Surah Al-Qamar 54:55
ﱠ ﱡ ﱢ ﱣ ﱤ ﱥ
In a seat of honor near a Sovereign, Perfect in Ability.
Tafsir of Al-Qamar 54:55
Tafsir
Ruh al-Ma'ani
Verse range: 54:55
In a seat of truth
In a place that is pleasing, with the understanding that "truth" (sidq) is a metaphorical expression for that which it necessitates, or it is a metaphor. It has been said: What is intended is the truthfulness of the One who promised it, namely Allah Almighty and His Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him. Or, it may mean that the one who attained it did so through his own truthfulness and his belief in the messengers, peace be upon them; thus, the genitive attribution is for the slightest connection.
Ja'far al-Sadiq, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "The place is praised for its truthfulness, so none shall sit therein except the people of truth. It is the seat where Allah Almighty fulfills the promises made to His allies, in that He, the Exalted and Majestic, permits them to gaze upon His Noble Face." The singular form of "seat" (maq'ad) is used to denote the genus. Uthman al-Batti read it as "seats" (maqa'id) in the plural, which clarifies that what is meant by "the seat" is the seats.
Before a Sovereign Meaning a King of immense sovereignty; it is a superlative form, and the letter ya is not for the sake of lengthening.
Possessor of absolute power Meaning a possessor of immense power. The prepositional phrase (i.e., "Before a Sovereign") is in the position of a state (hal) for the pronoun established in the prepositional phrase ("in a seat"), or it is a predicate after a predicate, or an attribute of "a seat of truth," or an appositive to it. The "being before Him" signifies proximity in rank. Some have mentioned that He, may He be glorified, kept the nature of this "being before Him" and this proximity vague, and used the indefinite form for "Sovereign" and "Possessor of absolute power" to indicate that the true reality of His Kingship and His Power, the Exalted and Majestic, cannot be comprehended by human intellects. Furthermore, their proximity to Him, may He be glorified, is of a degree of happiness and honor such that no eye has seen, nor ear has heard, which transcends expression and before which minds fall short.
Al-Hakim al-Tirmidhi reported from Buraydah, from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, regarding the saying of Allah: "Indeed, the righteous..." to the end, that he said: "The people of Paradise shall visit the Almighty twice every day, and the Quran shall be recited to them. Each man among them shall sit in his seat—which is his designated seat—upon pulpits of pearls, rubies, emeralds, and gold, according to their deeds. Their eyes shall never be cooled as they are cooled by that, and they shall never hear anything greater or more beautiful than it. Then they shall return to their dwellings, their eyes cooled and satisfied, awaiting the like of it on the morrow." If this is authentic, then it is among the ambiguous (mutashabih) matters, like the verse itself, so do not be heedless. These two majestic names have a special significance in the answering of supplications, as found in some traditions.
Ibn Abi Shaybah reported from Sa'id ibn al-Musayyib, who said: "I entered the mosque thinking it was morning, only to find the night was still long and there was no one in it but me. I slept, then I heard movement behind me, so I was terrified. A voice said: 'O you who are filled with fear, do not be afraid and do not be terrified. Say: O Allah, You are the Sovereign, the Possessor of absolute power; whatever You will of a matter shall come to be. Then ask for whatever you wish.' He said: 'I never asked Allah Almighty for anything after that, but He answered me.' And I say: O Allah, You are the Sovereign, the Possessor of absolute power; whatever You will of a matter shall come to be. Make me happy in both abodes, be for me and not against me, grant me victory over those who oppress me, and take refuge in You from the anxiety of debt, the subjugation of men, and the gloating of enemies. And may Allah send blessings and peace upon our master Muhammad, and upon his family and companions, and praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds."