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qul li-mani l-ʾarḍu wa-man fīhā ʾin kuntum taʿlamūna
Say, ‘To whom does the earth belong and whoever it contains, if you know?’
— Ali Quli Qarai
23Al-Mu’minūnالمؤمنونVerse 84 of 118
The Believers23. Al-Mu’minūnالمؤمنون
Al Mu’minūn
The Believers
MeccanVerse 84 of 118
Surah al-Mu’minun - Verses 84-87
84. “Say: ‘Whose is the earth and whosoever is in it, if you have knowledge?’”
85. “They will say: ‘Allah’s’. Say: ‘Will you not then remember?’”
86. “Say: ‘Who is the Lord of the Seven Heavens, and the Lord of the Mighty Throne?’”
87. “They will say: ‘Allah’s’. Say: ‘Will you not then keep from evil?’”
The Arabic word /rabb/ means an owner who intends to maintain and manage his estate. It also means educator and trainer. The Qur’anic word “Arsh’” is used here to mean the Throne of Allah, which is beyond the Seven Heavens. When this word is applied to Allah it means the totality of the world of existence, which is ruled by Allah.
“...His Throne includes the heavens and the earth...” 10
Since the unbelievers and the polytheists were more afraid of the Resurrection than anything else, they consequently avoided it and their responsibilities by making various kinds of excuses and using delicate tricks. The Holy Qur’an thus placed emphasis on the Resurrection and elaborately explained it. Thus, in the verses under discussion, the Holy Qur’an refutes the faulty logic of the rejecters of Resurrection with three arguments:
1. Allah’s ownership of the world of existence.
2. His Lordship.
3. His sovereignly over the whole world of existence.
The conclusion here is that from every aspect Allah is capable of causing the Resurrection and His justice and wisdom necessitate that the Hereafter must be a reality after the end of this world. It is notable that in the answers to every one of the questions posed in the verses above, the unbelievers confess the reality of Allah (s.w.t.) as the Lord and Master, contradicting their very attitude and belief. At first, the Qur’an announces:
“Say: ‘Whose is the earth and whosoever is in it, if you have knowledge?’”
Here is their answer:
“They will say: ‘Allah’s’. Say: ‘Will you not then remember?’”
This clear answer is based on their innate disposition that testifies to the belief in Allah, the Creator of the existence. This answer, however, contradicts the egoistic claims that issue from their mouths and because of this the Qur’an replies to them:
“Will you not then remember?”
After such a clear and explicit confession, how could they think that a human being’s resurrection after death would be unlikely and beyond Allah’s all embracing power? Through the next holy verse, the Qur’an orders that the unbelievers should be asked again:
“Say: ‘Who is the Lord of the Seven Heavens, and the Lord of the Mighty Throne?’”
Once again, they answer, automatically out of their own innate monotheistic disposition and their belief in Allah, as the Creator of the whole existence. The verse says:
“They will say: ‘Allah’s’...”
But in spite of this explicit confession, they still do not fear Allah and deny the Resurrection and the return of man to life again, so they are asked in response:
“...Say: ‘Will you not then keep from evil?’”
Footnotes