الملك Al-Malik ‘The King’
The meaning of Al-Malik:
Allah is The Master and The Owner of Dominion Who is described with the attributes of supreme ruling, and absolute authority. The One Who directs all of the affairs of creation, command and recompense.
قال الله تعالى: { هُوَ اللَّهُ الَّذِي لا إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ الْمَلِكُ الْقُدُّوسُ }
He is Allah, The One other than Whom nobody has the right to be worshipped (Laa ʾilaaha ʾillaa Huwa) The King (Al-Malik), The Holy.
Surah Al-Hashr [59: 23]
قال الله تعالى: { فَتَعَالَى اللَّهُ الْمَلِكُ الْحَقُّ}
So Exalted be Allah, the True King.
Surah al-Mu’minoon [23: 116]
The name of Allah, Al-Malik (The King) has three aspects to it:
- Firstly that Allah has the attributes by which He deserves to be “Al-Malik” (The King).
Al-Malik has great power and might, complete strength, vast knowledge, dominance, vast wisdom, absolute authority, perfection of mercy and universal ruling over the whole creation. (1)
Can you imagine how vast the knowledge, wisdom and power necessary to control this creation and this entire universe must be? This is Al-Malik.
قال الله تعالى: {و لله ملك السماوات و الأرض و الله على كل شىء قدير} آل عمران 189
And to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and Allah has power over all things.
- Secondly, the whole of the creation is owned by Allah: They are His slaves and are in dire need of His provision in all their affairs. No one can escape or exit from under His Dominion, and no creature can do without His creating, providing, aiding and protecting.(2)
قال الله تعالى: {و كأين من دابة لا تحمل رزقها الله يرزقها و إياكم و هو السميع العليم}
And so many a moving (living) creature carries not its own provision! Allah provides for it and for you. And He is the All-Hearer, The All-Knower.
Surah Al-Ankaboot [29: 60]
قال الله تعالى: {يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ أَنْتُمُ الْفُقَرَاءُ إِلَى اللَّهِ ۖ وَاللَّهُ هُوَ الْغَنِيُّ الْحَمِيدُ، إِنْ يَشَأْ يُذْهِبْكُمْ وَيَأْتِ بِخَلْقٍ جَدِيدٍ، و ما ذلك على الله بعزيز}
O mankind! it is you who stand in need of Allah, but Allah is Rich (Free of all wants and needs), Worthy of all praise. If He wills, He could destroy you and bring about a new creation. And that is not hard for Allah.
Surah Faatir [35: 15-17]
- Thirdly ِAllah has full authority over all affairs. No one can reject His decree and no one can overrule His judgement. To Allah alone belongs the judgement in His Dominion and He legislates whatever He wills. (3)
قال الله تعالى: {أولم يروا أنا نأتي الأرض ننقصها من أطرافها و الله يحكم لا معقب لحكمه و هو سريع الحساب} الرعد 41
See they not that We gradually reduce the land (of disbelievers, by giving it to the believers, in war victories) from its outlying borders. And Allah judges, there is none to put back His Judgement and He is Swift in reckoning.
Surah Al-Araaf [7: 41]
Allah is in control of the divine decree: Who is going to live and who is going to die, what is the weather going to be like, who will suffer what illness and who will be healthy, who will be poor and who will be rich. The decree of Allah encompasses even the state of our heart. Everything related to what is happening in this creation is decreed by Allah and Allah is The Only One controlling what happens in the creation.
As for the legislation and rulings regarding what is allowed and what is prohibited, Allah (Al-Malik) is The Only One Who has the right to legislate and He judges in His Dominion how He wills.
Giving recompense is also an exclusive prerogative of Allah. No one can punish you except Him and no one can reward you except Him. Absolute authority and rule is only for Al-Malik.
From the meanings of Allah’s name Al-Malik is the revelation of His Books, sending Messengers to guide the people of this world, to direct those who are astray, to establish the evidence upon those who reject it (so they have no argument on the Day of Judgement), to set the correct path which leads to His pleasure and to Paradise and to warn from the deviated path which leads to the Hellfire and to set clear and regulate the affairs of His creation.(4)
Allah sent us revealed Books telling us that He is the Creator and The King. He gave us the full choice to either be believers or disbelievers. If one believes and submits and accept to be a slave to Allah (and being one of His slaves is a great honour), then you will live according to clear evidence, knowing the aim of your life and the path to success.
As for the one who refuses to be a slave to Allah, The True King, and denies Allah’s right to be worshipped alone, then he will be responsible for his own destruction and he will have no excuse on the Day of Judgement, as Allah has made clear the evidence for worshipping Him alone. Allah says:
قال الله تعالى: {لِّيَهْلِكَ مَنْ هَلَكَ عَن بَيِّنَةٍ وَيَحْيَىٰ مَنْ حَيَّ عَن بَيِّنَةٍ} الأنفال 42
So that those who were to be destroyed (for rejecting Faith) might be destroyed after a clear evidence, and those who were to live (i.e. believers) might live after a clear evidence.
Surah Al- Anfaal [8: 42]
There is no coercion in this religion. Allah has made clear that He is The Creator and The Supreme Ruler of the universe. His creation is an evidence of this. Think for a moment about Who is holding the heavens and stopping them from falling upon us? Who is providing for you? Who is giving the embryo its ability to grow from being just a spot in the womb of its mother into a baby? Who made this embryo grow? Who provides for him when it becomes a human being who eats and drinks and cries and grows up in front of you? Look at how the rain comes down from the sky and the plants grows! Who makes that happen?
قال الله تعالى: {قُلِ اللَّهُمَّ مَالِكَ الْمُلْكِ تُؤْتِي الْمُلْكَ مَن تَشَاء وَتَنزِعُ الْمُلْكَ مِمَّن تَشَاء وَتُعِزُّ مَن تَشَاء وَتُذِلُّ مَن تَشَاء بِيَدِكَ الْخَيْرُ إِنَّكَ عَلَىَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ- تُولِجُ ٱلَّيۡلَ فِى ٱلنَّهَارِ وَتُولِجُ ٱلنَّهَارَ فِى ٱلَّيۡلِۖ وَتُخۡرِجُ ٱلۡحَىَّ مِنَ ٱلۡمَيِّتِ وَتُخۡرِجُ ٱلۡمَيِّتَ مِنَ ٱلۡحَىِّۖ وَتَرۡزُقُ مَن تَشَآءُ بِغَيۡرِ حِسَابٍ۬} آل عمران 26-27
Say (O Muhammad): “O Allah! Possessor of Dominion, You give the kingdom to whom You will, and You take the kingdom from whom You will, and You endue with honour whom You will, and You humiliate whom You will. In Your Hand is the good. Verily, You are able to do all things.You make the night to enter into the day, and You make the day to enter into the night (i.e. increase and decrease in the hours of the night and the day during winter and summer), You bring the living out of the dead, and You bring the dead out of the living. And You give wealth and sustenance to whom You will, without limit (measure or account).
Surah Al-Imran [3: 26]
This verse indicates the true meaning of being Al-Malik, The Owner of Dominion. To give and deprive and to honor and humiliate. To have superior authority over all affairs.
All good is owned by Allah, Al-Malik. Anything good from health, happiness, feeling relief, freedom from anxiety, the feeling of protection, the joy of seeing that your children are good and obedient and so much more… all is owned by Allah. He is The Only One Who owns this goodness and The Only One Who can give you it. All the good affairs are owned by Allah. If you want this bounty, you need to ask it from Him. It is earned by being obedient to Him. Allah is Al-Malik and we need to understand about Al-Malik that He is The Only One Who has authority and we are owned by Him.
One of the salaf (the righteous people of the past) said, “do not disobey Allah for the sake of the person you love, because the heart of the person you love is in the hands of the one you disobeyed (Allah)!”
So never ever try to please a person you care about by disobeying Allah, because the one you are going to please is owned by Allah and is under His authority. The one you want to please does not even have authority over his own heart!
The verse of Surah Al-Imraan mentioned above, ended with:
“إِنَّكَ عَلَىَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ”
“Indeed You are able to do all things.”
When you say it is very important that you do it with understanding of its meaning and sure belief in it, because when we call upon to Allah we don’t always keep our heart attentive as it should be. Remember, you are asking The One Who can do whatever He wants, The Owner of Dominion.
قال الله تعالى: {مالك يوم الدين} الفاتحة 4
The Only Owner (and the Only Ruling Judge) of the Day of Recompense (i.e. the Day of Resurrection)
Surah Al-Faatihah [1: 4]
This verse is the confirmation that Allah has true and perfect ownership and complete authority on the Day of Recompense, because, on that Day, any degree of ownership, decision-making, judgment and kingship that anyone else has ever had will vanish.
One may ask: But is not Allah The Owner of this life as well as the Day of Recompense? If so, why does He make special mention the Day of Recompense in this verse?
The answer is without a doubt yes, He is, but His complete ownership, kingship and absolute authority will be totally apparent and realized by everyone on that Day, the Day when He will ask:
قال الله تعالى: { لِّمَنِ الْمُلْكُ الْيَوْمَ لِلَّهِ الْوَاحِدِ الْقَهَّارِ} غافر, 16
To whom belongs all kingship today?
Of course no one would dare answer this, so Allah himself replies,
{لِلَّهِ الْوَاحِدِ الْقَهَّارِ} غافر,16
To Allah, The One, The Prevailing.
Surah Al-Ghaafir [40: 16]
On that Day, there will be no other owner of dominion and authority except Allah.
In this life, the kingship and power of the kings of this world is apparent. In fact, some people even believe there is no king as powerful as their own. The Communists, for example, do not believe in the existence of a lord of the heavens and earth. They believe that life is only deliverance from the wombs to decay in the ground, and their president or leader is their lord. (4)
In this world, not everyone comprehends this truth about Allah’s Kingship, despite it being very clear for all to see. In fact, most people do not see except what they can physically see with their eyes. As for the true believers, who read Allah’s words in the Quran and ponder over the creation, they do understand the truth about the Mulk (Kingdom) of Allah, The Owner of Supreme Dominion.
On the Day of Resurrection, the Sublime Kingship of Allah will show vividly. Why? Because all the kings of this world will be hushed and they will stand submissively. Any arrogant dictator of this world will be in a position of humiliation, being unable to lift his eyes and not allowed to look. They will be very frightened and no one will be allowed to speak, unless Allah gives them permission to talk. No one can move unless Allah gives him the permission to move. Complete and perfect authority will be for Allah alone, He is Al-Malik.
Allah says:
قال الله تعالى: { يَوْمَئِذٍ يَتَّبِعُونَ الدَّاعِيَ لَا عِوَجَ لَهُ وَخَشَعَتِ الْأَصْوَاتُ لِلرَّحْمَنِ فَلَا تَسْمَعُ إِلَّا هَمْسًا،
يَوْمَئِذٍ لَا تَنْفَعُ الشَّفَاعَةُ إِلَّا مَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ الرَّحْمَنُ وَرَضِيَ لَهُ قَوْلًا}
On that Day mankind will follow strictly (the voice of) Allah’s caller, no crookedness (that is without going to the right or left of that voice) will they show him (Allah’s caller). And all voices will be humbled for the Most Beneficent (Allah), and nothing shall you hear but the low voice of their footsteps.On that Day no intercession shall avail, except the one for whom the Most Beneficent (Allah) has given permission and whose word is acceptable to Him.
Surah Ta-ha [20: 109-110]
Then ponder on the verses of the Quran describing the coming of Allah to recompense His slaves, with rows upon rows of Angels in a glorious and majestic scene.
قال الله تعالى: {و جاء ربك و الملك صفا صفا} الفجر 22
And your Lord comes with the Angels in rows.
Surah Al-Fajr [89: 22]
We need to understand the events of the Day of Resurrection as mentioned above. Why? Because if we understand these today, and if we believe in these with certainty, we will then strive to prepare for this Day that will certainly come.
So now we need to reflect and think: Did you acknowledge and understand Allah’s Kingship, ruling and authority in this worldly life? and did you act according to what you understood and believed in?
Did you take Allah as The Only King and ruler? Did you take Allah as The Only One Who deserves to be obeyed? And did you then defend and stand up for His religion and did you follow His commands? If yes, then you are from Allah’s party in this life and you will be from the party of the True King on that glorious Day where there is no King except Him. That will be the Day of victory and eternal happiness for you.
You need to think: which party do I want to be in? With whom do I want to stand on that Day?
Do you want to stand with the humiliated, submissive and fearful creatures who forgot this Day would come and they did not really concerned themselves with who has the right to to be worshipped?
Or do you want to stand with the group of Allah, Al-Malik (The King), Al-Waahid (The One), Al Qahaar (The Conqueror)? With the believers, whom Allah loves and that Allah is going to honor?
The decision is yours, either to be a slave to Allah The true King, or a slave to money, to power, to a man or a woman, to your own self or to Satan. Will you leave your Creator and Lord and obey Satan, your enemy?
قال الله تعالى: {أولئك حزب الله ألا إن حزب الله هم المفلحون} المجادلة 22
They are the Party of Allah. Verily, it is the Party of Allah that will be the successful.
Surah Al-Mujaadilah [58: 22]
قال الله تعالى {إن المتقين في جنات و نهر في مقعد صدق عند مليك مقتدر} القمر54-55
Verily, the muttaqoon (pious), will be in the midst of Gardens and Rivers (Paradise).
In a seat of truth (i.e. Paradise), near the Omnipotent King (Allah, The All-Blessed, The Most High, The Owner of Majesty and Honour).
Surah Al-Qamar [54: 54-55]
Allah, glorified and exalted is He, states in the Quran that as He is the only owner of His Dominion, then He alone deserves to be worshipped and obeyed.
Allah says:
قال الله تعالى: يولج الليل في النهار و يولج النهار في الليل و سخر الشمس و القمر كل يجري لأجل مسمى ذلكم الله ربكم له الملك و الذين تدعون من دونه لا يملكون من قطمير، إن تدعوهم لا يسمعوا دعاءكم و لو سمعوا ما استجابوا لكم و يوم القيامة يكفرون بشرككم و لا ينبئك مثل خبير} فاطر 13-14
He merges the night into the day (i.e. the decrease in the hours of the night are added to the hours of the day), and He merges the day into the night (i.e. the decrease in the hours of the day are added to the hours of the night). And He has subjected the sun and the moon, each runs its course for a term appointed. Such is Allah your Lord; His is the kingdom. And those, whom you invoke or call upon instead of Him, do not own even a Qitmir (the thin membrane over the date-stone). If you invoke (or call upon) them, they do not hear your call, and if (in case) they were to hear, they could not grant it (your request) to you. And on the Day of Resurrection, they will disown your worshipping them. And none can inform you (O Muhammad ) like Him Who is the All-Knower (of each and everything).
Surah Faaṭir [35: 13- 14]
Glorified is Allah, He is The Only One Who controls all affairs. Allah decrees our life and death and no one can change this. Allah challenged us to try and push back death from the people we love and in reality no one can change what Allah has decreed. He is The Only One handling all the affairs; the authority is His and no one can overrule what Allah wills.
Now, if we understand the true meaning of the name of Allah Al-Malik, and we understand that we are His slaves, owned by Him, then we need to act according to this understanding. We need to act as good slaves, to know our boundaries and limitations; We need to submit and surrender to Allah’s commands because the righteous slave should never question nor refuse to obey his Master.
Above is a transcription of a class given by teacher Zaynab El-Kateb, based on the book Fiqh Al-Asmaa Al-Husnaa by Shaikh Abdur-Razzaaq Al-Badr.
1,2 &3- Fiqh Al-Asma Al-Husna – Sheikh Abdur Razzaq Al-Badr
4- Tafseer Surah Al-Faatihah – Shaikh Muhammad bin Saalih Al-Uthaymin
