Surah Al-Mulk 67:4
سُورَةُ المُلۡكِ · Meccan · Verse 4 of 30
ثُمَّ ٱرْجِعِ ٱلْبَصَرَ كَرَّتَيْنِ يَنقَلِبْ إِلَيْكَ ٱلْبَصَرُ خَاسِئًۭا وَهُوَ حَسِيرٌۭ
Translation
Look again! And again! Your sight will turn back to you, weak and defeated.
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
'Then look again, a second time, your gaze will come back to you humbled and worn out.' al-Razi and Ibn Kathir dwell on that word 'khasi'': the eye returns defeated, driven back like a rebuffed seeker, exhausted from searching, having found no defect at all. The verse predicts the outcome of honest scrutiny: the harder you look for a flaw, the more decisively creation withstands you. Ask yourself: I often approach faith wanting proof, half-expecting to find the seams. This verse invites exactly that scrutiny, and tells me where it ends. What would it mean to let my searching tire itself out against the perfection of His work, and rest?
Grounded in classical tafsir: al-Razi, Ibn Kathir, al-Saadi.
Wording
This profound verse invites us to gaze upon creation, not with a casual glance, but with a deep, intentional scrutiny. It follows the previous verse (67:3), which speaks of Allah creating seven heavens in perfect layers, free from any fault or disparity. Here, Allah directly addresses the observer, challenging them to find any imperfection.
The Repeated Gaze
Allah commands, "Then return your gaze, `كرتين` (karra-tain)." The word `كرتين` literally means "twice," but as scholars like al-Razi and al-Zamakhshari explain, in Arabic, a dual form can often signify "many repetitions" or "again and again," not just a specific count of two. Think of how we say `لبيك وسعديك` (labbaik wa sa'daik), meaning "many, many responses and assistances." Ibn Ashur highlights the precision of the Quran's wording, noting that if a literal "two times" was meant, a word like `مرتين` (marratain), as in the verses about divorce, would have been used. The choice of `كرتين` emphasizes a persistent, untiring search. The particle `ثم` (thumma), meaning "then," also suggests a pause between the first look (mentioned in the previous verse) and this deeper, repeated one, implying a more deliberate and thoughtful re-examination, not just a quick follow-up.
The Returning Sight
The verse continues, "`ينقلب إليك البصر` (yanqalib ilayka al-basar)," meaning "your sight will return to you." Interestingly, the word `ينقلب` (yanqalib) is used here instead of `يرجع` (yarji'), which also means "to return" and was used in the previous command `ارجع` (irji'). Ibn Ashur points out that this is an example of the Quran's eloquent precision, choosing a slightly different synonym to avoid repetition and to add a subtle nuance. It implies the gaze, after its strenuous journey of seeking, now "turns back" to the observer.
Humiliated and Exhausted
How does the sight return? "`خاسئا وهو حسير` (khasian wa huwa haseer)." The word `خاسئا` (khasian) means "repelled," "humbled," or "disappointed." It is like being driven away in humiliation, having failed to find what it sought. Your sight returns, as al-Zamakhshari puts it, "driven away with smallness and humiliation" for failing to detect any flaw. And `حسير` (haseer) means "exhausted" or "weary." This exhaustion is not from idleness, but from intense, prolonged searching and scrutiny.
Together, these words paint a powerful picture: no matter how many times you examine the creation, particularly the vastness of the heavens, your sight will return defeated, humbled, and utterly weary from its fruitless search, unable to find even the slightest crack or imperfection. This underscores the absolute perfection of Allah's creation, a manifestation of His immense power and mercy (`الرحمَن`), leaving no room for doubt about His unmatched artistry.
Sources: al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb), al-Zamakhshari (al-Kashshaf), al-Jalalayn, Ibn Ashur (al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir), al-Jadwal fi I'rab al-Quran (Mahmud Safi)
Topics that discuss this verse
Surah Al-Mulk 67:4 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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