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سورة الْمُلْك
Surah Al-Mulk — Key Word Definitions
Session 04 · Tadabur Guide · Saturday, April 18, 2026
تَبَارَكَ Tabāraka Ayah 1 — "Blessed is He in Whose hand is dominion."
Light Definition
تعاظمَ وتعالى وثبتَ خيرُه He is exalted, magnified, and His goodness is constant and enduring
Al-Raghib — Arabic
[برك]
البَرَكَةُ: ثبوت الخير الإلهيّ في الشيء. قال تعالى: لَفَتَحْنا عَلَيْهِمْ بَرَكاتٍ مِنَ السَّماءِ وَالْأَرْضِ [الأعراف/ ٩٦]. والمُبَارَكُ: ما فيه البركة. قال: كِتابٌ أَنْزَلْناهُ إِلَيْكَ مُبارَكٌ [ص/ ٢٩].

وتَبَارَكَ: تعاظم. ولا يقال إلّا لله تعالى. قال: تَبارَكَ الَّذِي بِيَدِهِ الْمُلْكُ [الملك/ ١]، وقال: تَبارَكَ الَّذِي نَزَّلَ الْفُرْقانَ عَلى عَبْدِهِ [الفرقان/ ١]، وقال: تَبارَكَ الَّذِي جَعَلَ فِي السَّماءِ بُرُوجاً [الفرقان/ ٦١].

وأصل البركة من بَرَكَ البعيرُ: أناخَ في موضعه ولزمه. فاستُعيرت للخير الثابت الدائم.
Al-Raghib — English
[Root: b-r-k]

Al-barakah is the settling and permanence of divine goodness in something. Allah says: "We would have opened upon them blessings from heaven and earth" [Al-A'raf/96]. Al-mubarak means that which contains barakah: "A Book We have sent down to you, blessed" [Sad/29].

Tabaraka means He is exalted in greatness. This word is used exclusively for Allah. He says: "Blessed is He in Whose hand is dominion" [Al-Mulk/1], "Blessed is He who sent down the Criterion upon His servant" [Al-Furqan/1], "Blessed is He who placed constellations in the sky" [Al-Furqan/61].

The root comes from baraka al-ba'ir: the camel knelt down in its place and stayed. It was then metaphorically extended to mean goodness that is fixed and enduring.
الْمُلْك Al-Mulk Ayah 1 — "Blessed is He in Whose hand is dominion."
Light Definition
السلطة والتصرف المطلق Sovereignty, absolute authority and control
Al-Raghib — Arabic
[ملك]
المُلْكُ: هو التصرّف بالأمر والنهي في الجمهور، وذلك يختصّ بسياسة الإنسان. قال تعالى: قُلِ اللَّهُمَّ مالِكَ الْمُلْكِ تُؤْتِي الْمُلْكَ مَنْ تَشاءُ وَتَنْزِعُ الْمُلْكَ مِمَّنْ تَشاءُ [آل عمران/ ٢٦].

والمِلْك (بالكسر): يقال لما يُملك من الأعيان. والمَلَكُ: واحد الملائكة، سُمّوا بذلك لأنهم رسل الله في تدبير أمره. قال: تَبارَكَ الَّذِي بِيَدِهِ الْمُلْكُ [الملك/ ١].

والفرق بين المُلْك والمِلْك: أنّ المُلْك يتعلّق بالتدبير والسياسة، والمِلْك يتعلّق بالحيازة والتصرّف في الأعيان.
Al-Raghib — English
[Root: m-l-k]

Al-Mulk is the exercise of authority through command and prohibition over people; it pertains to the governance of human affairs. Allah says: "Say: O Allah, Owner of sovereignty, You give sovereignty to whom You will and take sovereignty away from whom You will" [Al 'Imran/26].

Al-milk (with kasrah) refers to owned possessions. Al-malak (angel) is singular of mala'ikah; they are named so because they are Allah's messengers in administering His decree. He says: "Blessed is He in Whose hand is al-Mulk" [Al-Mulk/1].

The difference between mulk and milk: mulk relates to governance and authority, while milk relates to possession and ownership of specific things.
قَدِير Qadir Ayah 1 — "And He is over all things competent."
Light Definition
البالغ في القدرة، لا يعجزه شيء The One perfect in power; nothing renders Him incapable
Al-Raghib — Arabic
[قدر]
القُدْرَةُ إذا وُصف بها الإنسان فاسم لهيئة له بها يتمكّن من فعل شيء ما. وإذا وُصف بها الله تعالى فنفيُ العجز عنه. قال: وَهُوَ عَلى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ [الملك/ ١]، وقال: إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ [البقرة/ ٢٠].

والقَدَرُ والتقدير: تبيين كمّيّة الشيء. قال: إِنَّا كُلَّ شَيْءٍ خَلَقْناهُ بِقَدَرٍ [القمر/ ٤٩]. والقَدِير والقادر: وصفان لله تعالى، والقدير أبلغ.
Al-Raghib — English
[Root: q-d-r]

Al-qudrah when describing a human is a capacity that enables them to do something. When describing Allah, it is the negation of any incapacity whatsoever. He says: "And He is over all things Qadir (competent)" [Al-Mulk/1], and: "Indeed Allah is over all things competent" [Al-Baqarah/20].

Al-qadar and al-taqdir mean specifying the measure of a thing. He says: "Indeed, all things We created with qadar (precise measure)" [Al-Qamar/49]. Both Qadir and Qadir are attributes of Allah, but Qadir is more emphatic.
الْمَوْت Al-Mawt Ayah 2 — "He who created death and life to test you."
Light Definition
زوال القوّة الحسّاسة عن الجسد The departure of the life-force from the body
Al-Raghib — Arabic
[موت]
الموتُ يقال على أوجه: الأوّل: زوال القوّة الحاسّة، وهو المراد بقوله: كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذائِقَةُ الْمَوْتِ [آل عمران/ ١٨٥]. والثاني: زوال قوّة النّماء كموت النبات. والثالث: الحزن والخوف المُذلّ، كقوله: وَيَأْتِيهِ الْمَوْتُ مِنْ كُلِّ مَكانٍ وَما هُوَ بِمَيِّتٍ [إبراهيم/ ١٧]. والرابع: الجهل، كقوله: أَوَمَنْ كانَ مَيْتاً فَأَحْيَيْناهُ [الأنعام/ ١٢٢].

قال تعالى: الَّذِي خَلَقَ الْمَوْتَ وَالْحَياةَ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلاً [الملك/ ٢].
Al-Raghib — English
[Root: m-w-t]

Al-mawt is used in several senses. First: the departure of the perceptive force, as in: "Every soul will taste death" [Al 'Imran/185]. Second: the loss of growth capacity, as in the death of plants. Third: grief and humiliating fear, as in: "Death comes to him from all sides, yet he does not die" [Ibrahim/17]. Fourth: ignorance, as in: "Is one who was dead and We gave him life?" [Al-An'am/122].

Allah says: "He who created death and life to test you as to which of you is best in deed" [Al-Mulk/2].
📝 Notice that Allah mentions death before life, indicating that reflecting on death leads to a more purposeful life.
يَبْلُوَ Yabluw Ayah 2 — "To test you as to which of you is best in deed."
Light Definition
الاختبار والامتحان To test and examine
Al-Raghib — Arabic
[بلو]
البَلاءُ والابتلاءُ: الاختبار. ويكون ذلك بما يسرّ وبما يضرّ. قال تعالى: وَنَبْلُوكُمْ بِالشَّرِّ وَالْخَيْرِ فِتْنَةً [الأنبياء/ ٣٥]، وقال: لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلاً [الملك/ ٢].

وقال: وَإِذِ ابْتَلَى إِبْراهِيمَ رَبُّهُ بِكَلِماتٍ [البقرة/ ١٢٤]. والابتلاء من الله تعالى ليس ليعلم شيئاً لم يكن يعلمه، بل ليُظهر للخلق ما يعلمه منهم.
Al-Raghib — English
[Root: b-l-w]

Al-bala' and al-ibtila' mean testing. This can occur through what pleases and what harms. Allah says: "We test you with evil and with good as trial" [Al-Anbiya'/35], and: "to test you as to which of you is best in deed" [Al-Mulk/2].

He says: "And when Ibrahim was tested by his Lord with certain commands" [Al-Baqarah/124]. Allah's testing is not to learn something He did not know, but to make manifest to creation what He already knows about them.
فُطُور Futur Ayah 3 — "Do you see any breaks?"
Light Definition
الشقوق والصدوع Cracks, breaks, flaws
Al-Raghib — Arabic
[فطر]
الفَطْرُ: الشقّ طولاً. قال تعالى: هَلْ تَرى مِنْ فُطُورٍ [الملك/ ٣]، أي: شقوق وعيوب. وقال: السَّماءُ مُنْفَطِرٌ بِهِ [المزمل/ ١٨]، أي: منشقّة.

ومنه: فِطْرَةُ الله، وهي الخِلقة التي فَطَرَ الله الناس عليها. قال: فِطْرَتَ اللَّهِ الَّتِي فَطَرَ النَّاسَ عَلَيْها [الروم/ ٣٠]. والفَاطِرُ: المُبتدئ الخالق. قال: فاطِرِ السَّماواتِ وَالْأَرْضِ [فاطر/ ١].
Al-Raghib — English
[Root: f-t-r]

Al-fatr is splitting lengthwise. Allah says: "Do you see any futur (cracks)?" [Al-Mulk/3], meaning: fractures or flaws. And: "The sky will be munfatir (split apart) by it" [Al-Muzzammil/18].

From this root: fitrat Allah, the innate disposition upon which Allah originated people. He says: "The fitrah of Allah upon which He has created mankind" [Al-Rum/30]. Al-Fatir means the Originator, the One who brings into existence. He says: "Originator of the heavens and the earth" [Fatir/1].
يَخْشَوْنَ Yakhshawn Ayah 12 — "Those who fear their Lord unseen."
Light Definition
الخوف مع تعظيم، ناشئ عن علم بالمَخشيّ منه Fear mixed with reverence, arising from knowledge of the One feared
Al-Raghib — Arabic
[خشي]
الخَشْيَةُ: خوف يشوبه تعظيم، وأكثر ما يكون ذلك عن علم بما يُخشى منه. ولذلك خُصّ بها العلماء. قال تعالى: إِنَّما يَخْشَى اللَّهَ مِنْ عِبادِهِ الْعُلَماءُ [فاطر/ ٢٨].

وقال: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُمْ بِالْغَيْبِ لَهُمْ مَغْفِرَةٌ وَأَجْرٌ كَبِيرٌ [الملك/ ١٢]. وبالغيب: أي يخشونه وهو غائب عن حسّهم، أو يخشونه في غيبتهم عن أعين الناس.
Al-Raghib — English
[Root: kh-sh-y]

Al-khashyah is a fear tinged with reverence, most often arising from knowledge of what is feared. For this reason, it is specifically attributed to scholars. Allah says: "Only those fear Allah, from among His servants, who have knowledge" [Fatir/28].

He says: "Indeed, those who fear their Lord in the unseen will have forgiveness and great reward" [Al-Mulk/12]. "In the unseen" means: they fear Him though He is beyond their senses, or they fear Him even when hidden from the eyes of people.
📝 الخشية أخصّ من الخوف — Khashyah is more specific than khawf: it requires knowledge and produces reverence, not just fear.
اللَّطِيف Al-Latif Ayah 14 — "He is the Subtle, the Aware."
Light Definition
الذي يوصل البِرّ والإحسان بطرق خفيّة دقيقة The One who delivers goodness through subtle, imperceptible ways
Al-Raghib — Arabic
[لطف]
اللُّطْفُ: البرّ والتكرّم وما لا يدركه الحسّ. ومنه قيل: الله لطيف بعباده. قال تعالى: اللَّهُ لَطِيفٌ بِعِبادِهِ [الشورى/ ١٩]، وقال: إِنَّ رَبِّي لَطِيفٌ لِما يَشاءُ [يوسف/ ١٠٠].

وقال: أَلا يَعْلَمُ مَنْ خَلَقَ وَهُوَ اللَّطِيفُ الْخَبِيرُ [الملك/ ١٤]. والمعنى: أنّه يعلم دقائق الأمور وخفاياها، ويدبّر لعباده من حيث لا يشعرون.
Al-Raghib — English
[Root: l-t-f]

Al-lutf is kindness, generosity, and that which is too fine for the senses to perceive. Hence it is said: Allah is Latif with His servants. He says: "Allah is Latif (Subtle/Kind) with His servants" [Al-Shura/19], and: "Indeed my Lord is Latif in what He wills" [Yusuf/100].

He says: "Does He who created not know, while He is Al-Latif, Al-Khabir?" [Al-Mulk/14]. The meaning is: He knows the finest details and hidden matters, and He arranges for His servants from where they do not perceive.
ذَلُول Dhalul Ayah 15 — "He who made the earth tame for you."
Light Definition
المنقاد السهل اللَّيِّن Tame, submissive, made easy to use
Al-Raghib — Arabic
[ذلل]
الذُّلُّ: ضدّ العزّ. والذِّلَّةُ: اللّين والانقياد. قال تعالى: هُوَ الَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ الْأَرْضَ ذَلُولاً فَامْشُوا فِي مَناكِبِها [الملك/ ١٥]، أي: سهّلها لكم وجعلها ليّنة تحت أقدامكم.

وقال في البقرة: إِنَّها بَقَرَةٌ لا ذَلُولٌ تُثِيرُ الْأَرْضَ [البقرة/ ٧١]، أي: لم تُذلَّل للحرث. والذَّلُولُ من الدّوابّ: ما سهل ركوبه وانقاد.
Al-Raghib — English
[Root: dh-l-l]

Al-dhull is the opposite of honour/might. Al-dhillah means softness and compliance. Allah says: "It is He who made the earth dhalul (tame) for you, so walk among its slopes" [Al-Mulk/15], meaning: He made it easy and soft under your feet.

He says of the cow: "It is a cow not dhalul (trained) to till the earth" [Al-Baqarah/71], meaning: it has not been tamed for plowing. A dhalul among riding animals is one that is easy to ride and obedient.
النُّشُور Al-Nushur Ayah 15 — "And to Him is the resurrection."
Light Definition
البعث بعد الموت والانتشار للحياة Resurrection after death; being spread out into life again
Al-Raghib — Arabic
[نشر]
النَّشْرُ: بسط ما يُطوى. يقال: نشرتُ الثوبَ والكتابَ. والنُّشُورُ: الانتشار والبعث من الموت. قال تعالى: وَإِلَيْهِ النُّشُورُ [الملك/ ١٥]، وقال: ثُمَّ إِذا شاءَ أَنْشَرَهُ [عبس/ ٢٢].

وقال: وَهُوَ الَّذِي يُرْسِلُ الرِّياحَ بُشْراً بَيْنَ يَدَيْ رَحْمَتِهِ [الأعراف/ ٥٧]. فكما تُحيي الرّيحُ الأرضَ الميتة بالمطر، كذلك يُنشِرُ اللهُ الموتى.
Al-Raghib — English
[Root: n-sh-r]

Al-nashr means to spread open what is folded. One says: I spread out (nashartu) the garment or the book. Al-nushur is the spreading out into life, i.e. resurrection from death. Allah says: "And to Him is the nushur (resurrection)" [Al-Mulk/15], and: "Then when He wills, He will resurrect (ansharahu) him" [Abasa/22].

He says: "He sends the winds as good tidings before His mercy" [Al-A'raf/57]. Just as the wind revives dead earth with rain, so too does Allah bring the dead back to life.