87:1 Al-A'laa (The Most High)

يأمر تعالى بتسبيحه المتضمن لذكره وعبادته، والخضوع لجلاله، والاستكانة لعظمته، وأن يكون تسبيحا، يليق بعظمة الله تعالى، بأن تذكر أسماؤه الحسنى العالية على كل اسم بمعناها الحسن العظيم .

سورة الأعلي: الدليل على ذلك ما رواه البخاري حدثنا عبدان أخبرني أبي عن شعبة عن أبي إسحاق عن البراء بن عازب قال أول من قدم علينا من أصحاب النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم مصعب بن عمير وابن أم مكتوم فجعلا يقرئاننا القرآن ثم جاء عمار وبلال وسعد ثم جاء عمر بن الخطاب في عشرين ثم جاء النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فما رأيت أهل المدينة فرحوا بشيء فرحهم به حتى رأيت الولائد والصبيان يقولون هذا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قد جاء فما جاء حتى قرأت سبح اسم ربك الأعلى في سور مثلها. وقال الإمام أحمد حدثنا وكيع حدثنا إسرائيل عن ثوير بن أبي فاخته عن أبيه عن علي رضي الله عنه قال: كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يحب هذه السورة سبح اسم ربك الأعلى تفرد به أحمد وثبت في الصحيحين أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال لمعاذ "هلا صليت ب"سبح اسم ربك الأعلى والشمس وضحاها والليل إذا يغشي" ".وقال الإمام أحمد حدثنا سفيان عن إبراهيم بن محمد بن المنتشر عن أبيه عن حبيب بن سالم عن أبيه عن النعمان بن بشير أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قرأ في العيدين ب"سبح اسم ربك الأعلي" و"هل أتاك حديث الغاشية" وإن وافق يوم الجمعة قرأهما جميعا. هكذا وقع في مسند الإمام أحمد إسناد هذا الحديث وقد رواه مسلم في صحيحه وأبو داود والترمذي والنسائي من حديث أبو عوانه وجرير وشعبة ثلاثتهم عن محمد بن المنتشر عن أبيه عن حبيب بن سالم عن النعمان بن بشير به قال الترمذي وكذا رواه الثوري ومسعر عن إبراهيم قال ورواه سفيان بن عيينه عن إبراهيم عن أبيه عن حبيب بن سالم عن أبيه عن النعمان ولا يعرف لحبيب رواية عن أبيه وقد رواه ابن ماجه عن محمد بن الصباح عن سفيان بن عيينة عن إبراهيم بن المنتشر عن أبيه عن حبيب بن سالم عن النعمان به كما رواه الجماعة فالله أعلم ولفظ مسلم وأهل السنن كان يقرأ في العيدين ويوم الجمعة ب"سبح اسم رب الأعلى" و"هل أتاك حديث الغاشية" وربما اجتمعا في يوم واحد فقرأهما. وقد روى الإمام أحمد في مسنده من حديث أبي بن كعب وعبدالله بن عباس وعبدالرحمن بن أبزى وعائشة أم المؤمنين أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم كان يقرأ في الوتر ب"سبح اسم ربك الأعلى" و"قل يا أيها الكافرون" و"قل هو الله أحد" زادت عائشة والمعوذتين. وهكذا روي هذا الحديث من طريق جابر وأبي أمامة صدي بن عجلان وعبدالله بن مسعود وعمران بن حصين وعلي ابن أبي طالب رضي الله عنهم ولولا خشية الإطالة لأوردنا ما تيسر لنا من أسانيد ذلك ومتونه ولكن في الإرشاد بهذا الاختصار كفاية والله أعلم. قال الإمام أحمد حدثنا أبو عبدالرحمن حدثنا موسى يعني ابن أيوب الغافقي حدثنا عمي إياس بن عامر سمعت عقبة بن عامر الجهني لما نزلت "فسبح باسم ربك العظيم" قال لنا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم "اجعلوها في ركوعكم" فلما نزلت "سبح اسم ربك الأعلى" قال "اجعلوها في سجودكم" ورواه أبو داود وابن ماجه من حديث ابن المبارك عن موسى بن أيوب به. وقال الإمام أحمد حدثنا وكيع حدثنا إسرائيل عن أبي إسحاق عن مسلم البطين عن سعيد بن جبير عن ابن عباس أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم كان إذا "قرأ سبح اسم ربك الأعلى" قال "سبحان ربي الأعلى" وهكذا رواه أبو داود عن زهير بن حرب عن وكيع به قال وخولف فيه وكيع رواه أبو وكيع وشعبة عن أبي إسحاق عن سعيد عن ابن عباس موقوفا وقال الثوري عن السدي عن عبد خير قال سمعت عليا قرأ "سبح اسم ربك الأعلى" فقال سبحان ربي الأعلى. وقال ابن جرير حدثنا ابن حميد حدثنا حكام عن عنبسة عن أبي إسحاق الهمداني أن ابن عباس كان إذا قرأ "سبح اسم ربك الأعلى" يقول سبحان ربي الأعلى وإذا قرأ "لا أقسم بيوم القيامة" فأتى على آخرها "أليس ذلك بقادر على أن يحيي الموتى" يقول سبحانك وبلى وقال قتادة "سبح اسم ربك الأعلى" ذكر لنا أن نبي الله صلى الله عليه وسلم كان إذا قرأها قال سبحان ربي الأعلى.

Which was revealed in Makkah

The Virtues of Surat Al-A`la

This Surah was revealed in Makkah before the migration to Al-Madinah. The proof of this is what Al-Bukhari recorded from Al-Bara' bin `Azib, that he said, "The first people to come to us (in Al-Madinah) from the Companions of the Prophet were Mus`ab bin `Umayr and Ibn Umm Maktum, who taught us the Qur'an; then `Ammar, Bilal and Sa`d came. Then `Umar bin Al-Khattab came with a group of twenty people, after which the Prophet came. I have not seen the people of Al-Madinah happier with anything more than their happiness with his coming (to Al-Madinah). This was reached to such an extent that I saw the children and little ones saying, `This is the Messenger of Allah ﷺ who has come.' Thus, he came, but he did not come until after I had already recited (i.e., learned how to recite)

سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الاّعْلَى

(Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High.) (87:1) as well as other Surahs similar to it." It has been confirmed in the Two Sahihs that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to Mu`adh,

«هَلَّا صَلَّيْتَ بِــ

سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الاّعْلَى

وَالشَّمْسِ وَضُحَـهَا

وَالَّيْلِ إِذَا يَغْشَى »

(Why didn't you recite "Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High,"; "By the sun and its brightness," and "By the night when it envelopes.") Imam Ahmad recorded from An-Nu`man bin Bashir that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ recited

سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الاّعْلَى

هَلْ أَتَاكَ حَدِيثُ الْغَـشِيَةِ

Surat Al-A`la (chapter 87) and Surat Al-Ghashiyh (chapter 88) in the two `Id prayers. If the `Id prayer fell on Friday, he would recite them in both prayers (`Id and Salat Al-Jumu`ah). Muslim also recorded this in his Sahih, as well as Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah. The wording of Muslim and the Sunan compilers says, "He used to recite

سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الاّعْلَى

هَلْ أَتَاكَ حَدِيثُ الْغَـشِيَةِ

Surat Al-A`la (chapter 87) and Surat Al-Ghashiyh (chapter 88) for the two `Ids and Jumu`ah. If they occurred on the same day, he would recite them in both of them." In his Musnad, Imam Ahmad recorded on the authority of Ubayy bin Ka`b, Abdullah bin `Abbas, `Abdur-Rahman bin Abza, and the Mother of the believers, `A'ishah, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to recite

سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الاّعْلَى

قُلْ يأَيُّهَا الْكَـفِرُونَ

قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ

(Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High.) and (Say: `O you who disbelieve.') and (Say: `He is Allah, the One.') `A'ishah added in her version that he would also recite the Mu`awwidhatayn (Al-Falaq and An-Nas).

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيم

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

The Command to pronounce Tasbih and its Response

Imam Ahmad recorded from Ibn `Abbas that whenever the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would recite

سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الاّعْلَى

(Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High.) he would say,

«سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْأَعْلَى»

(Glory to my Lord, the Most High.) Ibn Jarir recorded from Ibn Ishaq Al-Hamdani that whenever Ibn `Abbas would recite

سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الاّعْلَى

(Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High.) he would say, "Glory to my Lord, the Most High," and whenever he would recite

لاَ أُقْسِمُ بِيَوْمِ الْقِيَـمَةِ

(I swear by the Day of Resurrection.) (75:1) and then reach the end of it

أَلَيْسَ ذَلِكَ بِقَـدِرٍ عَلَى أَن يُحْيِىَ الْمَوْتَى

(Is not He able to give life to the dead) (75:40) he would say, "Glory to You, of course." Qatadah said,

سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الاّعْلَى

(Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High.) "It has been mentioned to us that whenever the Prophet of Allah used to recite it he would say,

«سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْأَعْلَى»

(Glory to my Lord, the Most High.)"

The Creation, the Decree, and the bringing forth of Vegetation

Allah says,

الَّذِى خَلَقَ فَسَوَّى

(Who has created, and then proportioned it.) meaning, He created that which has been created, and He fashioned every creation in the best of forms. Then Allah says,

وَالَّذِى قَدَّرَ فَهَدَى

(And Who has measured; and then guided.) Mujahid said, "He guided man to distress and happiness, and he guided the cattle to their pastures." This Ayah is similar to what Allah has said about Musa's statement to Fir`awn,

رَبُّنَا الَّذِى أَعْطَى كُلَّ شَىءٍ خَلْقَهُ ثُمَّ هَدَى

(Our Lord is He Who gave to each thing its form and nature, then guided it aright.) (20:50) meaning, He decreed a set measure and guided the creation to it. This is just as is confirmed in Sahih Muslim on the authority of `Abdullah bin `Amr that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«إِنَّ اللهَ قَدَّرَ مَقَادِيرَ الْخَلَائِقِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَخْلُقَ السَّمَواتِ وَالْأَرْضَ بِخَمْسِينَ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ وَكَانَ عَرْشُهُ عَلَى الْمَاء»

(Verily, Allah ordained the measure of all creation fifty thousand years before He created the heavens and the earth, and His Throne was over the water.) Concerning Allah's statement,

وَالَّذِى أَخْرَجَ الْمَرْعَى

(And Who brings out the pasturage,) meaning, all types of vegetation and crops.

فَجَعَلَهُ غُثَآءً أَحْوَى

(And then makes it dark stubble.) Ibn `Abbas said, "Dried up and altered." It has been narrated that Mujahid, Qatadah and Ibn Zayd, all made similar statements.

The Prophet does not forget the Revelation

Allah says,

سَنُقْرِئُكَ

(We shall make you to recite,) meaning, `O Muhammad.'

فَلاَ تَنسَى

(so you shall not forget (it),) This is Allah informing and promising him (the Prophet ) that He will teach him a recitation that he will not forget.

إِلاَّ مَا شَآءَ اللَّهُ

(Except what Allah may will.) Qatadah said, "The Prophet did not forget anything except what Allah willed." It has been said that the meaning of Allah's statement,

فَلاَ تَنسَى

(so you shall not forget,) is, "do not forget" and that which would be abrogated, is merely an exception to this. Meaning, `do not forget what We teach you to recite, except what Allah wills, which He removes and there is no sin on your leaving it off (not retaining it).' Concerning Allah's statement,

إِنَّهُ يَعْلَمُ الْجَهْرَ وَمَا يَخْفَى

(He knows what is apparent and what is hidden.) meaning, He knows what the creatures do openly and what they hide, whether it be statements or deeds. None of that is hidden from Him. Then Allah says,

وَنُيَسِّرُكَ لِلْيُسْرَى

(And We shall make easy for you the easy.) meaning, `We will make good deeds and statements easy for you, and We will legislate such Law for you that is easy, tolerant, straight and just, with no crookedness, difficulty or hardship in it.'

The Command to remind

Allah then says,

فَذَكِّرْ إِن نَّفَعَتِ الذِّكْرَى

(Therefore remind in case the reminder profits.) meaning, remind where reminding is beneficial. From here we get the etiquette of spreading knowledge, that it should not be wasted upon those who are not suitable or worthy of it. The Commander of the believers, `Ali said, "You do not tell people any statement that their intellects do not grasp except that it will be a Fitnah (trial) for some of them." He also said, "Tell people that which they know. Would you like for Allah and His Messenger to be rejected" Allah said:

سَيَذَّكَّرُ مَن يَخْشَى

(The reminder will be received by him who fears,) meaning, `he whose heart fears Allah and who knows that he is going to meet Him, will receive admonition from what you convey to him, O Muhammad.'

وَيَتَجَنَّبُهَا الاٌّشْقَى - الَّذِى يَصْلَى النَّارَ الْكُبْرَى - ثُمَّ لاَ يَمُوتُ فِيهَا وَلاَ يَحْيَا

(But it will be avoided by the wretched, who will enter the great Fire. There he will neither die nor live.) meaning, he will not die and thus be allowed to rest, nor will he live a life that is beneficial to him. Instead, his life will be harmful to him, because it will be the cause of his feeling of the pain of torment and various types of punishments what he is being punished with. Imam Ahmad recorded from Abu Sa`id that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«أَمَّا أَهْلُ النَّارِ الَّذِينَ هُمْ أَهْلُهَا لَا يَمُوتُونَ وَلَا يَحْيَوْنَ، وَأَمَّا أُنَاسٌ يُرِيدُ اللهُ بِهِمُ الرَّحْمَةَ فَيُمِيتُهُمْ فِي النَّارِ فَيَدْخُلُ عَلَيْهِمُ الشُّفَعَاءُ فَيَأْخُذُ الرَّجُلُ الضِّبَارَةَ فَيُنْبِتُهُمْ أو قال: يَنْبُتُونَ فِي نَهْرِ الْحَيَا، أو قال: الْحَيَاةِ، أو قال: الْحَيَوَانِ أو قال: نَهْرِ الْجَنَّةِ فَيَنْبُتُونَ نَبَاتَ الْحِبَّةِ فِي حَمِيلِ السَّيْل»

(Concerning the people of the Fire who are deserving of it, they will not die nor will they live. Regarding the people that Allah wants mercy for, He will cause them to die in the Fire. Then He will allow the intercessors to come to them, and a man will take his groups of supporters and plant them (or he said (they will be planted) in the River of Al-Haya (or he said (Al-Hayah, or Al-Hayawan, or Nahr Al-Jannah). Then they will sprout up like the sprouting of the seed on the moist bank of a flowing stream.) Then the Prophet said,

«أَمَا تَرَوْنَ الشَّجَرَةَ تَكُونُ خَضْرَاءَ، ثُمَّ تَكُونُ صَفْرَاءَ، ثُمَّ تَكُونُ خَضْرَاءَ؟»

(Haven't you all seen the tree that is green, then it turns yellow, then it turns green (again)) Abu Sa`id then said that some of those present said, "It is as if the Prophet used to live in the desert wilderness (i.e., due to his parables of nature)." Ahmad also recorded from Abu Sa`id that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«أَمَّا أَهْلُ النَّارِ الَّذِينَ هُمْ أَهْلُهَا فَإِنَّهُمْ لَا يَمُوتُونَ فِيهَا وَلَا يَحْيَوْنَ، وَلَــكِنْ أُنَاسٌ أو كما قال تُصِيبُهُمُ النَّارُ بِذُنُوبِهِمْ أو قال: بِخَطَايَاهُمْ فَيُمِيتُهُمْ إِمَاتَةً حَتْى إِذَا صَارُوا فَحْمًا أُذِنَ فِي الشَّفَاعَةِ، فَجِيءَ بِهِمْ ضَبَائِرَ ضَبَائِرَ فَبُثُّوا عَلى أَنْهَارِ الْجَنَّةِ فَيُقَالُ:يَا أَهْلَ الْجَنَّةِ أَفِيضُوا عَلَيْهِمْ، فَيَنْبُتُونَ نَبَاتَ الْحِبَّةِ تَكُونُ فِي حَمِيلِ السَّيْل»

(Concerning the people of the Fire who will be dwellers of it, they will not die in it nor will they live. However, there will be a group of people - or as he said -( whom the Fire will burn due to their sins - or he said - (their wrongdoings. So, He will cause them to die until they become burnt coal. Then the intercession will be allowed and they will be brought group after group, and they will be scattered over the rivers of Paradise. Then it will be said: "O people of Paradise! Pour down upon them." Then they will sprout like the growing of the seed that is upon the moist bank of the flowing stream." Then, a man from among the people present said, "It is as if the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to live in the desert wilderness." Muslim also recorded this Hadith.

Glorify the Name of your Lord that is exalt your Lord above what does not befit Him ism in isma rabbika ‘the Name of your Lord’ is extra the Most High an adjective qualifying rabbika ‘your Lord’

Commentary

Ruling [ 1]

Scholars have ruled that when anyone recites the verse: سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الْأَعْلَى (Pronounce the purity of the name of your most exalted Lord...87:1) it is commendable to say:

سُبحانَ رَبِِّیَ الْأَعْلَى

'I pronounce the purity of my most exalted Lord.'

This was the practice of all the noble Companions, like Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn ` Abbaa, Ibn ` Umar, Ibn Zubair, Abu Musa and ` Abdullah Ibn Masud ؓ Whenever they started reciting the Surah, they would recite:

سُبحانَ رَبِِّیَ الْأَعْلَى

'I pronounce the purity of my most exalted Lord.' [ Qurtubi ].

It should be noted that the desirability of reciting this is outside of the prayer.

Ruling [ 2]

Sayyidna 'Uqbah Ibn ` Amir Al-Juhani ؓ narrates that when the Surah Al-A` la was revealed, the Holy Prophet ﷺ instructed:

اجعلوا فی سجودکم

'Say this (SubhanaRabbiyal-A` 1a) in your sujud [ prostrations ] '

سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الْأَعْلَى (Pronounce the purity of the name of your Most exalted Lord.) The word tasbih means 'to pronounce the purity' and سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ signifies to 'honour the name of your Lord'. When the name of Allah is pronounced, it should be done with utmost humility and respect.

His name should be kept pure and free from anything that is unbecoming to His sublime status. Allah should be called by the names He Himself has stated or taught the Holy Prophet ﷺ . It is not permitted to call Him by any other name.

Ruling [ 3]

Besides, it is also included in the above imperative that there are some names exclusively meant for Allah; calling human beings or any other creation by those specific names is contrary to declaring the purity of Allah. Therefore, it is not permissible. [ Qurtubi ]. Nowadays, people are not particular about names like ` Abdur Rahman, ` Abdur Razzaq, ` Abdul Ghaffar and ` Abdul Quddus. They call the persons bearing these names 'Rahman', 'Razzaq', 'Ghaffar', 'Quddus' and so on, for short. People have got into the habit of shortening such names without realising that the speakers as well as the listeners are committing a sin. People commit this joyless sin day and night without any reason.

Some commentators interpret the word 'ism' does not mean 'name' in this verse. Instead, they say, it is referring to the Dhat or the 'Being' of Allah. According to the Arabic expressions, this interpretation is not unlikely, and the Qur'an has used the word 'ism' in that sense also. The Hadith that instructs us to recite the tasbih in sajdah [ prostration ] is not "I pronounce the purity of the name of my most exalted Lord, but "I pronounce the purity of my most exalted Lord". This indicates that in this context 'ism' is not used in the sense of 'name' but it refers to the Being of Allah Himself. [ Qurtubi ]