعَذَابِ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۚ وَبَدَا لَهُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَمْ يَكُونُوا۟ يَحْتَسِبُونَ
And if those who did wrong had all that is in the earth entirely and the like of it with it, they would [attempt to] ransom themselves thereby from the worst of the punishment on the Day of Resurrection. And there will appear to them from Allāh that which they had not taken into account.
وَنُفِخَ فِى ٱلصُّورِ فَصَعِقَ مَن فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَن فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ إِلَّا مَن شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ ۖ ثُمَّ نُفِخَ فِيهِ أُخْرَىٰ فَإِذَا هُمْ قِيَامٌ يَنظُرُونَ
And the Horn will be blown, and whoever is in the heavens and whoever is on the earth will fall dead except whom Allāh wills. Then it will be blown again, and at once they will be standing, looking on.