Surah Ar-Rum 30:26
سُورَةُ الرُّومِ · Meccan · Verse 26 of 60
وَلَهُۥ مَن فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ كُلٌّۭ لَّهُۥ قَٰنِتُونَ
Translation
Everyone in the heavens and earth belongs to Him, and all are obedient to Him.
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
Wording
This verse opens with a profound declaration of Allah's absolute dominion, immediately setting a tone of universal sovereignty. It states, "And to Him belongs whoever is in the heavens and the earth. All are devoutly obedient to Him." (Surah Ar-Rum 30:26). Allah Himself is speaking here, presenting a fundamental truth to all of humanity, inviting them to reflect on His unrivaled power.
Ownership and Emphasis
The verse begins with the word `وَلَهُۥ` (Wa lahu), meaning "And to Him belongs." The Arabic letter `لَ` (lam) here emphasizes possession, making it clear that ownership rests *exclusively* with Allah. As Ibn Ashur points out, this `لَ` (Lam al-Milk) highlights that everything, without exception, is His property. This immediate emphasis on "to Him" underscores that the entire cosmos, with all its inhabitants, is under His sole command and possession.
Universal Scope
The phrase `مَن فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَاتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ` (man fi as-samāwāti wal-ard) means "whoever is in the heavens and the earth." While `مَن` (man) typically refers to rational beings, the plain meaning given by al-Muyassar clarifies its broad scope here to include all creation: "everyone... from angels, humans, jinn, animals, plants, and inanimate objects." This expansive reach highlights that nothing is outside Allah's domain. Further emphasizing this universality is the word `كُلٌّۭ` (kullun), meaning "all" or "every single one." The grammatical form, as explained by al-Jadwal, implies "every single creature," reinforcing that no entity is excluded from the subsequent declaration.
The Meaning of Submission
The verse concludes with `قَانِتُونَ` (qānitūn), meaning "devoutly obedient" or "submissive." This is a crucial word. All the scholars agree it signifies a state of obedience and subservience. However, what kind of obedience? Ibn Ashur delves into this, recognizing that while many rational beings, like humans and jinn, may defy Allah's religious commands, they are still `قَانِتُونَ` in a deeper sense. He explains this refers to their submission to Allah's *cosmic, existential will* (Amr al-Takwin). This means that every creature, whether it acknowledges Allah or not, is subject to His laws of existence: they are born, live, and die by His decree; their bodies function according to His design; and they cannot escape His ultimate power. Even the disobedient are "submissive to the existence of His actions in them," as al-Zamakhshari puts it.
The repetition of `لَهُۥ` (lahu) just before `قَانِتُونَ` ("All *to Him* are devoutly obedient") further reinforces this. Ibn Ashur calls this the `لَ` (Lam al-Taqwiyah), or "Lam of Strengthening," which emphasizes that this absolute submission is directed *only to Him*. It is not a partial, optional, or divided obedience; it is an undeniable, all-encompassing reality for every created thing.
This verse, therefore, is a powerful reminder of Allah's absolute and exclusive sovereignty. It calls us to ponder that even as we make choices in our lives, our very existence, our every breath, and the functioning of the entire universe are manifestations of an unbreakable submission to His will.
Source: al-Muyassar, al-Zamakhshari (al-Kashshaf), al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb), Ibn Ashur (al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir), al-Jalalayn, al-Jadwal fi I'rab al-Quran (Mahmud Safi)
Sources: al-Zamakhshari (al-Kashshaf), al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb), Ibn Ashur (al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir), al-Jalalayn, al-Jadwal fi I'rab al-Quran (Mahmud Safi)
Topics that discuss this verse
Surah Ar-Rum 30:26 is discussed in one study guide on Maani. Each guide gathers the key verses, Arabic words and lessons of one Quranic topic.
Reflect on this verse
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