Tafseer of The Sovereignty · Al-Mulk · 67:28
Say, [O Muhammad], "Have you considered: whether Allah should cause my death and those with me or have mercy upon us, who can protect the disbelievers from a painful punishment?"
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The explanation of the words of the Exalted: قُلْ أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِنْ أَهْلَكَنِيَ اللَّهُ وَمَنْ مَعِيَ أَوْ رَحِمَنَا فَمَنْ يُجِيرُ الْكَافِرِينَ مِنْ عَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ (28) ("Say: Have you then considered, if Allah causes me to die together with those who are with me, or has mercy upon us — who then will protect the disbelievers from a painful punishment? (28)").
The Exalted, whose mention is exalted, says to His Prophet Muḥammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace: ( قُلْ ) — "Say," O Muḥammad, to the polytheists (mushrikīn) of your people: ( أَرَأَيْتُمْ ) — "Have you then considered," O people, ( إِنْ أَهْلَكَنِيَ اللَّهُ ) — "if Allah destroys me," that is, causes me to die, ( وَمَنْ مَعِيَ أَوْ رَحِمَنَا ) — "together with those who are with me, or has mercy upon us," by postponing our appointed terms of life, ( فَمَنْ يُجِيرُ الْكَافِرِينَ ) — "who then will protect the disbelievers (kāfirūn) from Allah" ( مِنْ عَذَابٍ ) — from a painful, agonizing punishment (ʿadhāb), and that is the punishment of the Fire (al-nār). He says: neither our death nor our life can save the disbelievers from the punishment of Allah; there is therefore no reason whatsoever for you to hasten the coming of the Hour and the descent of the punishment, for that will not benefit you — rather, that will be for you a tremendous trial.
