Ma'arif al-Qur'an · Tafsir · in English
Al-Haqqah 69:29–31
هَلَكَ عَنِّي سُلْطَانِيَهْ (My power has gone from me for good...69:29). The word sultan, literally, yields the sense of 'power or overpowering'. Therefore, a government or state is referred to as saltanah and a ruler is referred to as sultan. In other words, when people gain power and political ascendancy in the world, they become proud, hold sway over other people, perpetrate injustices and commit atrocities. But in the Hereafter all that will vanish and be lost, and the unjust and proud rulers will have no army to obey or support them. They will be miserable and helpless creatures who will not be able to defend themselves.
The word sultan also stands for 'authority, proof or argument' in which case it would mean: 'Today I have no argument in favour of protecting myself against punishment'.
69:30–31Page 567
خُذُوهُ فَغُلُّوهُ ٣٠
[Allāh will say], "Seize him and shackle him.
ثُمَّ ٱلۡجَحِيمَ صَلُّوهُ ٣١
Then into Hellfire drive him.
خُذُوهُ فَغُلُّوهُ (Seize him, then put a collar around his neck... 69:30). This instruction will be given to the angels to seize the guilty one and truss him up by putting a collar around his neck - though, however, the wordings of the verse do not mention who will seize and who will truss him up. Narratives indicate that when this order will be issued, everything, like submissive and obedient servants, will rush to apprehend him.
Text: through the Quran Foundation. The ayahs: Quran Foundation. Sources and licences