Understanding ‘Ilah’

THE CONCEPT OF RELIGION “He created the heavens and the earth for a true purpose; He causes the night to succeed the day and the day to succeed the night; He has subjected the sun and moon so that they run their courses for an appointed time; He is truly the Mighty, the Forgiving. He created you from a single soul, then produced its spouse from it, and He has provided for you eight heads of cattle in pairs. He creates you stage by stage in your mothers’ wombs in a threefold darkness. Such is God, your Lord. Sovereignty is His. There is no god but Him. So, what has made you turn away? (Quran, 39:5-6) These words suggest that the “sovereignty” ( ) ملك mentioned here refers to the power over the motion of the sun and moon, the mastery of creation and control, not social or political authority. The commentators have interpreted it this way as well. I will cite the words of the commentator, al-Razi: Then Allah (Exalted) said, “To Him belongs sovereignty” ( امللك ,) له which signifies exclusivity—meaning that sovereignty belongs solely to Him and no one else. Once it is established that sovereignty belongs only to Allah, it naturally follows to say, “There is no