whether it be good or evil. “And they will not be wronged,” meaning that none of their good deeds will be diminished, nor will their evil deeds be increased.

“Say, ‘O Allah (1), Owner of all dominion, You grant dominion to whom You will and take dominion away from whom You will; You honor whom You will and humble whom You will. All good is in Your Hand. Indeed, You are fully capable of all things.’” (26)

Regarding His saying, Exalted is He, “Say, ‘O Allah, Owner of all dominion,’” Qatadah said: It is related that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, asked his Lord to grant his community dominion over Persia and Rome, so Allah, Exalted is He, revealed this verse.

Ibn ‘Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, and Anas ibn Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, said: When the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, conquered Makkah, he promised his community dominion over Persia and Rome. The hypocrites and the Jews said, “Far be it, far be it! How could Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, gain dominion over Persia and Rome? They are too mighty and too well-defended for that. Was Makkah and Madinah not enough for Muhammad, that he should aspire to dominion over Persia and Rome?” So Allah revealed this verse: “Say, ‘O Allah.’”

It was said that its meaning is, “O Allah”; when the vocative particle was omitted, the letter mim was added at the end. Others said that the mim carries a meaning: it means, “O Allah, direct goodness toward us”—that is, intend us with goodness. The vocative particle was omitted from it, just as in their expression halumma ilayna, “come to us,” whose original form was hal umma ilayna. Then, because it became frequent in speech, the hamzah was omitted for ease. They would sometimes also use the lighter pronunciation lāhumma.

His saying, “Owner of all dominion”—that is, “O Owner of all dominion” (2)—means: Owner of the servants and all that they possess. It was also said: O Owner of the heavens and the earth. Allah, Exalted is He, says in some of the revealed books: “I am Allah, the King of kings and the Master of kings. The hearts of kings and their forelocks are in My Hand. If My servants obey Me, I make the kings a mercy over them; but if they disobey Me, I make the kings a punishment over them. So do not occupy yourselves with reviling kings; rather, repent to Me, and I shall incline them toward you.” (3)

Regarding His saying, Exalted is He, “You grant dominion to whom You will,” Mujahid and Sa‘id ibn Jubayr said: This means the dominion of prophethood. Al-Kalbi said: “You grant dominion to whom You will”—to Muhammad and his Companions—“and take dominion away from whom You will”—from Abu Jahl and the leading men of Quraysh. It was also said: “You grant dominion to whom You will”—the Arabs—“and take dominion away from whom You will”—Persia and Rome.

Al-Suddi said: “You grant dominion to whom You will”: Allah granted it to the Prophets, peace be upon them, and commanded the servants to obey them. “And You take dominion away from whom You will”: He took it from the tyrants and commanded the servants to oppose them. It was also said: “You grant dominion to whom You will”—Adam and his descendants—“and take dominion away from whom You will”—Iblis and his troops.

Regarding His saying, Exalted is He, “You honor whom You will and humble whom You will,” ‘Ata’ said: “You honor whom You will”—the Emigrants and the Helpers—“and humble whom You will”—Persia and Rome. It was also said: “You honor whom You will”—Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, and his Companions—until they entered Makkah ten thousand strong, triumphant over it; “and You humble whom You will”—Abu Jahl and his companions—until their heads were severed and they were cast into the well. It was also said: “You honor whom