It was revealed in Mecca and it talks about the greatness and sovereignty of Allah, the Creator of everything. The surah also warns the disbelievers and the hypocrites about the punishment of the grave and the Hellfire and encourages the believers to strive for the cause of Allah and follow His commands.

According to some sources, reciting this surah has many benefits and rewards for the believers. Some of these benefits are:

- The recitation of Surah Mulk protects a person from the torment of the grave.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "It is a protector; a rescuer; saving from the chastisement of the grave." (At-Tirmidhi and Al-Hakim)
- The recitation of Surah Mulk saves one from the Hellfire¹²⁴. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "There is a surah in the Quran that is only thirty verses. It defends whoever recited it until it puts him into paradise." (Al-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah)
- The recitation of Surah Mulk helps in the forgiveness of sins. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "There is a surah in the Quran that intercedes for its reciter and forgives its listener. Do you know what it is? It is Surah Mulk." (Ahmad and At-Tabarani)
- The recitation of Surah Mulk increases one's blessings and rewards. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "Whoever recites a letter from the Book of Allah, he will have a reward. And that reward will be multiplied by ten. I am not saying that 'Alif, Lam, Meem' is a letter, rather I am saying that 'Alif' is a letter, 'Lam' is a letter and 'Meem' is a letter." (At-Tirmidhi)