Tafsir of Al-Mulk 67:15

"He it is Who made the earth for you dhalulan (submissive/manageable)": That is, not difficult; it is made very easy for you to traverse upon it. It is of the measure fa'ul for intensity in submissiveness, derived from dhull (with a damma), which is the opposite of difficulty. The form with damma is used in opposition to izz (might/pride), as the Qamus dictates. Ibn ‘Atiyyah stated: “Dhalul is a fa'ul in the sense of a passive participle (maf’ul), meaning ‘made submissive,’ like rakub (a mount) and halub (a milch animal).” This was critiqued on the grounds that its verb is intransitive and can only be made transitive via the hamza or the doubling of the letter; thus, it cannot be in the sense of a passive participle. It has been argued that [reading it as] madhlula is incorrect. Some say that for an animal, if it is compliant and not difficult, they call it dhalul from dhull (with a kasra), which is ease of compliance. There is a metaphor in the speech, and it is also said to be an eloquent simile. Placing "for you" (lakum) before the two objects of "made" (ja'ala), despite it being properly placed after them, is for the sake of emphasizing what is placed first and to build anticipation for what is delayed. Indeed, when that which should be placed first is delayed—especially when the precursor indicates that the delayed element is among the benefits to the addressees—the soul remains in suspense for its arrival, and it becomes firmly established in the mind when mentioned.

And the fa in His saying, Exalted is He, "So walk (famshu) in its manakib (shoulders/paths)": It is for ordering the command upon the aforementioned making. Some claimed it is fasiha (eloquent). The intended meaning of manakib—as narrated from Ibn Abbas, Qatadah, and others—is its mountains. Al-Hasan said: its roads and passes. The origin of mankib is the joint between the upper arm and the shoulder. Its usage here is a secondary explicit metaphor (isti'ara tasrihiyya tahqiqiyya), which is the evidence for the implicit metaphor (mukanniya) in "the earth," where it is likened to a camel, as Al-Khafaji mentioned. Then he said: "If you ask, how can it be an implicit metaphor when the other side of the simile is mentioned in His saying, dhalulan (submissive/manageable)?" I say: It is with the estimation of "an earth that is submissive." The mentioned element is the generic, absolute earth, while that which is being likened is the external individual, which is not mentioned. Thus, it is permissible for dhalulan to be a metaphor, and the implicit metaphor is then the referent of the pronoun, not the one explicitly mentioned in the Noble arrangement. The obstacle to [it being] a metaphor is mentioning the subject of the simile itself, not that which it applies to. So contemplate this and do not be heedless. In Al-Kashshaf, [it says]: "Walking in its shoulders is a simile for the extent of submission and exceeding the limit, because the shoulders and their meeting point at the withers are the most delicate part of a camel, and its being too rugged for a rider to tread upon with his feet and rely on leaves no remnant of submission." The intent is that there is no command here to walk in reality; rather, the intent is to make it a parable for the intensity of submission, whether manakib is interpreted as mountains or otherwise, and whether the preceding [part] is a metaphor or a simile.

"And eat of His provision": Benefit from what He, the Majestic in His Magnificence, has bestowed. Often, eating is used to express the ways of benefiting because it is the most important and general. In Anwar al-Tanzil: "That is, seek from the blessings of Allah, the Sublimely Exalted," on the basis that eating is a metaphor for seeking, from the category of mentioning the prerequisite and intending the necessity. It is said this is what is appropriate for His saying, "walk." Some permitted keeping it at its literal meaning, considering it a case of iktifa (sufficiency), but that is not strong. The verse is used as evidence for the recommendation of seeking means and earning. In the Hadith, "Allah, the Exalted, loves the believing servant who is a professional/earner." This does not contradict reliance (tawakkul). Rather, Al-Hakim al-Tirmidhi reported from Mu’awiyah bin Qurra that Umar bin al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, passed by some people and asked, "Who are you?" They said, "We are the mutawakkilun (those who rely [upon Allah])." He said, "You are the mutakulun (those who eat off others). Verily, the mutawakkil is a man who throws his seed into the depths of the earth and relies upon his Lord, the Almighty and Majestic." The completion of the discussion on this matter is in its proper place. The well-known view is that the command in both places is for permissibility, though it is permissible that it is for the absolute request, as some of what is walked upon and what is attached to it is obligatory, as is not hidden.

"And to Him is the nushur (resurrection/return)": That is, the return after the resurrection—not to any other, the Almighty and Majestic. So be excessive in thanking His blessings, among which are the making of the earth submissive, empowering you upon it, and spreading provision within it. Among the things that evoke wonder is the permissibility of the pronoun in "His provision" returning to the earth, considering it a source or an element of the elements, or [that it refers to] dhalulan, in which both masculine and feminine are equal. The annexation (idafa) is for the closest association; that is, from the provision that He created upon it. Likewise with the pronoun in "to Him" (ilayhi)—that is, "And to the earth is your resurrection and your return," so you emerge from your houses and palaces to your graves. The sentence "To Him is the resurrection" is said to be a conjunction to the relative clause after observing what was ordered upon it, and it is said to be a circumstantial state (hal) estimated from the elevated pronoun of the addressees. So ponder.