Surah At-Tur 52:37 — The Treasuries and Control

أَمْ عِندَهُمْ خَزَائِنُ رَبِّكَ أَمْ هُمُ الْمُصَيْطِرُونَ

“Or have they the depositories [containing the provision] of your Lord? Or are they the controllers [of them]?”

Rhetorical questioning that rebukes and exposes, shifting to the theme: “Who do they think they are?”

Treasuries (Khazaa’in) Control (Musayṭirūn) Wealth and Power Challenged

Context and Rhetorical Frame

Background

The discussion preceding this āyah has been about the Messenger (pbuh) and the Qur’an, and about Allah Himself. It continues with a style of rhetorical questioning that rebukes and exposes, shifting to a theme that resonates with: “Who do they think they are?”

Focus

This āyah confronts claims tied to wealth and power—exposing the presumption of possessing or controlling what belongs to the Lord alone.

Quraysh: Perceived Favor and Authority

Authority over Makkah & the Ka’bah

They viewed their authority over Makkah—including the Ka’bah—as a divine endorsement.

Great abundance of wealth

Riches were seen as a special favor, emboldening a claim to act as they pleased.

Respect from all tribes

Widespread respect reinforced their sense of divine preference and license.

They dismissed the Qur’an because others preceded them to believing in it—reflecting arrogance in assuming they were divinely chosen and that anything of significance must begin with them.

Language: خَزَائِنُ (Khazaa’in)

Treasuries

خَزَائِنُ refers to treasuries—the place where wealth and treasures are stored and kept.

  • Interpreted as Rizq (sustenance) and livelihood, or the keys to the sources of Rizq.
Stores of Mercy & Prophethood
  • The stores of Allah’s mercy in terms of divine bounty, guidance, sustenance, and favor.
  • Also interpreted to refer to Prophethood and the decision of to whom it goes.

Rhetorical Challenge: Do they possess or control?

“Have they the depositories of your Lord?”

Despite their claims to wealth, power, and standing—are they really claiming possession of the treasuries of their Lord?

“Or are they the controllers [of them]?”

Do they think they have complete control over them—to do with them as they please?

What is being attacked

This āyah is attacking two aspects related to the Quraysh: their wealth and their power—indicating their denial is fueled by being intoxicated by both.

A Related Mindset Described

وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَوْ كَانَ خَيْرًا مَّا سَبَقُونَا إِلَيْهِ

“And those who disbelieve say of those who believe, ‘If it had [truly] been good, they would not have preceded us to it.’”

Surah Al-Ahqaf (11)
This reflects arrogance—dismissing the truth because others preceded them to believing in it, born of the belief that they are divinely preferred and that what is significant must begin with them.

Concise Synthesis

  • The āyah continues a sequence about the Messenger, the Qur’an, and Allah, by exposing presumptions through pointed questions.
  • “Treasuries” spans Rizq, the keys to its sources, the stores of divine mercy (bounty, guidance, sustenance, favor), and even Prophethood—none of which they possess or control.
  • The Quraysh’s denial is tied to intoxication by wealth and power, and to an arrogant self-image of divine endorsement.