Discussion of the Narrations

The Meaning of Dīn and the Scope of God’s Ownership

From al-Ṣādiq (a.s.) regarding “Master of the Day of Judgment” (mālik yawm al-dīn), he said: “The Day of Reckoning.”(251)

From al-Riḍā (a.s.): “’Master of the Day of Judgment’ is an acknowledgment of Him regarding the resurrection, the reckoning, and the recompense.”(252)

“Master of the Day of Judgment”... and affirming His ownership of the Hereafter just as His ownership of this world is affirmed.(253)

Note: _D_īn means absolute recompense, and it includes the recompense of this world and the recompense of the Hereafter. Although the prevalence, perfection, and completeness of recompense is in the Hereafter, the absolute includes the less prevalent instance as well, even if it is not interpreted as being specific to it. The result is that numerous verses in the Qur’an have been revealed regarding the good recompense of the God-fearing and likewise the evil recompense of the wicked, such as verse 146 of Sūrah al-Anʿām and verses ٨٠, ١٠٥, ١١٠, ١٢١, and ١٣١ of Sūrah al-Ṣāffāt. And the Master of such a day is none other than God. So the meaning of “Master of the Day of Judgment” encompasses the recompense of both worlds.

The Friends of God and the Master of the Day of Judgment

From al-Zuhrī, he said: “When ʿAlī b. al-Ḥusayn (a.s.) would recite ‘Master of the Day of Judgment,’ he would repeat it until he was about to die.”(254)

From Dāwūd b. Farqad, he said: “I heard Abū ʿAbd Allāh (a.s.) recite ‘King of the Day of Judgment’ (malik yawm al-dīn) more times than I can count.”(255)

It is narrated from al-Sajjād (a.s.): “If everyone between the East and the West were to die, I would not feel lonely as long as the Qur’an was with me. And when he recited from the Qur’an “Māliki yawmi l-dīn” (“Master of the Day of Judgment”) (1:4), he would repeat it, and it was as if he was about to die from the fear that entered him.”(256)

Recitation of Maliki and Māliki

It is narrated from Dāwūd b. Farqad, who said: I heard Abū ʿAbdillāh (a.s.) recite, more times than I can count, “Maliki yawmi l-dīn” (“King of the Day of Judgment”).(257)

It is narrated from Muḥammad b. ʿAlī al-Ḥalabī from Abū ʿAbdillāh (a.s.) that he used to recite “Māliki yawmi l-dīn” (“Master of the Day of Judgment”).(258)