Overview (Verse 2)

Absolute Dominion

We hardly catch our breath after this first verse has portrayed this great universal festival of God's glorification. The surah immediately takes us on another round in the universe: "His is the dominion over the heavens and the earth. He grants life and causes death; and He has power over all things." (Verse 2) We have learnt that everything in the heavens and earth extols God's glory, as He is the sole owner of the universe who has no partner in His dominion. It is, thus, a case of glorifying the Owner by His property. It is He who creates life and death, granting life to every living thing and then determining its death. Nothing happens other than what He wills.

Life continues to be a secret in its nature and source. No one can tell where it came from or how. Indeed, no one knows what life truly is. The Qur'an says that it is God who grants life to every living entity. No one can deny this or prove anything contrary to it. Likewise, death is a deeply hidden secret whose nature is unknown to all. No one can cause it because none can take life away other than the One who granted it in the first place. Both life and death are aspects of His absolute dominion over the heavens and the earth.

"He has power over all things." (Verse 2) His power is absolute, unrestricted by anything. God's will operates without any restriction whatsoever. Any limitation, of any type, form or colour, our minds try to apply to God's will, according to our own logic, is false as it is conceived by man's finite mind. The fact that God's will determines and operates the laws that operate in the universe is part of the overall picture of His free, unrestricted will. The choice is made without restriction, and the operation of these laws does not impose any limitation on God's will to make it operate within these laws. God's choice remains free and unrestricted.

The Qur'an lays much emphasis on this fact, reiterating it on every occasion in a way that accentuates that God's will is absolutely free, unrestricted even by the results of its own actions. Thus, this fact remains clear, uncoloured by any alien conception. For example, God has promised the people of heaven that they will abide there forever, and the same promise is given to the people of hell. This promise is issued by His will, but His will is kept free beyond the very promise He has chosen to give. Therefore, He says about both groups that they will "abide [there] as long as the heavens and the earth endure, unless your Lord wills it otherwise." (11: 107 and 108) This is repeated on every occasion so as to make it clear that no exception can be made. Human logic has no say on this other than what is stated in the Qur'an.

In this way, we can appreciate the significance of this verse that states God's absolute power in His dominion in which He has no partner, where everything rightly extols His praises.
 

Overview (Verse 2)

Absolute Dominion

We hardly catch our breath after this first verse has portrayed this great universal festival of God's glorification. The surah immediately takes us on another round in the universe: "His is the dominion over the heavens and the earth. He grants life and causes death; and He has power over all things." (Verse 2) We have learnt that everything in the heavens and earth extols God's glory, as He is the sole owner of the universe who has no partner in His dominion. It is, thus, a case of glorifying the Owner by His property. It is He who creates life and death, granting life to every living thing and then determining its death. Nothing happens other than what He wills.

Life continues to be a secret in its nature and source. No one can tell where it came from or how. Indeed, no one knows what life truly is. The Qur'an says that it is God who grants life to every living entity. No one can deny this or prove anything contrary to it. Likewise, death is a deeply hidden secret whose nature is unknown to all. No one can cause it because none can take life away other than the One who granted it in the first place. Both life and death are aspects of His absolute dominion over the heavens and the earth.

"He has power over all things." (Verse 2) His power is absolute, unrestricted by anything. God's will operates without any restriction whatsoever. Any limitation, of any type, form or colour, our minds try to apply to God's will, according to our own logic, is false as it is conceived by man's finite mind. The fact that God's will determines and operates the laws that operate in the universe is part of the overall picture of His free, unrestricted will. The choice is made without restriction, and the operation of these laws does not impose any limitation on God's will to make it operate within these laws. God's choice remains free and unrestricted.

The Qur'an lays much emphasis on this fact, reiterating it on every occasion in a way that accentuates that God's will is absolutely free, unrestricted even by the results of its own actions. Thus, this fact remains clear, uncoloured by any alien conception. For example, God has promised the people of heaven that they will abide there forever, and the same promise is given to the people of hell. This promise is issued by His will, but His will is kept free beyond the very promise He has chosen to give. Therefore, He says about both groups that they will "abide [there] as long as the heavens and the earth endure, unless your Lord wills it otherwise." (11: 107 and 108) This is repeated on every occasion so as to make it clear that no exception can be made. Human logic has no say on this other than what is stated in the Qur'an.

In this way, we can appreciate the significance of this verse that states God's absolute power in His dominion in which He has no partner, where everything rightly extols His praises.