Transliteration:( Wa lillaahii mulkus samaawaati wal ard; yaghfiru limany yashaaa'u wa yu'azzibu many yashaaa'; wa kaanal laahu Ghafoorar Raheemaa )
"And only Allah has the authority [35] of the heavens and the earth. He forgives whom He pleases and punishes [36] whom He pleases. And Allah is Forgiving, Most Merciful."
This part of the verse confirms that ultimate control over all creation — both in the heavens and the earth — rests solely with Allah.
No one can challenge or override His decision. When Allah is the Protector of the believers, it is impossible for any disbeliever to defeat them without His will.
So, the assumption that the enemies of Islam could overpower the believers is completely baseless, especially when Allah is their Guardian and Helper.
Allah's decision to forgive or punish is never arbitrary. It is rooted in His complete knowledge, wisdom, and justice.
Forgiveness is for those whom He wills — especially the sincere believers and those who repent.
Punishment is for those who rebel against His commands and deny His signs.
It must be clarified that:
Allah will not punish a pious believer unjustly, as falsely claimed by some sects like the Arya Samaj (founded by Dayanand Saraswati), who accuse Allah of injustice.
Similarly, claiming that Allah can lie or act against His promises — as alleged by the Wahabi notion of absolute will without wisdom — is a slander against His attribute of Truth and Justice.
Thus, Allah's mercy and justice go hand in hand, and He forgives out of mercy, while He punishes out of justice — never out of oppression or error.
The tafsir of Surah Fath verse 14 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Fath ayat 11 which provides the complete commentary from verse 11 through 14.
(48:14) To Allah belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. He forgives whom He pleases and chastises whom He pleases. He is Most Forgiving, Most Compassionate.[26]
26. The mention of Allah’s being All-Forgiving and All- Merciful, after the foregoing warning, contains in it a subtle aspect of admonition. It means this: Even now if you give up your insincere attitude and way of life and adopt sincerity, you will find Allah All-Forgiving and All- Merciful. He will forgive you your previous shortcomings and will treat you according to the quality of your sincerity in the future.
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