Surah Az-Zumar 39:67
سُورَةُ الزُّمَرِ · Meccan · Verse 67 of 75
وَمَا قَدَرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ حَقَّ قَدْرِهِۦ وَٱلْأَرْضُ جَمِيعًۭا قَبْضَتُهُۥ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَٰمَةِ وَٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتُ مَطْوِيَّٰتٌۢ بِيَمِينِهِۦ ۚ سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ
Translation
These people have no grasp of God’s true measure. On the Day of Resurrection, the whole earth will be in His grip. The heavens will be rolled up in His right hand- Glory be to Him! He is far above the partners they ascribe to Him!-
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
Wording
This profound verse opens by telling us that the polytheists failed to truly appreciate Allah, saying, `وَمَا قَدَرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ حَقَّ قَدْرِهِۦ` (And they did not estimate Allah with His true estimation). This phrase, according to scholars like Ibn Ashur, means they did not truly know His greatness, nor did they glorify Him as He deserves, especially when they associated partners with Him. The verse then immediately brings us to a stark image of Allah's overwhelming power on the Day of Judgment to underscore just how immense this unappreciated greatness truly is.
The Earth in His Grasp
The ayah continues, `وَٱلْأَرْضُ جَمِيعًۭا قَبْضَتُهُۥ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَٰمَةِ` (And the Earth, all of it, will be in His grasp on the Day of Resurrection). The word `جَمِيعًۭا` (all of it or entirely) is a powerful emphasis, suggesting that the entirety of the earths – the seven earths, according to some interpretations like al-Razi's – will be completely under His dominion. The word `قَبْضَتُهُۥ` (His grasp) is particularly striking. Ibn Ashur highlights that the *fathah* (short 'a' sound) on the `qa` (qabdah) denotes a single instance of grasping. This choice of wording implies the sheer ease and swiftness with which Allah takes hold of something so vast, making the Earth seem utterly insignificant and without any power of its own. It conveys a picture of ultimate control and mastery, where the grasped entity has no capacity for movement or action.
The Heavens Folded by His Hand
Following this, the verse paints a parallel image: `وَٱلسَّمَٰوَاتُ مَطْوِيَّاتٌۢ بِيَمِينِهِۦ` (and the heavens folded by His right hand). The word `مَطْوِيَّاتٌۢ` means "folded" or "gathered." Al-Zamakhshari connects this imagery to other verses that describe the heavens being rolled up like a scroll, depicting a dramatic end to the cosmos as we know it. The phrase `بِيَمِينِهِۦ` (by His right hand) should be understood, as explained by scholars like Ibn Ashur, al-Jalalayn, and al-Razi, as a metaphor for Allah's absolute power and authority, not a physical limb. It is a linguistic device, a `تخييل` (depiction) or `تمثيل` (representation), to help human minds grasp an aspect of Allah's unimaginable majesty by using terms familiar to us, without implying any physical resemblance to creation.
A Declaration of Transcendence
The verse concludes with an emphatic declaration: `سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ` (Glorified and Exalted is He above what they associate with Him). This serves as a powerful reminder and a direct link back to the opening statement. It reiterates that a Lord of such unparalleled power and dominion, who can effortlessly grasp the entire Earth and fold the vast heavens, is utterly pure and transcendent, far above having any partners or associates in His divinity. The wording invites us to reflect deeply on the chasm between Allah's true, infinite greatness and any limited, human-made estimation of Him.
Source: al-Muyassar, Ibn Ashur (al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir), al-Jadwal fi I'rab al-Quran (Mahmud Safi), al-Jalalayn, al-Zamakhshari (al-Kashshaf), al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb)
Sources: Ibn Ashur (al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir), al-Jadwal fi I'rab al-Quran (Mahmud Safi), al-Jalalayn, al-Zamakhshari (al-Kashshaf), al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb)
Qur'anic Worlds
The verse begins by addressing those who failed to truly appreciate Allah's boundless power and majesty: "They did not estimate Allah with an estimation due to Him" (وَمَا قَدَرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ حَقَّ قَدْرِهِۦ). This refers primarily to the polytheists in Mecca, like Quraysh, who, despite witnessing Allah's creation, chose to associate partners with Him. Their actions demonstrated they did not grasp His true greatness, making their understanding of God incomplete and flawed. It is a profound rebuke to those who diminished the Creator's unique sovereignty.
A Grand Reality
This lack of true appreciation is highlighted by a stunning depiction of Allah's might on the Day of Judgment. The verse continues, "And the whole earth will be in His grip on the Day of Resurrection, and the heavens rolled up in His right hand" (وَٱلْأَرْضُ جَمِيعًۭا قَبْضَتُهُۥ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَٰمَةِ وَٱلسَّمَاوَاتُ مَطْوِيَّٰتٌۢ بِيَمِينِهِۦ). This imagery is not meant to be understood in a human, physical sense, as Allah is beyond all physical limitations. Scholars like Mufti Shafi explain that while these are real attributes of Allah, their reality is known only to Him, and we are simply to believe in them without trying to compare them to anything we know. This description powerfully conveys His absolute and complete control over all creation. It is a declaration that on that great Day, all that seems vast and unyielding, the immense earth and the expansive heavens, will be entirely within His command, utterly subject to His will.
The Prophet's Confirmation
The impact of this verse was profound, even at the time of its revelation, immersing the Companions in the World of Revelation. Narrations from scholars like al-Baghawi and Ibn Kathir recount a Jewish scholar describing how Allah holds the heavens, earths, and all creation in His grasp. Upon hearing this, the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, laughed in confirmation and then recited this very verse, emphasizing its truth. In another narration, when the Prophet recited this verse on the pulpit, the pulpit itself began to shake, so intensely did he convey Allah's majesty. These vivid moments illustrate how this truth moved the first listeners, instilling both awe and solemnity.
Beyond All Limits
The verse concludes with a declaration of Allah's transcendence: "Glorified and Exalted is He above what they associate with Him" (سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ). This phrase serves as a powerful reminder that Allah is utterly pure and far above any limitations or partners that people might ascribe to Him. It corrects the flawed understanding of the polytheists and calls us to a deeper, more accurate reverence. We are invited to recognize that His power and nature are incomparable, beyond our full comprehension, and certainly beyond anything we could ever associate with Him, allowing this vastness to reshape our worship and our view of the Creator.
Sources: Ma'arif al-Quran (Mufti Shafi), al-Baghawi (Maalim al-Tanzil), Sayyid Qutb (Fi Zilal al-Quran), Ibn Kathir, al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb)
Topics that discuss this verse
Surah Az-Zumar 39:67 is discussed in 7 study guides on Maani. Each guide gathers the key verses, Arabic words and lessons of one Quranic topic.
Reflect on this verse
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