Owner of Day of Recompense: Commentary on Holy Quran (Chapter 1:4)

Shafaqna English- Commentary on the Holy Quran (Chapter 1:4) by Mohammad Sobhanie.

مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ ﴿٤﴾

1:4 The Owner of the Day of Recompense

Commentary: This verse speaks about the manifestation of the absolute sovereignty of Allah (SWT) on the Day of Judgement.  The Arabic word “Maliki” (مَالِكِ) is an agent noun of “Melk” (مِلك) and means to own and possess. The phrase “yawmi alddeeni” (يَوْمِ الدِّينِ) means the Day of Judgment. Hence, this verse asserts that Allah (SWT) is the Master of the Day of Judgment. Other translations include the Owner and the Sovereign of the Day of Judgment.

Allah (SWT) is the absolute Sovereign in this world and the Hereafter^[1]. Nevertheless, man sometimes is oblivious to God’s divine authority, so he disobeys Him and sins. However, all of mankind will witness God’s sovereignty and power on the Day of Judgment. That day, no one can speak without the permission of God^[2], let alone be able to run from His judgment.

يَوْمَ يَقُومُ الرُّوحُ وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ صَفًّا لَّا يَتَكَلَّمُونَ إِلَّا مَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ الرَّحْمَـنُ وَقَالَ صَوَابًا ﴿٣٨﴾

 78:38 On that day, the Spirit and the angels who stand in lines will not speak except those whom the Beneficent God has permitted, and he will speak what is right.

Some reciters have read the verse as (مَلِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ), which means the “The King of the Day of Judgement”. The word “Malek” (مَلِكِ) comes from the word “Mulk” (مُلك), and it means kingdom. For instance, chapter Al-i-Imran (3:189) states:

وَلِلَّـهِ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَاللَّـهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ ﴿١٨٩﴾

3:189 The kingdom of the heavens and the earth belongs to God; God has power over all things.

Similarly, the word (مَلَكُوتُ) means kingdom. For instance, chapter Ya-sin (36:83) states:

 فَسُبْحَانَ الَّذِي بِيَدِهِ مَلَكُوتُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ ﴿٨٣﴾

36:83 Therefore, glory be to Him in Whose hand is the kingdom of all things, and to Him, you shall be brought back.

Word-for-Word Translation:

1:4 [مَالِكِ] (The) Master [يَوْمِ] (of the) Day [الدِّينِ] (of the) Judgement

Note:

[1]. Al-A’raf 7:54.

[2]. An-Naba 8:38.