Tafseer Ibn Kathir of YAA SIIN [81]

81. Is not He Who created the heavens and the earth, able to create the like of them Yes, indeed! He is the All-Knowing Supreme Creator. 82. Verily, His command, when He intends a thing, is only that He says to it, ”Be!'' -- and it is! 83. So glorified be He and exalted (above all that they associate with Him), and in Whose Hand is the dominion of all things, and to Him you shall be returned. He tells us to find the proof that He will re-create our bodies in His creation of these mighty things. This is like the Ayah:

(The creation of the heavens and the earth is indeed greater than the creation of mankind) (40:57). And Allah says here:

(Is not He Who created the heavens and the earth, able to create the like of them) meaning, the like of mankind. So, He will re-create them as He created them in the first place. Ibn Jarir said, ”This Ayah is like the Ayah:

(Do they not see that Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth, and was not wearied by their creation, is able to give life to the dead Yes, He surely is able to do all things.) (46:33)'' And Allah says here:

(Yes, indeed! He is the All-Knowing Supreme Creator. Verily, His command, when He intends a thing, is only that He says to it, ”Be!''-- and it is!) meaning, He only needs to command a thing once; it does not need to be repeated or confirmed. When Allah wants a thing to happen, He only says to it: ”Be!'' once, and it is. Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Dharr, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Messenger of Allah said:

(Allah, may He be exalted, says: ”O My servants, all of you are sinners apart from those whom I protect from sin. Seek My forgiveness and I will forgive you. All of you are in need except for those whom I make independent. I am Most Generous, Majestic, and I do whatever I will. My giving is a word and My punishment is a word. When I want a thing to happen I merely say to it `Be!' and it is.'')

(So glorified be He and exalted (above all that they associate with Him), and in Whose Hand is the dominion of all things, and to Him you shall be returned.) means, glorified and exalted and sanctified above any evil be the Ever Living, the Self-Sufficient, in Whose hand is the control of the heavens and the earth, to Whom all matters return. His is the power to create and command, and to Him all mankind will return on the Day of Resurrection. Then He will reward or punish each one according to his deeds, and He is the Just, the Generous Bestower, the Graciously Disposed. The meaning of this Ayah,

(So glorified be He and exalted (above all that they associate with Him), and in Whose Hand is the sovereignty (Malakut) of all things) is like the Ayat:

(Say: ”In Whose Hand is the sovereignty (Malakut) of everything'') (23:88)

(Blessed be He in Whose Hand is the dominion (Al-Mulk)) (67:1) Al-Mulk and Al-Malakut mean the same thing, although some people claim that Al-Mulk has to do with the physical realm and Al-Malakut has to do with the spiritual realm. But the former view is the one which is correct, and this is the opinion of the majority of the scholars of Tafsir and others. Imam Ahmad recorded that Hudhayfah bin Al-Yaman, may Allah be pleased with him, said, ”I stood in prayer with the Messenger of Allah one night and he recited the seven long Surahs in seven Rak`ahs. When he raised his head from bowing, he said,

(Allah hears the one who praises Him.) Then he said;

(Praise be to Allah, the Owner of Malakut, might, pride and greatness.) His bowing was as long as his standing position, and his prostration was as long as his bowing. Then he finished and my legs were nearly broken.'' Abu Dawud recorded that `Awf bin Malik Al-Ashja`i, may Allah be pleased with him, said, ”I stood in prayer with the Messenger of Allah one night and he recited Al-Baqarah. He did not reach any Ayah that mentioned mercy but he paused and asked for it, and he did not reach any Ayah that mentioned punishment but he paused and sought refuge from it. Then he bowed for as long as he had stood, and while bowing he said,

(Glory be to Allah, the Owner of might, Malakut, pride and greatness.) Then he prostrated for as long as he had bowed, and said something similar while prostrating. Then he stood and recited Al `Imran, then he recited one Surah after another.'' This was recorded by At-Tirmidhi in Ash-Shama'il and An-Nasa'i. This is the end of the Tafsir of Surah Ya Sin. All praise and thanks are due to Allah.