Surah Al-Imran, one of the radiant jewels of the Holy Qur'an, presents in its 26th verse a profound and magnificent depiction of Divine omnipotence and God's absolute ownership over existence. This verse, articulated through an instructive and affectionate address, invites humanity to contemplate the grandeur of the Lord and His position as the sovereign proprietor of all creation. In this treatise, through a deep exploration of the verses themes, an effort has been made to elucidate its lofty meaningsfrom sovereignty and ownership to the concepts of honour, abasement, and absolute goodin a coherent and scholarly framework. This work, relying upon the discourses of religious scholars, endeavours to present this verse as a gateway to Divine knowledge and spiritual refinement, allowing the reader, under its shade, to attain a profound comprehension of their relationship with the Creator of existence.
قُلِ اللَّهُمَّ مَالِكَ الْمُلْكِ تُؤْتِي الْمُلْكَ مَنْ تَشَاءُ وَتَنْزِعُ الْمُلْكَ مِمَّنْ تَشَاءُ وَتُعِزُّ مَنْ تَشَاءُ وَتُذِلُّ مَنْ تَشَاءُ ۖ بِيَدِكَ الْخَيْرُ ۖ إِنَّكَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
Say: O Allah, Owner of Sovereignty, You give sovereignty to whomsoever You will and You take sovereignty away from whomsoever You will; You honour whomsoever You will and You abase whomsoever You will. In Your hand is [all] good; indeed, You have power over all things.
This verse, commencing with the command Say (Qul), conveys an instructive message to the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) and, subsequently, to all servants, to praise the greatness of God, the absolute Owner of existence, with a tongue filled with humility. The term Allhumma is a call that illustrates the exalted stature of the Divine, as if inviting the servant to ascend to the summit of spiritual knowledge. The phrase Malik al-Mulk denotes Gods absolute ownership over all existencefrom the heavens and the earth to the realms of the unseen and the apparent. This ownership is not nominal but an existential reality encompassing all beings.
The 26th verse of Surah Al-Imran continues the theme of Divine omnipotence expressed in the preceding verse (25), which speaks of Divine power on the Day of Resurrection:
So how [will it be] when We gather them together for a Day about which there is no doubt, and every soul will be fully recompensed for what it earned, and they will not be wronged.
This verse testifies to Gods power in assembling all creatures on the Day of Judgement and enacting absolute justice. Verse 26 extends this sovereignty as absolute ownership and governance over existence, as if building a bridge between Divine grandeur in the Hereafter and His rule over the cosmos.
The initial command Say (Qul) is an instructive order guiding the servant towards knowledge and acknowledgement of Divine omnipotence. This command is addressed not only to the Prophet (peace be upon him) but to all believers, directing them to proclaim God's greatness with both tongue and heart. It acts like a light dispelling the darkness of doubt and estrangement from the truth, leading one to comprehend the reality of Divine ownership. Say is an invitation to dialogue with the Creator, a discourse that inclines the heart towards submission and humility.
The term Allhumma is a supplication arising from the depths of the servants being, praising the exalted station of God. This call, a variant of O Allah, omits the vocative particle in Malik al-Mulk, intertwining intimate affection with infinite majesty. It is as if the servant, before the boundless ocean of Divinity, utters a voice filled with wonder and reverence. This call invites reflection upon the loftiness and greatness of the Lord, as though soaring to the heights of spiritual knowledge.
Malik al-Mulk testifies that God is the absolute Owner of all existence. Here, al-Mulk refers not merely to apparent dominion but to a comprehensive concept of existence encompassing all material and spiritual realmsfrom humans and animals to the heavens and the earth. This ownership is an existential truth derived from Divine essence, devoid of any conventional or contingent validity. As the Creator, God is simultaneously Owner and Manager of existence; this ownership, like the sun, illuminates all creatures beneath its rays.
The phrase You give sovereignty to whomsoever You will and You take sovereignty away from whomsoever You will refers to the bestowal and withdrawal of sovereignty according to Divine wisdom. You give and You take signify the authority God exercises in granting rule and power to whomever He wills and removing it from whomever He decrees. This giving and taking is not nominal but existentialakin to the transformation from life to death or death to lifeoccurring within the system of Divine wisdom.
In this verse, al-Mulk connotes true authority, firmness, grandeur, and real capability free from any oppressive or illegitimate domination. Unlike worldly powers, which are often accompanied by injustice and arrogance, Divine sovereignty flows like a pure stream solely along the path of goodness and justice. This sovereignty includes strength, zeal, and greatness that God bestows upon angels, jinn, or chosen humanssuch as the kingdom of Solomon, which was a manifestation of Divine authority.
The phrase You honour whomsoever You will refers to Gods bestowal of honour. Honour in this verse is a concept distinct from sovereignty. While sovereignty denotes authority and firmness, honour encompasses refinement, beauty, and often victimhood. Honour may manifest in a powerless being, like a beautiful dove or a radiant gem. Sometimes honour appears in the oppression of a weak entity, such as the dog of the People of the Cave, which attained a lofty status through companionship with the righteous.
Conversely, You abase whomsoever You will refers to the granting of abasement, which includes wickedness, fear, weakness, and baseness such as lying, betrayal, or stinginess. Abasement is the result of deviation from the path of truth, sometimes due to the individuals own behaviour and at other times influenced by external factors like improper upbringing. This abasement is observable in all beingsfrom humans to animals and plantsand signifies distance from Divine good.
Honour and sovereignty are two distinct but complementary concepts. Sovereignty is like a warrior who gallops with firmness upon a horse, whereas honour resembles a jewel shining in the showcase of hearts. Honour may exist without power, like the beauty of a peacock which commands respect. Yet, the two can coexist in one individual, such as the Divine saints who possessed both the sovereignty of rule and the refinement of honour.
The phrase In Your hand is [all] good affirms that absolute good rests solely with God. This good, like a pure stream, encompasses all existential and spiritual dimensions, and no evil can be attributed to God. Evil originates from human selves, as the Holy Qur'an states:
And whatever strikes you of disaster - it is for what your hands have earned.
This verse invites humans to place their trust in God and avoid dependence on others, teaching that good flows solely from the hands of the Lord.
The phrase Indeed, You have power over all things portrays the zenith of Divine omnipotence. Qadr here implies not merely being capable but an active and perpetual power encompassing all affairsfrom creation to the administration of the Resurrection. This power, like a boundless ocean, contains all existence and calls humans to humility and submission to Divine will.
Reciting verse 26 of Surah Al-Imran as a dhikr (remembrance) acts as a key opening
