Al-Fatiha: (4) Māliki Yawm ad-Dīn (Master of the Day of Recompense)

First Benefit: The Meaning of Māliki Yawm ad-Dīn

This means: Master of the Day of Resurrection and Judgment.

The necessity of this statement is to distinguish between the doer of good and the doer of evil, the obedient and the disobedient, the agreeable and the contrary. This distinction cannot be fully manifested except on the Day of Recompense, as Allah says:

"That He may recompense those who do evil for what they have done, and recompense those who do good with what is best." (An-Najm: 31)

And:

"Or do We treat those who believe and do righteous deeds like those who spread corruption in the land? Or do We treat the righteous like the wicked?" (Sad: 28)

And:

"Indeed, the Hour is coming; I conceal it, so that every soul may be recompensed for what it strives for." (Taha: 15)

Know that if an oppressor prevails over the oppressed, and the oppressor is not subsequently avenged, this is due to one of three things: inability, ignorance, or contentment with the injustice. These three attributes are impossible for Allah. Therefore, it is necessary that He avenges the oppressed against the oppressors. Since this retribution does not occur fully in the worldly abode, it must occur in the Hereafter, which is what is meant by His saying: "Master of the Day of Recompense," and by His saying:

"So whoever does an atom's weight of good will see it, and whoever does an atom's weight of evil will see it." (Az-Zalzalah: 7-8)

It is narrated that a man will be brought forth on the Day of Resurrection. He will examine his deeds and find no good deeds whatsoever. A call will come: "O so-and-so, enter Paradise by your deeds!" He will ask, "My Lord, what deeds did I do?" Allah the Exalted will reply, "Were you not asleep on such-and-such a night, turning from side to side, and during that, you uttered 'Allah' [in remembrance]? Then sleep overcame you, and you forgot it. As for Me, neither slumber nor sleep overtakes Me, so I have not forgotten it."

Also, a man will be brought forth, and his good and bad deeds will be weighed. His good deeds will be light. A small card will be brought that will outweigh his scale. On it will be the testimony: Lā ilāha illā Allāh (There is no god but Allah). Nothing weighs heavier with the mention of Allah than this.

Know that obligations are of two types: the rights of Allah, and the rights of people. As for the rights of Allah, they are based on leniency, as He is self-sufficient from all creation. As for the rights of people, these are what must be strictly avoided.

It is narrated that Abu Hanifa (may Allah be pleased with him) was owed money by a Magian. When he went to the Magian's door to demand it, he stepped on filth on his sandal. When he shook off the filth, it flew off his sandal and landed on the wall of the Magian's house. Abu Hanifa was perplexed, thinking: If I leave it, it causes ugliness to this Magian's wall; if I wipe it, the dust will fall from the wall. He knocked, and a maid came out. He told her, "Tell your master that Abu Hanifa is at the door."

The Magian came out, expecting a demand for money, and began to offer excuses. Abu Hanifa said, "There is something more pressing here," and mentioned the matter of the wall and how to purify it. The Magian replied, "Then let me begin by purifying myself," and immediately embraced Islam.

The point here is that because Abu Hanifa was scrupulous about avoiding even this small injustice towards the Magian, the Magian transitioned from disbelief to faith. Consider then the state of one who avoids injustice altogether!

Second Benefit: The Difference Between Mālik and Malik

The reciters differed concerning this word: some read it as Mālik (Master/Owner) and others as Malik (King).

1. It contains an extra letter, thus its recitation yields greater reward.
2. On the Day of Resurrection, many kings will exist. However, the true Mālik of that Day is none but Allah.
3. A Mālik may or may not be a Malik, just as a Malik may or may not be a Mālik. Ownership and kingship can be separated. However, Mālikiyyah (ownership) is the basis for absolute disposition, whereas Malikiyyah (kingship) is not. Thus, Mālik is more appropriate.
4. A Malik rules over subjects (ra'iyyah), whereas a Mālik owns slaves ('abīd). A slave is in a lower status than a subject. Therefore, the sense of absolute subjugation is greater in Mālikiyyah than in Malikiyyah.
5. Subjects can choose to remove themselves from being subjects to that king by their own will. A slave cannot remove himself from being owned by his Mālik by his own will. Thus, the subjugation in Mālikiyyah is more complete than in Malikiyyah.
6. A Malik is obligated to look after the welfare of his subjects, as the Prophet (PBUH) said: "Every one of you is a shepherd and is responsible for his flock." Subjects are not obligated to serve the king. However, a slave must serve his Mālik and cannot undertake any matter without his master's permission. For instance, a slave cannot validly serve as a judge, lead prayer, or give testimony. If his master intends to travel, the slave becomes a traveler; if the master intends to reside, the slave becomes a resident. Hence, submission and subservience are more perfect in the state of being owned (Mamlūk) than in being a subject.

These are the arguments indicating that Mālik is more exalted than Malik.

1. Every person in a city can be a Mālik (owner of property), but a Malik (King) is only the greatest and highest among people. Thus, the Malik is more noble than the Mālik.
2. They unanimously agree that in the verse: "Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind, the King of mankind..." (An-Nās: 1), the word Malik is specifically designated. If Malik were not higher in status than Mālik, this specification would not be necessary.
3. Malik is shorter. It is apparent that the time allotted for recitation allows for the complete utterance of this word, unlike Mālik, which is longer, potentially leading to the reciter not completing it. Al-Kasā'ī responded to this by saying: "I begin reciting this word; if I do not complete it, I have completed it in my intention." This is analogous to religious rulings where one who intends to fast tomorrow before sunset on a Ramadan day does not fulfill the intention because he is currently engaged in fasting today. However, if he intends after sunset, it is not valid because, although it is an extension of hope, he has exited the fast due to sunset. It is possible he might die that night, so he says, "If I do not reach tomorrow, at least I will be resolved to fast." Similarly here, he begins reciting Mālik; if he completes it, so be it; if he cannot complete it, he was resolved to complete it, which is the intent.

Furthermore, rulings derive from both being Malik and being Mālik.

1. Governance (Siyāsah) is in four categories: the governance of owners (Mālikūn), the governance of kings (Mulūk), the governance of angels, and the governance of the King of Kings. The governance of kings is stronger than that of owners, because if a world of owners gathered, they could not resist one king. Do you not see that according to Abu Hanifa, a master cannot impose a prescribed punishment (hadd) on his slave? Yet, they agree that a king can impose hudūd on people. The governance of angels is above that of kings, as a world of great kings cannot repel the governance of one king. The governance of the King of Kings is above that of angels, as seen in: "The Day the Spirit and the angels will stand in ranks, none speaking except the one permitted by the Most Merciful, and saying only what is right." (An-Naba: 38), and: "Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission?" (Al-Baqarah: 255). Therefore, O kings, do not be deceived by your wealth and dominion, for you are captives in the grip of the power of the Master of the Day of Recompense. O subjects, if you fear the governance of a king, do you not fear the governance of the King of Kings, who is the Master of the Day of Recompense?
2. Allah, as Malik, is unlike other kings. If other kings give charity, their kingdom diminishes, and their treasuries decrease. However, Allah's dominion does not decrease by giving and benevolence; rather, it increases. If Allah grants you one son, His command applies only to that one son. If He grants you ten sons, His command and obligation apply to all of them. Thus, the more He gives, the wider His dominion becomes.
3. The perfection of mercy is inherent in His being Malik. Evidence includes: (a) What is mentioned in this Surah: Rabb, Rahmān, Rahīm. (b) His saying: "He is Allah, besides Whom there is no deity, Knower of the unseen and the witnessed. He is the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful." (Al-Hashr: 22). Then He says: "He is Allah, besides Whom there is no deity, the King..." (Al-Hashr: 23). Then He mentions being Quddūs (Pure) from injustice, Salām (Source of Peace) who saves His servants from His injustice, and Mu'min (Giver of Security) who secures His servants from His oppression. Thus, His being Malik is not perfected except with complete mercy. (c) His saying: "And the sovereignty, that Day, will belong to the Most Merciful." (Al-Furqan: 26). After establishing sovereignty, He follows it by describing Himself as Rahmān, indicating that while sovereignty implies complete power, Rahmān implies the removal of fear and the attainment of mercy. (d) His saying: "Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind, the King of mankind..." (An-Nās: 1). He first mentions being the Lord of mankind, followed by being the King of mankind. These verses indicate that kingship is only good and perfect when accompanied by benevolence and mercy. O kings, listen to these verses, have mercy on these poor people, and do not seek a rank in kingship greater than the kingship of the Master of the Day of Recompense.
4. It is obligatory for the subjects to obey the Malik. If they disobey, chaos and disorder occur in the world, leading to the ruin of the world and the destruction of creation. Since you see that disobedience to a temporal king ultimately leads to the ruin of the world, consider the effect of disobeying the King of Kings in terms of the loss of benefits and the attainment of harms! To elaborate: Allah showed that disbelief causes the ruin of the world: "The heavens are almost to break apart therefrom, and the earth to split open, and the mountains to fall down in ruin, that they attribute to the Most Merciful a son." (Maryam: 90). And He showed that obedience is the cause of benefits: "And enjoin prayer upon your family, and be patient therein. We ask not of you provision; We provide for you, and the best outcome is for righteousness." (Taha: 132). O subjects, obey your kings, and O kings, obey the King of Kings so that the world's affairs may be ordered.
5. When He described Himself as Malik of the Day of Recompense, He manifested His perfect justice to all creation: "And your Lord is not ever unjust to [His] servants." (Fussilat: 46). Then He explained the manner of justice: "And We will set up the scales of justice for the Day of Resurrection, so no soul will be treated unjustly at all." (Al-Anbiyā: 47). Thus, true kingship of the Day of Recompense is manifested through justice. If a temporal king is just, he is a true king; otherwise, he is a false king. If he is a just and true king, goodness and comfort prevail in the world due to the blessing of his justice. If he is an unjust king, goodness is removed from the world.

It is narrated that Anushirwan once went hunting, rode far, became separated from his army, and suffered from thirst. He reached an orchard and saw pomegranate trees. He asked a boy there for one pomegranate. The boy gave him one. He split it, squeezed the seeds, and a lot of water came out, which he drank. He liked this pomegranate and resolved to take the orchard from its owner. He then asked the boy for another pomegranate. He squeezed it, and only a little, sour water came out. He asked the boy why the pomegranate had become like this. The boy replied, "Perhaps the ruler of the land intended injustice, and because of the ill omen of his injustice, the pomegranate became like this." Anushirwan repented in his heart for that intended injustice. He asked the boy for another pomegranate. He squeezed it, and it was sweeter than the first. He asked the boy why the situation had changed. The boy replied, "Perhaps the ruler of the land repented from his injustice." When Anushirwan heard this story from the boy, which matched the state of his own heart, he completely repented from injustice, and consequently, his name remained immortalized in the world for justice. Some people even narrate from the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) that he said: "I was born in the time of the just king."

1. The reading Mālik is more hopeful than Malik. The most one can hope for from a just king is to escape without loss (head for head). However, a slave seeks clothing, food, mercy, and nurturing from his Mālik. It is as if Allah is saying: "I am your Owner, so I am responsible for your sustenance, your reward, and your Paradise."
2. Although a king is richer than an owner, the king desires things from you, whereas you desire things from the owner. We have no deeds or merits that would compel Him to ask us for various good deeds and obedience on the Day of Resurrection. Rather, we ask Him for pardon, forgiveness, and the granting of Paradise purely by His grace. For this reason, Al-Kasā'ī said: Recite Māliki Yawm ad-Dīn, because this reading indicates abundant grace and vast mercy.
3. If a king reviews his army, he only accepts those who are strong in body and sound in temperament; he rejects the sick and gives them nothing obligatory. However, if an owner has a slave who falls ill, he treats him; if he weakens, he supports him; if he falls into tribulation, he rescues him. Thus, the reading with the word Mālik is more suitable for sinners and the needy.
4. A Malik possesses awe and governance (siyāsah), while a Mālik possesses compassion and mercy (ra'fah). Our need for compassion and mercy is greater than our need for awe and governance.

Third Benefit: Sovereignty as Power

Kingship (Mulk) is an expression of power (Qudrah). His being Mālik and Malik is an expression of power here.

There is an inquiry here: Is Allah the King/Owner of existing things or non-existing things? The first option is false because the creation of existing things is impossible [for anyone else], so Allah's power over existing things is only through their annihilation. Based on this, only non-existence has an owner. The second option is also false because it implies that His power and ownership relate to non-existence, meaning Allah has no ownership or kingship over existing things, which is far-fetched.

The answer is that Allah is the Owner and King of existing things in the sense that He is capable of transferring them from existence to non-existence, or capable of transferring them from one attribute to another. This power belongs only to Allah. Therefore, the true King is Allah, the Exalted.

Once you know that He is the True King, we say: He is the King of the Day of Recompense. This is because the power to resurrect creation after death belongs only to Allah, and the knowledge of those scattered parts of people's bodies belongs only to Allah. Since the gathering, resurrection, and rising cannot occur except through knowledge encompassing all knowables and power related to all possibilities, it is established that no one owns the Day of Recompense except Allah. The full discussion on this chapter relates to the issue of resurrection.

If it is argued: An owner is only the owner of something when the owned object exists, and the Resurrection does not currently exist, so Allah is not the Owner of the Day of Recompense; rather, it should be said, "Owner of the Day of Recompense" (using the indefinite form), similar to saying, "I will kill Zayd" (a declaration) versus "I am the killer of Zayd" (an affirmation).

We say: What you mentioned is correct, except that since the establishment of the Resurrection is a true matter, and abandoning wisdom is impossible, the existence of the Resurrection is treated as an established, present matter. Furthermore, whoever dies, his personal Resurrection has already occurred, so the Resurrection is present, and the question is resolved.

Fourth Benefit: The Five Names Mentioned

In this Surah, Allah mentioned five of His names: Allah, Rabb (Lord), Rahmān (Most Gracious), Rahīm (Most Merciful), and Mālik (Master).

The reason seems to be: "First, I created you, so I am Allah (The Deity). Then, I nurtured you with various blessings, so I am Rabb (Lord). Then, you disobeyed, so I concealed your faults, so I am Rahmān (Most Gracious). Then, you repented, so I forgave you, so I am Rahīm (Most Merciful). Then, it is inevitable that I will deliver recompense to you, so I am Mālik Yawm ad-Dīn (Master of the Day of Recompense)."

If it is asked: Why are Rahmān and Rahīm mentioned once in the Basmala and again in the Surah, while the other three names are not repeated?

We reply: The structure implies: Mention that I am Ilāh and Rabb once, and mention that I am Rahmān and Rahīm twice, so you know that the emphasis on mercy is greater than on other matters. Then, after establishing the doubled mercy, it is as if He says: "Do not be deceived by that, for I am the Master of the Day of Recompense." This is analogous to His saying: "Forgiver of sin and acceptor of repentance, severe in punishment, owner of bounty." (Ghafir: 3).

Fifth Benefit: Theological Implications

The Qadariyyah sect argued: If Allah is the Creator of people's actions, then reward, punishment, and recompense are negated, because rewarding a person for what he did not do is futile, and punishing him for what he did not do is unjust. Under this premise, His being Master of the Day of Recompense is invalidated.

The Jabbariyyah sect argued: If people's actions were not by Allah's decree and predetermination, He would not be their Owner, and He would not own their actions. Since Muslims are unanimous that He is the Owner of people and their actions, we know that He is their Creator and Determiner of them. And Allah knows best.

Chapter Five

Concerning His saying: Iyyāka Na'budu wa Iyyāka Nasta'īn (You Alone We Worship, and You Alone We Ask for Help)

And in it are several benefits.