Surah al-A'la

It is called Surah Sabbih. The majority hold that it is Meccan. Ibn al-Faras narrated from some that it is Medinan due to the mention of the Eid prayer and Zakat al-Fitr within it. Jalal al-Suyuti refuted this with what al-Bukhari, Ibn Sa’d, and Abu Shaybah recorded from al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib, who said: "The first of the Prophet’s (may Allah the Exalted grant him peace and blessings) companions to arrive to us were Mus'ab ibn ‘Umayr and Ibn Umm Maktum. They began teaching us the Qur'an. Then ‘Ammar, Bilal, and Sa’d came, then ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah the Exalted be pleased with him) came with twenty others, then the Prophet (may Allah the Exalted grant him peace and blessings) came. I have never seen the people of Medina rejoice over anything as they rejoiced over him—peace and blessings be upon him—to the point that I saw the slave girls and children saying, 'This is the Messenger of Allah (may Allah the Exalted grant him peace and blessings) who has arrived.' He (peace and blessings be upon him) did not arrive until I had recited Sabbih isma Rabbika al-A'la and similar surahs." Furthermore, the mention of the Eid prayer and Zakat al-Fitr in it is not conceded, and even if it were conceded, there is no proof in that for the aforementioned claim, as will be detailed—if Allah the Exalted wills. It contains nineteen verses without disagreement.

The aspect of its connection to the preceding surah is that the creation of man was mentioned in Surah at-Tariq, and the creation of vegetation was alluded to by His saying, the Exalted: "And the earth which splits open." They are both mentioned here in His saying, the Exalted: "He created and proportioned," and His saying, the Exalted: "And who brought forth the pasture, then made it dark stubble." The account of vegetation here is clearer and more expansive, just as the account of the creation of man there is likewise. Yes, what is in this surah is more general in terms of its encompassing both man and all other creatures.

The Prophet (may Allah the Exalted grant him peace and blessings) used to love it. Imam Ahmad, al-Bazzar, and Ibn Marduyah recorded from ‘Ali (may Allah the Exalted honor his face) that he said: "The Messenger of Allah (may Allah the Exalted grant him peace and blessings) used to love this surah: Sabbih isma Rabbika al-A'la." It is mentioned in a hadith recorded by Abu ‘Ubaydah from Abu Tamim that he (peace and blessings be upon him) named it the "best of the Musabbihat."

Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi, al-Nasa’i, Ibn Majah, and al-Hakim—who authenticated it—and al-Bayhaqi recorded from ‘A’ishah that she said: "The Prophet (may Allah the Exalted grant him peace and blessings) used to recite in Witr in the first rak'ah Sabbih, in the second Qul ya ayyuha al-Kafirun, and in the third Qul huwal-lahu Ahad and the two Mu'awwidhatayn (Surahs 113 and 114)." In a hadith recorded by those mentioned—except al-Tirmidhi—from Ubayy ibn Ka’b, there is a similar account, though it does not mention the two Mu'awwidhatayn.

Ibn Abi Shaybah, Imam Ahmad, Muslim, Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi, al-Nasa’i, and Ibn Majah recorded from al-Nu’man ibn Bashir that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah the Exalted grant him peace and blessings) used to recite in the two Eids and on Friday Sabbih isma Rabbika al-A'la and Hal ataka hadithul-Ghashiyah. If the two (the Eid and Friday) coincided, he would recite both of them. Al-Tabarani recorded from ‘Abdullah ibn al-Harith who said: "The last prayer the Messenger of Allah (may Allah the Exalted grant him peace and blessings) performed was the Maghrib, in which he recited in the first rak'ah Sabbih isma Rabbika al-A'la and in the second Qul ya ayyuha al-Kafirun."

Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High means: Declare His names—Mighty and Majestic is He—to be far removed from anything unbefitting. Do not interpret any of the attributes that have reached us from Him in a way that is not intended, nor leave them to their apparent literal meaning if that for which they were established is something that cannot be rightfully attributed to Him, Exalted is He. Do not apply His names to others at all if they are exclusive to Him, such as the Glorious Name [Allah], or if they are not exclusive, do not use them in a way that suggests He and another are equal in that attribute. For example, do not say to someone who has given you something, "This is my provider," in a way that suggests such equality.

Guard His names against degradation and against being uttered in places unbefitting them, such as lavatories or while defecating. Mention them with utmost reverence and magnification. It is perhaps considered unbefitting to mention them in the presence of someone who dislikes hearing them, unless there is a necessity.

It is related from Imam Malik—may Allah be pleased with him—that when he had nothing to give a beggar, he would say: "I have nothing to give you," or "Come back at another time," or something similar. He would not say what people usually say, such as "May Allah provide for you," or "May Allah send you [something]," or "May Allah give you," or the like. When asked about this, he said: "The most burdensome and hateful thing to a beggar's ears is for the person asked to say something that implies their rejection and deprivation. Therefore, I honor the name of Allah—Exalted is He—too much to mention it to one who dislikes hearing it, even within a sentence." This, from him—may Allah be pleased with him—is the pinnacle of piety.

What has been mentioned regarding the exegesis is based on the apparent meaning: that the word "name" is not an intrusion [muqham]. Many, however, have held that it is an intrusion, and it is sometimes inserted for a type of magnification by way of metonymy, as in the saying of Labid: To the year, then [the] name of peace be upon you both.

Thus, the meaning is: Declare your Lord free from attributes that do not befit Him. Evidence for this is provided by what Imam Ahmad, Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah, and others recorded from Uqbah ibn Amir al-Juhani, who said: "When 'Glorify the name of your Lord, the Great' [Al-Waqi'ah: 74] was revealed, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to us, 'Place it in your bowing (Ruku).' When 'Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High' was revealed, he said, 'Place it in your prostration (Sujud).'" It is well-known that what is prescribed in them is "Subhana Rabbi al-Azim" and "Subhana Rabbi al-A'la."

Also, by what Imam Ahmad, Abu Dawud, and al-Tabarani recorded in his Sunan from Ibn Abbas, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, when he read "Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High," would say, "Subhana Rabbi al-A'la." It is also reported that 'Ali—may Allah honor his face—read this and said, "Subhana Rabbi al-A'la" while in prayer. He was asked, "Are you adding to the Qur'an?" He replied, "No, I was commanded to do something and I did it."

In al-Kashshaf, it states that the glorification of His name—Exalted is He—is to declare it free from meanings that are not valid for Him, which are forms of heresy [ilhad] regarding His names, such as Fatalism [Jabr] or Anthropomorphism [Tashbih], and that it be guarded against degradation and being mentioned without reverence and magnification.

Thus, both meanings are directed toward the "name," even if the first (the glorification of the Lord) in reality refers to Him, Exalted is He. Just as it is correct to say "Exalt the Essence from attributes that are not valid for Him," it is also correct to say "Exalt His names—Exalted is He—which indicate perfection, from their opposites that are not valid for Him." The first interpretation is not based on the word "name" being an intrusion, nor that the intended meaning is the Named One by the absolute indication of the name to the denoted. Indeed, some have stated this here. If it is as the previous reports suggest—as in the claim of intrusion—then there is no harm. If it is because of the thought that glorification cannot be directed toward the words designated for Him, then this is nothing, because that thought is corrupt; for it is evident that glorification can be directed toward them, as you have heard.

The Imam said that just as it is mandatory to exalt His Essence and Attributes from deficiencies, it is mandatory to exalt the words established for that from obscenity and poor etiquette. From this, one understands the problem with expressing Him—His rank is exalted—with names like "Layla" or "Nu'am," as is claimed in the poetry of Ibn al-Farid—may his secret be sanctified: Did a flash appear from the side of the valley, glowing, Or have the veils risen from the face of Layla? And his saying: When she bestowed, 'Yes' with a glance, Neither did she make Sa'di happy, nor did she beautify Jamala. To the end of his verses. Some esteemed scholars have criticized this, counting it as poor etiquette and contrary to the words of Allah Most High: "And to Allah belong the best names, so invoke Him by them." It has been answered that some of them are not about setting [divine] status, and the understanding of the Divine Presence from those terms is only by way of allusion—just as they say regarding the understanding of the "commanding soul" from "the cow" in the verse: "Indeed, Allah commands you to slaughter a cow." The objector is not convinced by this.

The most apparent view is to say that the speech in which this occurs is of the type of representative metaphor [isti'arah tamthiliyyah], and there is no consideration in it of comparing particulars to particulars. Thus, there is no expression of Him—Exalted is He—as Layla or the like. The use of representative metaphor regarding His status—Exalted is He—is acceptable; they have even applied it to the Basmala, as is not hidden to one who tracks their treatises on the subject.

Some have said the "name" means "the act of naming." The meaning is: Glorify the naming of your Lord by mentioning it while you are in a state of reverence toward Him, and hold the mention of Him—Glorified is His mention—in honor. You know that this is included in the glorification of the name as previously mentioned.

From Ibn Abbas, it is related that the meaning is: "Pray by the name of your Lord, the Most High," as you would say, "Begin with the name of Allah." The preposition was omitted, as mentioned in al-Bahr, but I do not think it is correct.

'Isam al-Din said it is not unlikely that the name refers to "the trace," meaning: Glorify the traces of your Lord, the Most High, from imperfection. For His traces—Exalted is He—indicate Him, just as the name does. It would then be a prohibition against the defectiveness of the creation—meaning in terms of their being created by Him—in a way that contradicts the words of Allah: "You do not see any disproportion in the creation of the Most Merciful." Its remoteness is obvious, though there are attributes mentioned afterward that provide solace for this view.

I say: If "glorify" [sabbih] means "declare free of fault" [nazzih], then both matters—the name being an intrusion and it not being an intrusion, and the glorification being attached to it in the manner you heard—are possible and not far-fetched. But if its meaning is "say: Glory be to..." [qul subhan], as is well-known among them, then its being an intrusion is certain; for it has not been heard, from the predecessors or the successors, that someone says "Glory be to the name of my Lord the Most High" or "Glory be to the name of Allah." The reports are clear on this. Attributing the content of these reports to an choice that implies something else is as you see. This is supported by the reading of Ubayy ibn Ka'b, as in the report of Sa'id ibn Mansur, 'Abd ibn Humayd, Ibn Jarir, Ibn al-Mundhir, and al-Hakim (who authenticated it) from Ibn Jubayr: "Glory be to my Lord, the Most High."

As for what has been said that the name is identical to the Named One, and the evidence cited for this from this verse and others, it is something that cannot be relied upon at all. The discussion on this was provided at the beginning of the book, so return to it if you wish.

"The Most High" is an attribute of the Lord. The "Highness" is intended as one of subjugation and power, not of location, because that is impossible for Him, Exalted is He. Even though the predecessors did not interpret it this way, they also maintained the impossibility of spatial highness for Him, Almighty and Majestic is He. [One might] make it an attribute of the "name," and its highness is its elevation above being shared by any name in the reality of its meaning.