Surah Al-Faatiha (1) — Ayah 4

(Ayah 4) ➊ {مٰلِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّيْنِ: ’’ الدِّيْنِ ‘‘ ’’دَانَ يَدِيْنُ‘‘} is derived from, to give recompense, to give reward. After Ar-Rahman and Ar-Raheem, the attribute of being the Owner of the Day of Recompense is mentioned. One recitation is «مٰلِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّيْنِ », meaning the Owner of the Day of Recompense, and the other is {’’مَلِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّيْنِ ‘‘}, meaning the King of the Day of Recompense. In the script of the Noble Qur’an, {’’ مٰلِكِ ‘‘} is written, and it can be read both as {’’ مَالِكِ ‘‘} and {’’مَلِكِ‘‘}, and both recitations are established in a Mutawatir manner from the Messenger of Allah, ﷺ. Allah Almighty is both the Owner and the King of the Day of Resurrection. The relevance of being the Owner and King of the Day of Resurrection with {’’ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ ‘‘} is that sometimes someone is very merciful, but he owns nothing, so even if he wants to, he cannot show mercy. Then, sometimes a person owns a lot, but the king is someone else, so even though he is an owner, he does not have full authority. The meaning of {’’يَوْمِ الدِّيْنِ ‘‘} is the Day of Recompense. In this world as well, the process of recompense, that is, the reward for deeds, continues, but since the complete manifestation of this recompense will occur on the Day of Resurrection, that day is specifically called {’’يَوْمِ الدِّيْنِ ‘‘} (the Day of Recompense), and the meaning of Allah Almighty being the {’’مَالِك‘‘} and {’’مَلِك‘‘} (King) of that day is that on that day, even outwardly, the chain of ownership and kingship will come to an end. He said: «يَوْمَ لَا تَمْلِكُ نَفْسٌ لِّنَفْسٍ شَيْـًٔا وَ الْاَمْرُ يَوْمَىِٕذٍ لِّلّٰهِ » [ الانفطار : ۱۹ ] “The Day when no soul will possess anything for another soul, and the command on that Day will be entirely Allah’s.” And He said: « لِمَنِ الْمُلْكُ الْيَوْمَ لِلّٰهِ الْوَاحِدِ الْقَهَّارِ» [ المؤمن : ۱۶ ] “To whom does the dominion belong today? To Allah, the One, the Dominant.” On that day, Allah Almighty will be the Owner, He will also be the King, and the command will be only His. The relevance between the attribute of mercy and the ownership of the Day of Recompense is clarified by this hadith in which the Messenger of Allah, ﷺ, said: “Allah Almighty has one hundred mercies, of which He has sent down one mercy among the jinn and mankind, animals, and insects. With it, they show compassion to one another, and with it, they have mercy on one another, and with it, wild animals show compassion to their young, and Allah Almighty has kept ninety-nine mercies in reserve, with which He will have mercy on His servants on the Day of Resurrection.” [ مسلم، التوبۃ، باب فی سعۃ رحمۃ اللہ تعالٰی… : 2752/19۔ بخاری : ۶۰۰۰، عن أبی ھریرۃ رضی اللہ عنہ ]

➋ According to the Hadith Qudsi about the division of Salah, when the servant says «مٰلِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّيْنِ », Allah Almighty says (1): [ مَجَّدَنِيْ عَبْدِيْ ] "My servant has glorified Me (declared My greatness)." (2) According to another narration, He says: [ فَوَّضَ اِلَيَّ عَبْدِيْ ] "My servant has entrusted everything to Me." [ مسلم، الصلوۃ، باب وجوب قراءۃ الفاتحۃ … : ۳۹۵ ] All the verses in the Noble Quran that contain the glorification of Allah and the themes of entrusting and reliance are details of {’’ مٰلِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّيْنِ ‘‘}.

1. Although the sequence of punishment for deeds continues to some extent in this world as well, its complete manifestation will occur in the Hereafter, and Allah Almighty will give every person full reward or punishment according to his good or bad deeds. And only Allah Almighty will be there. Allah Almighty will say on that day: Whose is the kingdom today? Then He Himself will answer: Only for the One Allah, the Dominant. On that day, no being will have any authority for anyone; the entire matter will be in Allah’s hand. This will be the Day of Recompense.

4. Master [9] of the Day of Judgment [8].

[8]
The Different Meanings of Deen:

The word "Deen" has been used in the Quran in the following four meanings: (1) The complete sovereignty of Allah, and its other aspect or necessary consequence.
(2) The complete servitude of man, as in the Divine statement:
﴿فَاعْبُدِ اللَّهَ مُخْلِصًا لَّهُ الدِّينَ أَلَا لِلَّهِ الدِّينُ الْخَالِصُ﴾ [39: 2۔ 3]
“So worship Him with complete sincerity. Behold, complete sovereignty belongs solely to Allah.” In both these verses, the word "Deen" conveys both of the above meanings.
(3) The law of reward and punishment or penal code, as in the Divine statement:
﴿ مَا كَانَ لِيَاْخُذَ اَخَاهُ فِيْ دِيْنِ الْمَلِكِ﴾ [76: 12]
“It was not befitting for him (Sayyiduna Yusuf ؑ), nor was it possible, that he could have kept his brother according to the king’s law.”
(4) The power to enforce the law of reward and punishment, as in the Divine statement:
﴿فَلَوْلَا إِن كُنتُمْ غَيْرَ مَدِينِينَ تَرْجِعُونَهَا إِن كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ﴾ [56: 86۔ 87]
“Then if you are truthful and free from the grip of the law, why do you not return it (the soul) when it reaches the throat?”
And in this verse, the word "Deen" conveys all four of the above meanings.

[9] In the previous verses, the mention was of the recognition of Allah. In this verse, faith in the Day of the Hereafter and the practical authority and power of Allah on the Day of the Hereafter are mentioned. That is, Allah will give every person a good reward for his good deeds and a bad reward for his bad deeds. He has full power to give such reward and to enforce His decision. There are also many rules and laws of Allah regarding the recompense of deeds, which are mentioned in many places in the Noble Quran. For example, that Allah may give a much greater reward for good deeds to whomever He wills, but the recompense for evil will be only as much as the evil that was done. Or that the punishment for one’s crime will not be given to another. Or that no criminal will be able to escape punishment in any way, etc., and all these things are mentioned in many places in the Quran.