Al-Mulk
al-Mulk is the 67th chapter of the Quran, comprising 30 verses. The surah emphasizes that no individual can impose his will on another; he may only guide and set an example.
Placement & Coherence with other surahs
The idea of textual relation between the verses of a chapter has been discussed under various titles such as nazm and munasabah in non-English literature and coherence, text relations, intertextuality, and unity in English literature. Hamiduddin Farahi, an Islamic scholar of the Indian subcontinent, is known for his work on the concept of nazm, or coherence, in the Quran. Fakhruddin al-Razi, Zarkashi and several other classical as well as contemporary Quranic scholars have contributed to the studies. The entire Qur'an thus emerges as a well-connected and systematic book. Each division has a distinct theme. Topics within a division are more or less in the order of revelation. Within each division, each member of the pair complements the other in various ways. The seven divisions are as follows:| Group | From | To | Central theme |
| 1 | Al-Fatiha | Al-Ma'ida | Islamic law |
| 2 | Al-An'am | At-Tawba | The consequences of denying Muhammad for the polytheists of Mecca |
| 3 | Yunus | An-Nur | Glad tidings of Muhammad's domination |
| 4 | Al-Furqan | Al-Ahzab | Arguments on the prophethood of Muhammad and the requirements of faith in him |
| 5 | Saba | Al-Hujraat | Arguments on monotheism and the requirements of faith in it |
| 6 | Qaf | At-Tahrim | Arguments on afterlife and the requirements of faith in it |
| 7 | Al-Mulk | An-Nas | Admonition to the Quraysh about their fate in the Herein and the Hereafter if they deny Muhammad |
This surah belongs to the last group of surahs which starts from Surah Al-Mulk and runs till the end of the Quran. According to Javed Ahmad Ghamidi: "The theme of this group is Warning the leadership of the Quraysh of the consequences of the Hereafter, and delivering glad tidings to Muhammad of the supremacy of the truth in Arabia. This theme gradually reaches its culmination through the arrangement of various surahs in this group."
| Phase | From | To | Central theme |
| I | Al-Mulk | Al-Jinn | Indhar |
| II | Al-Muzzammil | Al-Inshirah | Indhar-i ‘am |
| III | At-Tin | Quraysh | Itmam al-Hujjah |
| IV | Al-Ma'un | Al-Ikhlas | Hijrah and Bara’ah |
| V | Al-Falaq | Al-Nas | The Conclusion/The End |
Hadith
The first and foremost exegesis/tafsir of the Quran is found in hadith of Muhammad and while hadith is literally "speech"; recorded saying or tradition of Muhammad validated by isnad; with seerah these comprise the sunnah and reveal shariah and tafsir. Although scholars including ibn Taymiyyah claim that Muhammad has commented on the whole of the Quran, others including Ghazali cite the limited amount of narratives, thus indicating that he has commented only on a portion of the Quran. In either the case, higher count of hadith elevates the importance of the pertinent surah from a certain perspective. This surah holds special place in the sayings as well as practices of Muhammad, which can be observed by these related ahadith.- Imam Ahmad recorded from Abu Hurayrah that Muhammad said,"Verily, there is a chapter in the Quran which contains thirty Ayat that will intercede on behalf of its reciter until he is forgiven. : 'Blessed be He in Whose Hand is the dominion. '"
- Muhammad said, 'There is a surah in the Quran which is only thirty verses. It defends whoever recites it until it puts him into Jannah'
- Anas ibn Malik reported Muhammad as saying, "There is a Surah which will plead for its reciter till it causes him to enter paradise."
- Muhammad said, 'Surah al Mulk is the protector from the torment of the grave'
- Jabir said it was the custom of not to go to sleep until he had read Tabarakalladhi Biyadihil Mulk and Alif Laam Meem Tanzeel.
- He used to recite Surah As-Sajdah and Surah Al-Mulk before sleeping.
- Abdullah Ibn 'Abbas reported that Muhammad said, 'It is my desire/love that Surahtul Mulk should be in the heart of every Muslim'
- Ibn Abbas said that one of Muhammad's companions set up his tent over a grave without realising that it was a grave and it contained a man who was reciting the Surah Tabarakalladhi Biyadihil Mulk up to the end. He went and told Muhammad who said, 'It is The Defender; it is The Protector which safeguards from Allah Ta'ala's Punishment'
- Khalid bin Madam said about surat Al Mulk and As-Sajda that these two surahs will fight for their reciter in the grave and will say, 'O Allah! If we belong to Your book, accept our intercession in his favour. In case we do not, get us obliterated. These surahs will spread their wings like birds and will save the person from the torment of the grave.'
- It was narrated that Abd Allah ibn Mas'ud said: Whoever reads Tabarakalladhi Biyadihil Mulk every night, Allah will protect him from the torment of the grave. At the time of the Messenger of Allah, we used to call it al-mani'ah. In the Book of Allah it is a surah which, whoever recites it every night has done very well.
- Abdullah ibn Masud is reported to have said, 'A man will be approached in his grave from his legs and from his chest and then from his head. And each time this Surah will defend him by saying, 'You cannot do anything to him, he used to recite Surah Mulk'.'
- Abdullah ibn Masud further states, 'It is called, 'Al-maani'ah'. For it protects from the punishment of the grave.'
- Ibn Umar said that once that Muhammad recited verse 2 and when he reached the words "better in deeds", he stopped and explained that 'better in deeds' is the person who abstains most from the things Allah has forbidden and is always ready to obey Him."
- Yahya related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab that Humayd ibn Abd ar-Rahman ibn Awf had told him that Surat al-Ikhlas was equal to a third of the Quran, and that Surat al-mulk pleaded for its owner.