1. All dominion belongs to Allah
تَبَٰرَكَ ٱلَّذِى بِيَدِهِ ٱلْمُلْكُ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
“Blessed is He in Whose hand is the Sovereignty, and, He is Able to do all things.”
Every kind of authority and ownership is “in His hand” 67:1. Ibn Kathīr: He disposes of all creation as He wills; no one can overturn His judgement, and He is not questioned about what He does.
2. Life is a test of the quality of deeds
ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلْمَوْتَ وَٱلْحَيَوٰةَ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا وَهُوَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْغَفُورُ
“Who hath created life and death that He may try you which of you is best in conduct; and He is the Mighty, the Forgiving…”
Death and life were created “to test which of you is best in deed” 67:2. Ibn Kathīr quotes Muḥammad ibn ʿAjlān: Allah did not say “most in deed”. What is weighed is how good a deed is, not how many.
3. The One who tests also forgives
The same verse ends “and He is the Almighty, the Forgiving” 67:2 — mighty, yet forgiving to whoever turns back to Him after disobeying, as Ibn Kathīr explains.
4. Look at creation — and look again
ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ سَبْعَ سَمَٰوَٰتٍ طِبَاقًا مَّا تَرَىٰ فِى خَلْقِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ مِن تَفَٰوُتٍ فَٱرْجِعِ ٱلْبَصَرَ هَلْ تَرَىٰ مِن فُطُورٍ
“Who hath created seven heavens in harmony. Thou (Muhammad) canst see no fault in the Beneficent One's creation; then look again: Canst thou see any rifts?”
The surah invites the reader to examine the heavens for a flaw, and then again, twice more 67:3 67:4. The sight returns humbled and tired, having found none. Reflection on creation is an act the Quran asks for.
5. Allah does not punish without first warning
تَكَادُ تَمَيَّزُ مِنَ ٱلْغَيْظِ كُلَّمَآ أُلْقِىَ فِيهَا فَوْجٌ سَأَلَهُمْ خَزَنَتُهَآ أَلَمْ يَأْتِكُمْ نَذِيرٌ
“As it would burst with rage. Whenever a (fresh) host is flung therein the wardens thereof ask them: Came there unto you no warner?”
The keepers of Hell ask every group “did no warner come to you?” and they answer “yes” 67:8 67:9. Ibn Kathīr draws the lesson of His justice: He punishes no one until the proof is established and a messenger has been sent (17:15).
6. Hearing and reasoning are a responsibility
وَقَالُوا۟ لَوْ كُنَّا نَسْمَعُ أَوْ نَعْقِلُ مَا كُنَّا فِىٓ أَصْحَٰبِ ٱلسَّعِيرِ
“And they say: Had we been wont to listen or have sense, we had not been among the dwellers in the flames.”
“Had we only listened or reasoned, we would not be among the companions of the Blaze” 67:10. The regret of the people of the Fire is that they had hearing and minds and did not use them — the faculties the surah later reminds us were given to us 67:23.
7. Fear Allah when no one is watching
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُم بِٱلْغَيْبِ لَهُم مَّغْفِرَةٌ وَأَجْرٌ كَبِيرٌ
“Lo! those who fear their Lord in secret, theirs will be forgiveness and a great reward.”
Forgiveness and a great reward are promised to “those who fear their Lord unseen” 67:12. Ibn Kathīr explains it as keeping away from sin and doing good when alone, where only Allah sees, and links it to the seven whom Allah shades on the Day of Judgement.
8. He knows what is in the hearts
وَأَسِرُّوا۟ قَوْلَكُمْ أَوِ ٱجْهَرُوا۟ بِهِۦٓ إِنَّهُۥ عَلِيمٌۢ بِذَاتِ ٱلصُّدُورِ
“And keep your opinion secret or proclaim it, lo! He is Knower of all that is in the breasts (of men).”
Secret or open speech are the same to Him: He knows “what is in the breasts” 67:13. “Does He not know, He who created?” 67:14 — the Creator knows what He created.
9. Work for provision, and trust Allah
هُوَ ٱلَّذِى جَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلْأَرْضَ ذَلُولًا فَٱمْشُوا۟ فِى مَنَاكِبِهَا وَكُلُوا۟ مِن رِّزْقِهِۦ وَإِلَيْهِ ٱلنُّشُورُ
“He it is Who hath made the earth subservient unto you, so Walk in the paths thereof and eat of His providence. And unto Him will be the resurrection (of the dead).”
The earth is made easy to walk on; “walk in its paths and eat of His provision” 67:15. Ibn Kathīr: striving for a living does not contradict trust in Allah — as in the hadith of the birds that go out hungry and return full.
10. Do not feel secure from His punishment
ءَأَمِنتُم مَّن فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ أَن يَخْسِفَ بِكُمُ ٱلْأَرْضَ فَإِذَا هِىَ تَمُورُ
“Have ye taken security from Him Who is in the heaven that He will not cause the earth to swallow you when lo! it is convulsed?”
The earth could swallow, or a storm of stones could fall 67:16 67:17, as nations before were punished for denial 67:18. Ibn Kathīr notes that it is out of His forbearance that He does not hasten punishment.
11. Only the Most Merciful holds things up
أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا۟ إِلَى ٱلطَّيْرِ فَوْقَهُمْ صَٰٓفَّٰتٍ وَيَقْبِضْنَ مَا يُمْسِكُهُنَّ إِلَّا ٱلرَّحْمَٰنُ إِنَّهُۥ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍۭ بَصِيرٌ
“Have they not seen the birds above them spreading out their wings and closing them? Naught upholdeth them save the Beneficent. Lo! He is Seer of all things.”
The birds spread and fold their wings, and “none holds them up but the Most Merciful” 67:19. No army can help and no one can provide besides Him 67:20 67:21.
12. Guidance is walking upright on a straight path
أَفَمَن يَمْشِى مُكِبًّا عَلَىٰ وَجْهِهِۦٓ أَهْدَىٰٓ أَمَّن يَمْشِى سَوِيًّا عَلَىٰ صِرَٰطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ
“Is he who goeth groping on his face more rightly guided, or he who walketh upright on a straight road?”
Is the one who walks fallen on his face better guided, or the one who walks upright on a straight path 67:22? Ibn Kathīr: a parable of the disbeliever and the believer, in this world and in how they will be gathered in the next.
13. Be grateful for hearing, sight and hearts
قُلْ هُوَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنشَأَكُمْ وَجَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلسَّمْعَ وَٱلْأَبْصَٰرَ وَٱلْأَفْـِٔدَةَ قَلِيلًا مَّا تَشْكُرُونَ
“Say (unto them, O Muhammad): He it is who gave you being, and hath assigned unto you ears and eyes and hearts. Small thanks give ye!”
“Little do you give thanks” 67:23. Ibn Kathīr: how little you use these faculties in obedience to Him — gratitude is shown by how they are used.
14. The time of the Hour is with Allah alone
قُلْ إِنَّمَا ٱلْعِلْمُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ وَإِنَّمَآ أَنَا۠ نَذِيرٌ مُّبِينٌ
“Say: The knowledge is with Allah only, and I am but a plain warner…”
Asked “when is this promise?”, the Prophet ﷺ is told to say “the knowledge is with Allah alone; I am only a clear warner” 67:25 67:26. Ibn Kathīr: no one knows its time but Allah; the Messenger’s task was to convey.
15. Belief and reliance go together
قُلْ هُوَ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنُ ءَامَنَّا بِهِۦ وَعَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْنَا فَسَتَعْلَمُونَ مَنْ هُوَ فِى ضَلَٰلٍ مُّبِينٍ
“Say: He is the Beneficent. In Him we believe and in Him we put our trust. And ye will soon know who it is that is in error manifest.”
“He is the Most Merciful; we believe in Him and upon Him we rely” 67:29 — in all our affairs, Ibn Kathīr adds.
16. Every blessing is His to give — even water
قُلْ أَرَءَيْتُمْ إِنْ أَصْبَحَ مَآؤُكُمْ غَوْرًا فَمَن يَأْتِيكُم بِمَآءٍ مَّعِينٍۭ
“Say: Have ye thought: If (all) your water were to disappear into the earth, who then could bring you gushing water?”
If your water sank deep into the earth, who could bring you flowing water 67:30? Ibn Kathīr: no iron picks or strong arms could reach it; it is from His generosity that water springs up and flows where His servants need it.
Go deeper
These lessons are drawn from the section-by-section explanation. The full Arabic commentary of Ibn Kathīr is on each verse’s page.