Surah Az-Zumar
Chapter 39 · Verse 67 · Revealed in Makkah
“They have not appraised Allah with true appraisal, while the earth entirely will be [within] His grip on the Day of Resurrection, and the heavens will be folded in His right hand. Exalted is He and high above what they associate with Him.”
Translation: Saheeh International
Listen to recitation
Mishary Rashid Alafasy
Reflection — Ibn Kathir
The Idolators did not make a just Estimate of Allah such as is due to Him
وَمَا قَدَرُواْ اللَّهَ حَقَّ قَدْرِهِ
(They made not a just estimate of Allah such as is due to Him.) means, the idolators did not give Allah His due when they worshipped others alongside Him. He is the Almighty, and there is none mightier than Him; He is the One Who is able to do all things; He is the Owner of all things and everything is under His control and power. Mujahid said, "This was revealed concerning Quraysh." As-Suddi said, "They did not venerate Him as He deserves to be venerated." Muhammad bin Ka`b said, "If they had made a just estimate of Allah such as is due to Him, they would not have lied." `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said:
Reflection — Maarif ul Quran
In the last verse (67), it was said: وَالْأَرْضُ جَمِيعًا قَبْضَتُهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَالسَّمَاوَاتُ مَطْوِيَّاتٌ(and the whole earth will be in a single grip of His hand on the Day of Doom and the heavens, rolled up on His right hand). The earth being in the hand-grip of Allah Ta’ ala and the heavens being rolled up on His right hand appears here, in the view of the early forbears of Islam, in its real sense. But, the subject of the verse falls in the category of al-mutashabihat (of hidden meaning) the reality of which is not known to anyone except Allah Ta’ ala. For people in general, even trying to find out its reality is forbidden. Hence, the thing to do is no more but to believe that whatever Allah Ta’ ala means thereby is true and correct. And since the apparent words of this verse seem to suggest grasp, grip or a hand holding something ('qabdah', mutthi, handful) as well as the presence of a right hand that are parts of a body while Allah Ta’ ala is pure and free from body and physicality. To this, towards the end of the verse, a hint was released: Do not take these words on the analogy of your body limbs. Allah Ta` la is free from these: سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ (Pure is He, far too high from what they ascribe to Him - 39:67).
Later day scholars, taking this verse to be metaphorical, explain it by saying that having something grasped in hand and having something in the right hand is an allusion to having something under full possession and control - and it is this perfect possession and control that is meant here. And Allah, He is pure and high - He knows best.
What does this verse bring up for you today?