Understanding ‘Ilah’

without any sharing in it by anyone other than Him, Most High. • “Al-qada‘u al-nafidh fi kulli shay’” ( ِّ القَضاءُ النّافِذُ يف كُل ) شَيء (Tafsir al-Baydawi, Vol. 4, p. 184) The absolute decree in everything. The view that “lahu al-Hukmu” refers to judgment in the Hereafter is preferred because it is reported from the famous Companion and exegist ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (RA): “Wa ‘an Ibn ‘Abbas: ayy lahu al-hukmu bayna ‘ibadihi ta‘ala, fa-yahkumu li-ahl ta‘atihi bi’l-maghfirah wa’l-fadl, wa-li-ahl ma‘siyatihi bi’l-shaqa’i wa’l-wayl.” Meaning, from Ibn ‘Abbas (RA): That is, to Him belongs the judgment between His servants. He judges for the people of obedience with forgiveness and bounty, and for the people of disobedience with misery and woe. (Ruh al-Ma‘ani, Vol. 10, p. 313) Another verse in Chapter Al-Zumar uses the phrase “to Him belongs sovereignty” ( ,) له امللك which in the book is translated as “governing power.” At the start of the Chapter, there is criticism of the worship of certain “guardians” (awliya) whom the polytheists worshipped, believing they would bring them closer to Allah. This is followed by a rejection of the belief that Allah has offspring who share in the heavens and earth. Then the verse states: