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Surah Mulk

Surah al-Mulk (سورة الملك) — "The Dominion" — is the 67th chapter of the Qur'an. It has 30 verses and is one of the most emphasized surahs for nightly recitation.

The surah opens by declaring Allah's absolute sovereignty over all things, then invites the reader to look at the heavens, the earth, birds in flight, and their own bodies as signs pointing to a single, all-knowing Creator — and warns of the reality of the Hereafter for those who reject Him.

1

تَبَـٰرَكَ ٱلَّذِى بِيَدِهِ ٱلْمُلْكُ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ ١

Blessed is He in Whose hand is the Sovereignty, and, He is Able to do all things.

2

ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلْمَوْتَ وَٱلْحَيَوٲةَ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلاً‌ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْغَفُورُ ٢

Who hath created life and death that He may try you which of you is best in conduct; and He is the Mighty, the Forgiving,

3

ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ سَبْعَ سَمَـٰوَٲتٍ طِبَاقًا‌ۖ مَّا تَرَىٰ فِى خَلْقِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ مِن تَفَـٰوُتٍ‌ۖ فَٱرْجِعِ ٱلْبَصَرَ هَلْ تَرَىٰ مِن فُطُورٍ ٣

Who hath created seven heavens in harmony. Thou (Muhammad) canst see no fault in the Beneficent One's creation; then look again: Canst thou see any rifts?

4

ثُمَّ ٱرْجِعِ ٱلْبَصَرَ كَرَّتَيْنِ يَنقَلِبْ إِلَيْكَ ٱلْبَصَرُ خَاسِئًا وَهُوَ حَسِيرٌ ٤

Then look again and yet again, thy sight will return unto thee weakened and made dim.

5

وَلَقَدْ زَيَّنَّا ٱلسَّمَآءَ ٱلدُّنْيَا بِمَصَـٰبِيحَ وَجَعَلْنَـٰهَا رُجُومًا لِّلشَّيَـٰطِينِ‌ۖ وَأَعْتَدْنَا لَهُمْ عَذَابَ ٱلسَّعِيرِ ٥

And verily We have beautified the world's heaven with lamps, and We have made them missiles for the devils, and for them We have prepared the doom of flame.

6

وَلِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بِرَبِّهِمْ عَذَابُ جَهَنَّمَ‌ۖ وَبِئْسَ ٱلْمَصِيرُ ٦

And for those who disbelieve in their Lord there is the doom of hell, a hapless journey's end!

7

إِذَآ أُلْقُواْ فِيهَا سَمِعُواْ لَهَا شَهِيقًا وَهِىَ تَفُورُ ٧

When they are flung therein they hear its roaring as it boileth up,

8

تَكَادُ تَمَيَّزُ مِنَ ٱلْغَيْظِ‌ۖ كُلَّمَآ أُلْقِىَ فِيهَا فَوْجٌ سَأَلَهُمْ خَزَنَتُهَآ أَلَمْ يَأْتِكُمْ نَذِيرٌ ٨

As it would burst with rage. Whenever a (fresh) host is flung therein the wardens thereof ask them: Came there unto you no warner?

9

قَالُواْ بَلَىٰ قَدْ جَآءَنَا نَذِيرٌ فَكَذَّبْنَا وَقُلْنَا مَا نَزَّلَ ٱللَّهُ مِن شَىْءٍ إِنْ أَنتُمْ إِلَّا فِى ضَلَـٰلٍ كَبِيرٍ ٩

They say: Yea, verily, a warner came unto us; but we denied and said: Allah hath naught revealed; ye are in naught but a great error.

10

وَقَالُواْ لَوْ كُنَّا نَسْمَعُ أَوْ نَعْقِلُ مَا كُنَّا فِىٓ أَصْحَـٰبِ ٱلسَّعِيرِ ١٠

And they say: Had we been wont to listen or have sense, we had not been among the dwellers in the flames.

11

فَٱعْتَرَفُواْ بِذَنۢبِهِمْ فَسُحْقًا لِّأَصْحَـٰبِ ٱلسَّعِيرِ ١١

So they acknowledge their sins; but far removed (from mercy) are the dwellers in the flames.

12

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُم بِٱلْغَيْبِ لَهُم مَّغْفِرَةٌ وَأَجْرٌ كَبِيرٌ ١٢

Lo! those who fear their Lord in secret, theirs will be forgiveness and a great reward.

13

وَأَسِرُّواْ قَوْلَكُمْ أَوِ ٱجْهَرُواْ بِهِۦٓ‌ۖ إِنَّهُۥ عَلِيمُۢ بِذَاتِ ٱلصُّدُورِ ١٣

And keep your opinion secret or proclaim it, lo! He is Knower of all that is in the breasts (of men).

14

أَلَا يَعْلَمُ مَنْ خَلَقَ وَهُوَ ٱللَّطِيفُ ٱلْخَبِيرُ ١٤

Should He not know what He created? And He is the Subtile, the Aware.

15

هُوَ ٱلَّذِى جَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلْأَرْضَ ذَلُولاً فَٱمْشُواْ فِى مَنَاكِبِهَا وَكُلُواْ مِن رِّزْقِهِۦ‌ۖ وَإِلَيْهِ ٱلنُّشُورُ ١٥

He it is Who hath made the earth subservient unto you, so Walk in the paths thereof and eat of His providence. And unto Him will be the resurrection (of the dead).

16

ءَأَمِنتُم مَّن فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ أَن يَخْسِفَ بِكُمُ ٱلْأَرْضَ فَإِذَا هِىَ تَمُورُ ١٦

Have ye taken security from Him Who is in the heaven that He will not cause the earth to swallow you when lo! it is convulsed?

17

أَمْ أَمِنتُم مَّن فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ أَن يُرْسِلَ عَلَيْكُمْ حَاصِبًا‌ۖ فَسَتَعْلَمُونَ كَيْفَ نَذِيرِ ١٧

Or have ye taken security from Him Who is in the heaven that He will not let loose on you a hurricane? But ye shall know the manner of My warning.

18

وَلَقَدْ كَذَّبَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ فَكَيْفَ كَانَ نَكِيرِ ١٨

And verily those before them denied, then (see) the manner of My wrath (with them)!

19

أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْاْ إِلَى ٱلطَّيْرِ فَوْقَهُمْ صَـٰٓفَّـٰتٍ وَيَقْبِضْنَ‌ۚ مَا يُمْسِكُهُنَّ إِلَّا ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ‌ۚ إِنَّهُۥ بِكُلِّ شَىْءِۭ بَصِيرٌ ١٩

Have they not seen the birds above them spreading out their wings and closing them? Naught upholdeth them save the Beneficent. Lo! He is Seer of all things.

20

أَمَّنْ هَـٰذَا ٱلَّذِى هُوَ جُندٌ لَّكُمْ يَنصُرُكُم مِّن دُونِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ‌ۚ إِنِ ٱلْكَـٰفِرُونَ إِلَّا فِى غُرُورٍ ٢٠

Or who is he that will be an army unto you to help you instead of the Beneficent? The disbelievers are in naught but illusion.

21

أَمَّنْ هَـٰذَا ٱلَّذِى يَرْزُقُكُمْ إِنْ أَمْسَكَ رِزْقَهُۥ‌ۚ بَل لَّجُّواْ فِى عُتُوٍّ وَنُفُورٍ ٢١

Or who is he that will provide for you if He should withhold His providence? Nay, but they are set in pride and frowardness.

22

أَفَمَن يَمْشِى مُكِبًّا عَلَىٰ وَجْهِهِۦٓ أَهْدَىٰٓ أَمَّن يَمْشِى سَوِيًّا عَلَىٰ صِرَٲطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ ٢٢

Is he who goeth groping on his face more rightly guided, or he who walketh upright on a straight road?

23

قُلْ هُوَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنشَأَكُمْ وَجَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلسَّمْعَ وَٱلْأَبْصَـٰرَ وَٱلْأَفْــِٔدَةَ‌ۖ قَلِيلاً مَّا تَشْكُرُونَ ٢٣

Say (unto them, O Muhammad): He it is who gave you being, and hath assigned unto you ears and eyes and hearts. Small thanks give ye!

24

قُلْ هُوَ ٱلَّذِى ذَرَأَكُمْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَإِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ ٢٤

Say: He it is Who multiplieth you in the earth, and unto Whom ye will be gathered.

25

وَيَقُولُونَ مَتَىٰ هَـٰذَا ٱلْوَعْدُ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰدِقِينَ ٢٥

And they say: When (will) this promise (be fulfilled), if ye are truthful?

26

قُلْ إِنَّمَا ٱلْعِلْمُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ وَإِنَّمَآ أَنَا۟ نَذِيرٌ مُّبِينٌ ٢٦

Say: The knowledge is with Allah only, and I am but a plain warner;

27

فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهُ زُلْفَةً سِيٓــَٔتْ وُجُوهُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَقِيلَ هَـٰذَا ٱلَّذِى كُنتُم بِهِۦ تَدَّعُونَ ٢٧

But when they see it nigh, the faces of those who disbelieve will be awry, and it will be said (unto them): This is that for which ye used to call.

28

قُلْ أَرَءَيْتُمْ إِنْ أَهْلَكَنِىَ ٱللَّهُ وَمَن مَّعِىَ أَوْ رَحِمَنَا فَمَن يُجِيرُ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ مِنْ عَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ ٢٨

Say (O Muhammad): Have ye thought: Whether Allah causeth me (Muhammad) and those with me to perish or hath mercy on us, still, who will protect the disbelievers from a painful doom?

29

قُلْ هُوَ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ ءَامَنَّا بِهِۦ وَعَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْنَا‌ۖ فَسَتَعْلَمُونَ مَنْ هُوَ فِى ضَلَـٰلٍ مُّبِينٍ ٢٩

Say: He is the Beneficent. In Him we believe and in Him we put our trust. And ye will soon know who it is that is in error manifest.

30

قُلْ أَرَءَيْتُمْ إِنْ أَصْبَحَ مَآؤُكُمْ غَوْرًا فَمَن يَأْتِيكُم بِمَآءٍ مَّعِينِۭ ٣٠

Say: Have ye thought: If (all) your water were to disappear into the earth, who then could bring you gushing water?

Virtues

  • Protector from the punishment of the grave: the Prophet ﷺ said, "There is a surah in the Qur'an of thirty verses which interceded for a man until he was forgiven — Tabarak alladhi bi-yadihi al-mulk" (Ahmad, Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi — authenticated by al-Albani).
  • Recited nightly by the Prophet ﷺ — Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet ﷺ would not sleep until he recited Al-Sajdah and Al-Mulk (Tirmidhi 2892, hasan).

When to recite

  • Every night before sleeping — the primary Sunnah.
  • Together with Surah as-Sajdah as the Prophet ﷺ did.
  • Any time of the day for reflection on Allah's signs.

Frequently asked

How many verses are in Surah al-Mulk?

30 verses.

What is the main benefit of Surah al-Mulk?

Reciting it — especially before sleep — is a means for it to intercede for the reciter and protect from the punishment of the grave.

Is it Sunnah to recite Surah al-Mulk every night?

Yes. The Prophet ﷺ would not sleep until he had recited it, along with Surah as-Sajdah.

What does 'Tabarak' mean?

'Tabarak' means 'Blessed and exalted is He' — an opening word of praise proclaiming Allah's abundant blessing and majesty.