يَـٰمَعْشَرَ ٱلْجِنِّ وَٱلْإِنسِ إِنِ ٱسْتَطَعْتُمْ أَن تَنفُذُوا۟ مِنْ أَقْطَارِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ فَٱنفُذُوا۟ ۚ لَا تَنفُذُونَ إِلَّا بِسُلْطَـٰنٍ 33
Translations
O company of jinn and mankind, if you are able to pass beyond the regions of the heavens and the earth, then pass. You will not pass except by authority [from Allāh].
Transliteration
Ya ma'shara al-jinni wa-al-insi in istata'tum an tanfudhoo min aqtari al-samawati wa-al-ardi fa-anfudhoo. La tanfudhoon illa bi-sultani
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah presents a rhetorical challenge to both jinn and mankind, declaring that if they possess the power to penetrate and escape the boundaries of the heavens and earth, they are free to attempt it—yet they cannot do so except with divine authority (sulṭān). Classical scholars like Al-Qurṭubī and Ibn Kathīr interpret this as a demonstration of Allah's absolute dominion and the impossibility of escaping His knowledge, power, and control, reinforcing human and jinn accountability before God.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Ar-Raḥmān, a Medinan chapter that emphasizes Allah's mercy and bounties while also establishing His omnipotence. The broader context of the surah repeatedly contrasts Allah's gracious gifts with the consequences of rejection, and this particular ayah underscores that no creature can flee from divine accountability or transcend the cosmic order established by God.
Related Hadiths
The concept relates to hadith in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim regarding divine knowledge: 'There is no fleeing from Allah except to Allah' (La firara min Allah illa ilayh). Additionally, hadiths about the seven heavens and the vastness of creation emphasize humanity's insignificance compared to divine omniscience.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that no creature—whether human or jinn—can escape God's authority, knowledge, or judgment through any means; true freedom and security lie only in submission to Allah's will and divine guidance. It encourages humility and recognition of our absolute dependence on and accountability before the Almighty.