You know, one of the coolest things about Surah Mulk is how Allah uses these amazing metaphors all the way through it. It’s like He’s not just telling us things straight up, but He’s using these brilliant images and comparisons to really grab our attention and pull us in.
And it’s all for a reason, right? It’s like Allah wants us to really think about the big questions: Why are we even here? What’s the whole point of our lives? And He wants us to be super aware of the fact that our choices in this world actually matter. Like, if we make bad choices, there can be some really tough consequences down the road.
Basically, the Quran, especially in Surah Al-Mulk, is like using these beautiful and meaningful comparisons, these “metaphors,” to help us get our heads around really important stuff. These metaphors—they’re not just fancy words! They’re like little thought bombs that make us stop and think deeply about why we’re here on Earth and what happens when we mess up in our lives. It’s like He’s using stories and pictures to help us understand some serious realities.
Why Use of Metaphors in Surah Mulk?
One of the metaphors that really jumps out is in verse 3. It’s where Allah talks about the seven layers of heaven. And it’s not just about having seven layers – it’s about how they’re all “seamlessly merged into one another.” Like, perfectly fitted together, no gaps, nothing out of place!
When you really think about that, about this flawless design of heaven, it just kind of blows you away. It makes you feel humbled. Like you just have to lower your gaze and be in awe of how incredible it all is.
And that’s kind of the point; it makes you start asking yourself some serious questions. Like, why have we become so… “heedless”? Why have we ignored Allah and denied Him, especially when He’s constantly showing us His “Rahima”—His mercy and loving kindness? He’s showering us with it our whole lives!
It’s like, everything in nature is so balanced and in harmony. Even the Earth itself is made “subservient”. So, if all of creation is working in balance, why are we humans so often violent? Why are we constantly fighting against nature, and even against each other? It just doesn’t make sense!
It also reminds you of how life and death are connected too. It’s like in verse 2, Allah says that life and death just “flow seamlessly into one another.” It’s all part of one big, continuous cycle. And in that cycle, we go through seven different stages in our existence, starting all the way back with “Aalam-e-Arwa”, which is like our very first, primordial existence.
In verse 5, it talks about stars like they’re pelting the “shayatin”. It’s like the stars are acting like missiles, keeping those shayatin away, holding them back! It says there are actually two kinds of shayatin.
There’s the “material” kind—like, the ones you can kind of see in the world. And it gives an example: “Hasad” That’s like someone who’s super envious and always jealous of other people. That envy is like a material kind of bad energy, you could say. Then, there’s the “immaterial” kind—the ones you can’t see. And for that, it gives the example of “the Whisperer”. That’s like those sneaky thoughts that whisper bad ideas into your “Sudoor” – into your chest, your inner self—and then they disappear just as quickly. Those are the unseen, immaterial devils.
Now, when you think about the inner meaning of this whole metaphor, it’s really deep. It’s like it’s saying that there are these devilish things that can actually live inside us. And sometimes, we get so caught up in enjoying worldly stuff and relying on all sorts of things around us in this world that we forget what’s really important.
But then, when we’re forced to just look up at the sky, at all those stars. It’s like we suddenly get humbled. We realize how tiny we are compared to this gigantic universe. And in that moment of humility, we understand that the only thing really worth relying on, the only trust that truly matters, is trust in Allah Almighty, the one who created this whole amazing universe in the first place. It’s like the stars are reminding us where our real strength and support come from.
It’s really interesting how much the Quran explains stars. Because Allah actually makes this super powerful oath about stars in Surah Waqi’ah. And it’s like, He doesn’t make oaths like that about just anything! In Surah Waqi’ah, Allah says, “I swear by the setting of the stars, and it is indeed a mighty oath if you but knew it.” It shows you how important stars are in the eyes of Allah.
And think about it—for people way back then, like the Bedouin Arabs who traveled across the desert at night, stars were like their GPS! They were the only way to find their way around in the dark. So, when Allah talks about stars in this way, it’s like He’s trying to tell us something important. He’s saying that our real guide on our journey through life isn’t those stars in the sky, but something even better: the Holy Quran! It’s like, if we truly understand the Quran and actually put it into practice in our lives, it’ll be like a powerful weapon. It will disarm those bad influences—those Shayatin—that are trying to mess with us from inside!
Then, in verse 22 of Surah Al-Mulk, it mentions this picture of a guy walking with his face all bent down towards the ground. But it doesn’t tell you why he’s walking like that. Maybe the path is super dark, or maybe it’s all bumpy and uneven.
So, it’s like Allah is using this image to tell us something about our journey through life too. He’s saying that we can be like that guy, walking through life with our heads down, kind of “blinded by our own heedlessness”—you know, not really paying attention to what’s important. Or, we could be constantly stumbling and getting hurt by all the tough stuff life throws at us—those “trials and tribulations.” And we just keep getting hurt without really learning anything from it!
It’s like we get so caught up in this “dunya”, which is like a path that’s mostly dark and full of obstacles and roadblocks. And because we’re looking down at that dark, bumpy path, we just can’t find our way! But the path to real guidance, the path to light? That only shows up when we finally “look up”!
That’s why the Quran keeps bringing us back to this idea of “looking at the sky.” It’s like it’s a constant reminder to lift our heads, to look beyond the stuff right in front of us, until we finally find that right path—the one that actually brings us closer to Allah.
Conclusion
So, if we’re feeling lost in life, like we’re wandering around in the dark. What’s our compass, what’s our map? Well, the Quran and the Sunnah – they’re exactly that! They’re like our navigation system, our guide to help us find our way back to Allah, even while we’re still living here in this “Duniya“.
The Quran is packed with these amazing metaphors, like we’ve been talking about, right? It’s like, everywhere you look in the Quran, there are these hidden gems of wisdom waiting to be discovered. And it’s not just about reading them quickly – it’s about really taking the time to explore them, to “absorb their essence,” as they say. To let them sink in deep.
So, let’s really try to find those metaphors in the Quran. Let’s dig them out and think about what they really mean for us. Because when you do that, you’ll realize there’s this incredible power in those words – a power that can really guide us and transform us, if we just open ourselves up to it.