Tafseer of The Overthrowing · At-Takwir · 81:21
Obeyed there [in the heavens] and trustworthy.
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 His statement, the Exalted: مُطَاعٍ ثَمَّ أَمِينٍ ("who is obeyed, there, trustworthy") (81:21).
Allah, whose mention is exalted, says: ( مُطَاعٍ ثَمَّ ) ("who is obeyed, there"), by which Jibrīl ﷺ is meant — obeyed in heaven, the angels obey him; ( أمِينٍ ) ("trustworthy"), by which He says: trustworthy with Allah regarding His revelation and His message and the other things which He has entrusted to him.
And in accordance with what we have said about that, the people of interpretation (ahl al-taʾwīl) have spoken.
* Mention of who said that:
Abū al-Sāʾib related to me, saying: ʿUmar ibn Shabīb al-Muslī related to us, on the authority of Ismāʿīl ibn Abī Khālid, on the authority of Abū Ṣāliḥ: ( مُطَاعٍ ثَمَّ أَمِينٍ ) ("who is obeyed, there, trustworthy"), he said: Jibrīl, peace be upon him, who is entrusted (amīn) to enter seventy tents of light without permission.
Muḥammad ibn Manṣūr al-Ṭūsī related to us, saying: ʿUmar ibn Shabīb related to us, saying: Ismāʿīl ibn Abī Khālid related to us, saying: I know it only on the authority of Abū Ṣāliḥ, something similar.
Sulaymān ibn ʿUmar ibn Khālid al-Aqṭaʿ related to us, saying: my father ʿUmar ibn Khālid related to me, on the authority of Maʿqil ibn ʿUbayd Allāh al-Jazarī, saying: Maymūn ibn Mihrān said concerning His statement: ( مُطَاعٍ ثَمَّ أَمِينٍ ) ("who is obeyed, there, trustworthy"), he said: that is Jibrīl, peace be upon him.
Muḥammad ibn Saʿd related to me, saying: my father related to me, saying: my uncle related to me, saying: my father related to me, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning His statement: ( ذِي قُوَّةٍ عِنْدَ ذِي الْعَرْشِ مَكِينٍ * مُطَاعٍ ثَمَّ أَمِينٍ ) ("possessor of strength, with the Lord of the Throne highly placed, who is obeyed, there, trustworthy"), he said: by that Jibrīl is meant.
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His statement: ( ذِي قُوَّةٍ عِنْدَ ذِي الْعَرْشِ مَكِينٍ * مُطَاعٍ ) ("possessor of strength, with the Lord of the Throne highly placed, who is obeyed"): obeyed with Allah, ( ثَمَّ أَمِينٍ ) ("there, trustworthy").
I was told on the authority of al-Ḥusayn, saying: I heard Abū Muʿādh say: ʿUbayd related to us, saying: I heard al-Ḍaḥḥāk say concerning His statement: ( مُطَاعٍ ثَمَّ أَمِينٍ ) ("who is obeyed, there, trustworthy"): by that Jibrīl is meant, peace be upon him.
