Verse Four:

مَلِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ {الفاتحة/4}

“Master and Possessor of the Day of Judgment.”

The word /maaliki/ which means ‘possessor’ in Arabic is read by some readers of the Qur’an as /maliki/ to mean “king” of the Day of Judgment. However, both readings are acceptable. The meaning of the word as ‘possessor’ is said to be more effective than the meaning of the word as ‘king’ a possessor has direct right to the thing possessed whereas a king is like a protector of such things and of peace among possessors in his kingdom. On the other hand, it is said that a king has more power than a possessor. Hence, the two readings are acceptable. It is better to think 0f Allah as both the only king and the sole possessor of the Day of Judgment. On that day, Allah will ask: “Who is then the Lord?” The answer will then come from Him “Allah is the only Lord”. When a sinner knows that there is punishment on the Day of Judgment, he will correct himself in this life. A good person will be encouraged to act properly when he knows that he will be rewarded on the Day of Judgment. Such an observation of Allah’s mercy and power is more effective than the secular system in which a person fears the legal punishment and is ready to make mistakes in the absence of the law. A Muslim realizes that Allah knows all about him for He is the Omniscient Qur’‌an 58: 7).

إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ {المجادلة/7}

Though Allah is the ‘Ever Possessor’ of all the worlds, yet He mentions His possession of the Day of Judgment specifically because of its magnitude and because He is the Sole Possessor of that Day. The horror Of the Day of Judgment is referred to in many verses in different suras of the Qur’an. In Sura 22, for example, the first two verses read:

O Mankind, fear your Lord and be dutiful to Him! Verily, the earthquake of the Hour of Judgment is a terrible thing. The Day you shall see it, every nursing mother will forget her nursling and every pregnant one will drop her load, and you shall see mankind as in a drunken state, yet they will not be drunken, but severe will be the [situation with sinners].

A Muslim’s belief in the Day of Judgment and his fear of punishment free him of enslavement to his own desire to sin. He knows that he will be held responsible for his deeds. This belief will also free him of enslavement to others. He will know that this short life is incomparable with the everlasting one that follows resurrection. He will then be in control of his wishes and desires. He will be ready to sacrifice the pleasures of this life for the happiness and pleasures of the everlasting life thereafter. He will not kill, nor steal nor commit adultery for fear of punishment on the Day of Judgment. Such an attitude will establish peace and safety in the world.