Surah Mulk (Tafseer): Introduction

Benefits of reciting Surah Mulk

In the name of Allah, the most Gracious, the most Merciful. Truly all praise is due to Allah, we praise him and seek his help and forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allah from the evils of ourselves; and our bad actions. Whomsoever Allah guides, none can turn him astray, and whomsoever Allah turns astray, none can guide him. I bear witness that there is nothing worthy of worship except Allah, the only one without Any partner. And I bear witness that Muhammad is his servant and final messenger. 

In today’s kuthbah, we will be looking at the tafseer of surah mulk.

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)

said: “A soorah from the Qur’aan containing thirty verses will intercede for a man so that he will be forgiven. It is the soorah Tabaarak Alathi bi yadihi’l-mulk [i.e., Soorat al-Mulk].”

Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2891; Abu Dawood, 1400; Ibn Maajah, 3786.

What is meant is that a person should read it every night, act in accordance with the rulings contained in it, and believe in the information mentioned in it.

It was narrated that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood said: Whoever reads Tabaarak allaahi bi yadihi’l-mulk [i.e., Soorat al-Mulk] every night, Allaah will protect him from the torment of the grave. At the time of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) we used to call it al-maani’ah (that which protects). In the Book of Allaah it is a soorah which, whoever recites it every night has done very well.

Imam Ahmad recorded from Abu Hurayrah that Allah's Messenger said,

(Verily, there is a chapter in the Qur'an which contains thirty Ayat that will intercede on behalf of its reciter until he is forgiven. (It is): (Blessed be He in Whose Hand is the dominion.).

At-Tabarani and Al-Hafiz Ad-Diya' Al-Maqdisi both recorded from Anas that the Messenger of Allah said,

There is a chapter of the Qur'an that will argue on behalf of its reciter until it causes him to enter into Paradise. (It is): (Blessed be He in Whose Hand is the dominion.)

The Surah (synopsis v.1-11)

In the first five verses man has been made to realize that the universe in which he lives is a most well organized and fortified Kingdom in which he cannot detect any fault, any weakness or flaw, however hard he may try to probe. This Kingdom has been brought from nothing into existence by Allah Almighty Himself and All the powers of controlling, administering and ruling it are also entirely in Allah's hand and His power is infinite. Besides, man has also been told that in this wise system he has not been created without a purpose, but he has been sent here for a test and in this test he can succeed only by his righteous deeds and conduct.

In vv. 6-11, dreadful consequences of disbelief which will appear in the Hereafter have been mentioned, and the people told that Allah, by sending His Prophets, has warned them of these consequences in this very world, as if to say "Now, if you do not believe in what the Prophets say and correct your attitude and behavior accordingly, in the Hereafter you will yourself have to admit that you really deserved the punishment that was being meted out to you."

Source: Tafseer Ibn Khateer, Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi - Tafhim al-Qur'an