Tafsir of As-Saffat 37:182

This is an indication of describing Him, the Exalted, by His noble, affirmative attributes after having drawn attention to His, the Almighty and Majestic's, description by all His negative attributes. It serves as a sign that these [attributes] are followed by praiseworthy actions, among which is His outpouring of various sublime honors and religious and worldly perfections upon the messengers. It also signifies His bestowal—He, the Almighty and Majestic—upon them and those who followed them of various manifest and hidden blessings that necessitate praising Him, the Almighty. Furthermore, it suggests that the victory and dominance promised by the Messenger, peace be upon him, have been realized. The intent is to instruct the believers on the manner of glorifying (Tasbih) and praising (Tahmid) Him, the Glorified, and of sending peace upon His messengers—peace be upon them—who are intermediaries between Him and the believers in the absolute effusion of perfections upon them.

It is evident from this that there is no disapproval in invoking peace upon them individually. Perhaps the placement of the salutation upon the messengers between His glorification and His praise is for the purpose of concluding the noble Surah with His praise, along with the indication that His granting success to perform this salutation is among His blessings that necessitate praise. This is as stated in Irshad al-Aql al-Salim.

It is sometimes said: The declaration of transcendence (Tanzih) is placed first because of its importance in essence and status. Since the transcendence relates to what the polytheists describe—and He, the Almighty and Majestic, has mentioned the prophets' guidance of them and their warning against describing Him with what does not befit Him, while including an indication of their [the polytheists'] wretched state and the atrocity of their outcome—He, the Almighty and Majestic, followed this by pointing to the good state of the messengers who call to His transcendence above what the polytheists describe. This carries significant emphasis on the matter of transcendence.

He, the Almighty and Majestic, brought the praise (al-Hamd) to indicate that He, the Glorified, is characterized by affirmative attributes just as He is characterized by negative attributes. Although this would call for the praise to follow the glorification without interruption—as in the phrase "SubhanAllah wal-Hamdulillah," which is mentioned in the traditions and is famous in invocations—the separation between them here by the salutation upon the messengers is necessitated by the context of mentioning them previously, and it renews the turn toward them [the messengers] after the declaration of transcendence from what those to whom they are sent describe.

Perhaps those who examine the matter with scrutiny will see that the salutation here is more important than the praise in view of the context, even if the praise is inherently more important. Importance in view of the context is considered worthier in their view, which is why you see them place the less excellent before the more excellent if the context requires attention to it. Perhaps this is considered part of the glorification sentence.

Through this, what is said regarding the fact that praising Him is more sublime than the salutation upon the messengers—and that it should have been placed before it according to the methodology known in books and speeches—is resolved. There is no need for what was said: that the intent of "praise" here is gratitude for blessings, which are the incentive for it, and the most significant of these is sending the messengers, which is the means to the goodness of both abodes; therefore, it was placed before the salutation because the cause of a thing precedes it in existence, even if it is preceded by the cause in rank. Reflect on this.

This verse is among the comprehensive and perfect ones, and its occurrence in this position calls out with a sharp tongue that it is the speech of Him who possesses majesty, and from Him comes honor—glorified is His majesty, and vast is His bestowal.

Al-Khatib recorded from Abu Sa'id that he said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to say after invoking peace: "Subhana Rabbika Rabbil-'izzati 'amma yasifun, wa salamun 'alal-mursalin, wal-hamdu lillahi Rabbil-'alamin" (Exalted is your Lord, the Lord of Might, above what they describe; and peace be upon the messengers; and praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds).

Al-Tabarani recorded from Zayd ibn Arqam that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever says at the end of every prayer three times: 'Subhana Rabbika Rabbil-'izzati 'amma yasifun, wa salamun 'alal-mursalin, wal-hamdu lillahi Rabbil-'alamin,' has weighed with the fullest measure of reward."

Ibn Abi Hatim recorded from al-Sha'bi that he said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever is pleased to weigh with the fullest measure of reward on the Day of Resurrection, let him say at the end of his gathering when he intends to stand: 'Subhana Rabbika...' to the end of the Surah." Al-Baghawi recorded it from another chain of narration connected to Ali (may Allah honor his face) as a mawquf (attributed to the Companion).

There is another manner recorded for concluding a gathering with glorification, perhaps more authentic than this. Abu Dawud recorded from Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) that he said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "There are words that no one speaks at the end of his gathering when he stands up three times, but that his [sins] are expiated by them. And he does not say them at a gathering of goodness and remembrance but that it is sealed for him with them, as a seal is placed on a document: 'Subhanaka Allahumma wa bihamdika, la ilaha illa anta, astaghfiruka wa atubu ilayk' (Glory be to You, O Allah, and with Your praise; there is no god but You, I seek Your forgiveness and repent to You)." However, it is famous among people today that they recite at the conclusion of a gathering of recitation or remembrance or the like the aforementioned verse: (Exalted is your Lord, the Lord of Might, above what they describe; and peace be upon the messengers; and praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds).