Surah Al-Mulk (The Sovereignty) is the 67th surah of the Quran, 30 verses at the start of juz 29. Many Muslims read it every night before sleep, following the practice of the Prophet ﷺ. The full surah is below in Arabic with an English translation, verse by verse.
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What is Surah Al-Mulk about?
Al-Mulk opens with “Blessed is He in whose hand is the Sovereignty” and spends its 30 verses pointing at creation as evidence: seven heavens without a flaw, stars as lamps, birds held up in the sky by nothing but the Most Merciful.
In the middle, the people of the Fire admit what went wrong: “Had we been wont to listen or have sense, we had not been among the dwellers in the flames” (67:10). The surah ends with a plain question about something everyone depends on: if your water sank into the earth, who would bring it back?
Surah Al-Mulk full text: Arabic and English
Arabic: Uthmani script. English: Marmaduke Pickthall's translation (1930), which uses older English (“ye”, “thee”).
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
تَبَٰرَكَ ٱلَّذِى بِيَدِهِ ٱلْمُلْكُ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ قَدِيرٌ ﴿١﴾
67:1 Blessed is He in Whose hand is the Sovereignty, and, He is Able to do all things.
ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلْمَوْتَ وَٱلْحَيَوٰةَ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًۭا ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْغَفُورُ ﴿٢﴾
67:2 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,
ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ سَبْعَ سَمَٰوَٰتٍۢ طِبَاقًۭا ۖ مَّا تَرَىٰ فِى خَلْقِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ مِن تَفَٰوُتٍۢ ۖ فَٱرْجِعِ ٱلْبَصَرَ هَلْ تَرَىٰ مِن فُطُورٍۢ ﴿٣﴾
67:3 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?
ثُمَّ ٱرْجِعِ ٱلْبَصَرَ كَرَّتَيْنِ يَنقَلِبْ إِلَيْكَ ٱلْبَصَرُ خَاسِئًۭا وَهُوَ حَسِيرٌۭ ﴿٤﴾
67:4 Then look again and yet again, thy sight will return unto thee weakened and made dim.
وَلَقَدْ زَيَّنَّا ٱلسَّمَآءَ ٱلدُّنْيَا بِمَصَٰبِيحَ وَجَعَلْنَٰهَا رُجُومًۭا لِّلشَّيَٰطِينِ ۖ وَأَعْتَدْنَا لَهُمْ عَذَابَ ٱلسَّعِيرِ ﴿٥﴾
67:5 And verily We have beautified the world's heaven with lamps, and We have made them missiles for the devils, and for them We have prepared the doom of flame.
وَلِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بِرَبِّهِمْ عَذَابُ جَهَنَّمَ ۖ وَبِئْسَ ٱلْمَصِيرُ ﴿٦﴾
67:6 And for those who disbelieve in their Lord there is the doom of hell, a hapless journey's end!
إِذَآ أُلْقُوا۟ فِيهَا سَمِعُوا۟ لَهَا شَهِيقًۭا وَهِىَ تَفُورُ ﴿٧﴾
67:7 When they are flung therein they hear its roaring as it boileth up,
تَكَادُ تَمَيَّزُ مِنَ ٱلْغَيْظِ ۖ كُلَّمَآ أُلْقِىَ فِيهَا فَوْجٌۭ سَأَلَهُمْ خَزَنَتُهَآ أَلَمْ يَأْتِكُمْ نَذِيرٌۭ ﴿٨﴾
67:8 As it would burst with rage. Whenever a (fresh) host is flung therein the wardens thereof ask them: Came there unto you no warner?
قَالُوا۟ بَلَىٰ قَدْ جَآءَنَا نَذِيرٌۭ فَكَذَّبْنَا وَقُلْنَا مَا نَزَّلَ ٱللَّهُ مِن شَىْءٍ إِنْ أَنتُمْ إِلَّا فِى ضَلَٰلٍۢ كَبِيرٍۢ ﴿٩﴾
67:9 They say: Yea, verily, a warner came unto us; but we denied and said: Allah hath naught revealed; ye are in naught but a great error.
وَقَالُوا۟ لَوْ كُنَّا نَسْمَعُ أَوْ نَعْقِلُ مَا كُنَّا فِىٓ أَصْحَٰبِ ٱلسَّعِيرِ ﴿١٠﴾
67:10 And they say: Had we been wont to listen or have sense, we had not been among the dwellers in the flames.
فَٱعْتَرَفُوا۟ بِذَنۢبِهِمْ فَسُحْقًۭا لِّأَصْحَٰبِ ٱلسَّعِيرِ ﴿١١﴾
67:11 So they acknowledge their sins; but far removed (from mercy) are the dwellers in the flames.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُم بِٱلْغَيْبِ لَهُم مَّغْفِرَةٌۭ وَأَجْرٌۭ كَبِيرٌۭ ﴿١٢﴾
67:12 Lo! those who fear their Lord in secret, theirs will be forgiveness and a great reward.
وَأَسِرُّوا۟ قَوْلَكُمْ أَوِ ٱجْهَرُوا۟ بِهِۦٓ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ عَلِيمٌۢ بِذَاتِ ٱلصُّدُورِ ﴿١٣﴾
67:13 And keep your opinion secret or proclaim it, lo! He is Knower of all that is in the breasts (of men).
أَلَا يَعْلَمُ مَنْ خَلَقَ وَهُوَ ٱللَّطِيفُ ٱلْخَبِيرُ ﴿١٤﴾
67:14 Should He not know what He created? And He is the Subtile, the Aware.
هُوَ ٱلَّذِى جَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلْأَرْضَ ذَلُولًۭا فَٱمْشُوا۟ فِى مَنَاكِبِهَا وَكُلُوا۟ مِن رِّزْقِهِۦ ۖ وَإِلَيْهِ ٱلنُّشُورُ ﴿١٥﴾
67:15 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).
ءَأَمِنتُم مَّن فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ أَن يَخْسِفَ بِكُمُ ٱلْأَرْضَ فَإِذَا هِىَ تَمُورُ ﴿١٦﴾
67:16 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?
أَمْ أَمِنتُم مَّن فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ أَن يُرْسِلَ عَلَيْكُمْ حَاصِبًۭا ۖ فَسَتَعْلَمُونَ كَيْفَ نَذِيرِ ﴿١٧﴾
67:17 Or have ye taken security from Him Who is in the heaven that He will not let loose on you a hurricane? But ye shall know the manner of My warning.
وَلَقَدْ كَذَّبَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ فَكَيْفَ كَانَ نَكِيرِ ﴿١٨﴾
67:18 And verily those before them denied, then (see) the manner of My wrath (with them)!
أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا۟ إِلَى ٱلطَّيْرِ فَوْقَهُمْ صَٰٓفَّٰتٍۢ وَيَقْبِضْنَ ۚ مَا يُمْسِكُهُنَّ إِلَّا ٱلرَّحْمَٰنُ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍۭ بَصِيرٌ ﴿١٩﴾
67:19 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.
أَمَّنْ هَٰذَا ٱلَّذِى هُوَ جُندٌۭ لَّكُمْ يَنصُرُكُم مِّن دُونِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ۚ إِنِ ٱلْكَٰفِرُونَ إِلَّا فِى غُرُورٍ ﴿٢٠﴾
67:20 Or who is he that will be an army unto you to help you instead of the Beneficent? The disbelievers are in naught but illusion.
أَمَّنْ هَٰذَا ٱلَّذِى يَرْزُقُكُمْ إِنْ أَمْسَكَ رِزْقَهُۥ ۚ بَل لَّجُّوا۟ فِى عُتُوٍّۢ وَنُفُورٍ ﴿٢١﴾
67:21 Or who is he that will provide for you if He should withhold His providence? Nay, but they are set in pride and frowardness.
أَفَمَن يَمْشِى مُكِبًّا عَلَىٰ وَجْهِهِۦٓ أَهْدَىٰٓ أَمَّن يَمْشِى سَوِيًّا عَلَىٰ صِرَٰطٍۢ مُّسْتَقِيمٍۢ ﴿٢٢﴾
67:22 Is he who goeth groping on his face more rightly guided, or he who walketh upright on a straight road?
قُلْ هُوَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنشَأَكُمْ وَجَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلسَّمْعَ وَٱلْأَبْصَٰرَ وَٱلْأَفْـِٔدَةَ ۖ قَلِيلًۭا مَّا تَشْكُرُونَ ﴿٢٣﴾
67:23 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!
قُلْ هُوَ ٱلَّذِى ذَرَأَكُمْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَإِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ ﴿٢٤﴾
67:24 Say: He it is Who multiplieth you in the earth, and unto Whom ye will be gathered.
وَيَقُولُونَ مَتَىٰ هَٰذَا ٱلْوَعْدُ إِن كُنتُمْ صَٰدِقِينَ ﴿٢٥﴾
67:25 And they say: When (will) this promise (be fulfilled), if ye are truthful?
قُلْ إِنَّمَا ٱلْعِلْمُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ وَإِنَّمَآ أَنَا۠ نَذِيرٌۭ مُّبِينٌۭ ﴿٢٦﴾
67:26 Say: The knowledge is with Allah only, and I am but a plain warner;
فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهُ زُلْفَةًۭ سِيٓـَٔتْ وُجُوهُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ وَقِيلَ هَٰذَا ٱلَّذِى كُنتُم بِهِۦ تَدَّعُونَ ﴿٢٧﴾
67:27 But when they see it nigh, the faces of those who disbelieve will be awry, and it will be said (unto them): This is that for which ye used to call.
قُلْ أَرَءَيْتُمْ إِنْ أَهْلَكَنِىَ ٱللَّهُ وَمَن مَّعِىَ أَوْ رَحِمَنَا فَمَن يُجِيرُ ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ مِنْ عَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍۢ ﴿٢٨﴾
67:28 Say (O Muhammad): Have ye thought: Whether Allah causeth me (Muhammad) and those with me to perish or hath mercy on us, still, who will protect the disbelievers from a painful doom?
قُلْ هُوَ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنُ ءَامَنَّا بِهِۦ وَعَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْنَا ۖ فَسَتَعْلَمُونَ مَنْ هُوَ فِى ضَلَٰلٍۢ مُّبِينٍۢ ﴿٢٩﴾
67:29 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.
قُلْ أَرَءَيْتُمْ إِنْ أَصْبَحَ مَآؤُكُمْ غَوْرًۭا فَمَن يَأْتِيكُم بِمَآءٍۢ مَّعِينٍۭ ﴿٣٠﴾
67:30 Say: Have ye thought: If (all) your water were to disappear into the earth, who then could bring you gushing water?
When to read Surah Al-Mulk
At night, before sleeping. The Prophet ﷺ would not sleep until he had recited Surah As-Sajdah and Surah Al-Mulk (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 2892).
It takes about nine minutes recited at a steady pace and less read silently, so it fits a nightly routine even on a busy day.
Benefits of Surah Al-Mulk (with hadith references)
“A surah of the Quran of thirty verses interceded for a man until he was forgiven. It is: Blessed is He in whose hand is the dominion.”
— Sunan Abi Dawud 1400; Jami' at-Tirmidhi 2891 (graded hasan)
The Prophet ﷺ would not sleep until he had recited Alif Lam Mim Tanzil (As-Sajdah) and Tabarak alladhi bi-yadihil-mulk (Al-Mulk).
— Jami' at-Tirmidhi 2892
A note on weak narrations: A narration in which the Prophet ﷺ calls Al-Mulk “the protector, the deliverer from the punishment of the grave” is in Jami' at-Tirmidhi 2890; at-Tirmidhi graded it hasan gharib and some scholars consider its chain weak.
Make Surah Al-Mulk a habit
Reading Al-Mulk every night is a small habit that is easy to drop. Quran Gate puts the Quran in front of you before your apps: it blocks Instagram, TikTok or YouTube until you read a few verses, and you can open Al-Mulk from the surah list and follow it word by word with a reciter.
Planning a full khatm as well? The khatam calculator tells you how many pages a day it takes, and our guide to building a daily Quran reading habit covers the rest.
Surah Al-Mulk: frequently asked questions
How many verses are in Surah Al-Mulk?
Surah Al-Mulk has 30 verses. It is the 67th surah and the first surah of juz 29 (Juz Tabarak).
When should I read Surah Al-Mulk?
At night before sleep. The Prophet ﷺ would not sleep until he had recited Surah As-Sajdah and Surah Al-Mulk (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 2892).
How long does it take to read Surah Al-Mulk?
About 8 to 10 minutes recited aloud at a steady pace, and roughly 5 minutes read silently.
What is the benefit of Surah Al-Mulk?
The Prophet ﷺ said a surah of thirty verses interceded for a man until he was forgiven, and named it as Al-Mulk (Sunan Abi Dawud 1400; Jami' at-Tirmidhi 2891, graded hasan).
Read more surahs
Quran text: Tanzil Quran Text (Uthmani), copied verbatim under the Tanzil licence. Translation: Marmaduke Pickthall, The Meaning of the Glorious Koran (1930), public domain. Arabic typeface: Amiri Quran (SIL Open Font License). Hadith references are given so you can check them in the collections.
