Surah Saba' (Chapter 34)

Verse 1

Exegesis Notes (Based on Al-Razi's approach):

• Meccan/Medinan Classification: This Surah is generally considered Meccan, although some scholars suggest verse 7 is Medinan: { And those who were given knowledge see that which has been revealed to you from your Lord is the truth... }.
• Verse Count: It has fifty-four verses, though some count fifty-five.

Analysis of the Verse:

1. "Praise be to Allah" (الحمد لله): This opening establishes the fundamental theme: absolute and complete praise belongs solely to God.
2. Scope of Dominion:
   • "To Whom belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth" (الذى له ما فى السماوات وما فى الا رض): This affirms His absolute ownership and sovereignty over all creation, both seen and unseen, high and low.
3. Praise in the Hereafter:
   • "And to Him belongs all praise in the Hereafter" (وله الحمد فى الا خرة): This emphasizes that while praise is due in this world (for His blessings and creation), the ultimate, perfect, and unending praise will occur in the Hereafter, confirming the reality of the Resurrection and accountability.
4. Attributes:
   • "And He is the Wise, the All-Aware" (وهو الحكيم الخبير):
     • Al-Hakim (The Wise): Indicates that all His actions, decrees, and legislation are founded upon perfect wisdom and purpose.
     • Al-Khabir (The All-Aware): Indicates His complete knowledge of all manifest and hidden realities, ensuring that His wisdom is perfectly informed.

Sūrat Saba' (Chapter 34): Verse 1

[1] All praise is due to Allāh, to Whom belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And to Him is all praise in the Hereafter. And He is the All-Wise, the All-Aware.

Commentary on the Opening Ḥamd (Praise)

There are five Surahs that begin with Al-Ḥamdu lillāh (All praise is due to Allāh):

1. Two are in the first half of the Qur'an: Al-An'ām (The Cattle) and Al-Kahf (The Cave).
2. Two are in the latter half: This Surah (Saba') and Fāṭir (The Originator of Angels).
3. The fifth is the opening chapter, Al-Fātiḥah (The Opening), which is recited both at the beginning of the first half and the end of the second half.

The wisdom behind this distribution relates to the two categories of Allāh's blessings, which, despite their vastness, are limited to two types: the blessing of origination (existence) and the blessing of preservation (sustainability).

1. Origination (Existence): Allāh created us initially through His mercy and created for us what sustains us. This blessing will be renewed through the Resurrection (Re-creation), where He will create us again and provide what endures. Thus, we have two states: the initial creation and the re-creation. In each state, Allāh bestows two blessings: existence and sustenance.

• In the first instance (in Al-An'ām): {All praise is due to Allāh, Who created the heavens and the earth and made the darkness and the light} (6:1). This points to gratitude for the blessing of initial creation. This is supported by His statement therein: {It is He Who created you from clay} (6:2), referring to the first creation.
  • In the second instance (in Al-Kahf): {All praise is due to Allāh, Who has sent down to His Servant the Book, and has not made therein any crookedness, [but has made it] straight} (18:1-2). This points to gratitude for the blessing of preservation (sustainability), as religious laws ensure continuity. If there were no law to follow, everyone would pursue their desires, leading to disputes, conflict, and destruction.

2. Sustainability (Preservation/Hereafter):

• In this Surah (Saba'): {All praise is due to Allāh} points to the blessing of the second origination (Resurrection), supported by the latter part of the verse: {And to Him is all praise in the Hereafter}.
  • In Fāṭir: {All praise is due to Allāh} points to the blessing of preservation, supported by His statement: {Who made the angels messengers} (35:1). The angels will continue to be messengers until the Day of Resurrection, sent by Allāh as Muslims (submitters), as stated: {and the angels will receive them} (21:103), and concerning them: {“Peace be upon you; you have been good, so enter it to abide therein eternally”} (39:73).

• Al-Fātiḥah: Since it encompasses both blessings—the immediate and the future—{All praise is due to Allāh, Lord of the Worlds} (1:2) refers to the immediate blessing, and {Master of the Day of Recompense} (1:4) refers to the future blessing. It was recited at the beginning and the end [of the Qur'an structure].

Issues Discussed

The Question: Praise (Ḥamd) is gratitude (Shukr) for a blessing. Allāh states that what is in the heavens and the earth belongs to Him ({To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth}), without explicitly stating that these things are for us such that gratitude becomes obligatory.

The Answer: Ḥamd differs in meaning from Shukr. Ḥamd is more general; one praises someone who possesses praiseworthy attributes even if that person has never bestowed a favor upon the praiser. For instance, it is proper for a person to say of a scholar they have never met that he is knowledgeable, diligent, excellent, and perfect. We say they praise (yaḥmadu) this person, but we do not say they thank (yashkuruhu) him unless they mention his favors or thank him for them.

Therefore, Allāh is Praised (Maḥmūd) eternally due to His possession of perfect attributes and glorious descriptions, and He is Thanked (Mashkūr) continuously for the generosity He has shown and the favors He has bestowed. Mentioning a blessing is not necessary for Ḥamd; mentioning His Majesty suffices. His ownership of all that is in the heavens and the earth constitutes complete Majesty, thus He deserves praise for that alone.

Furthermore, we argue that His statement {To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth} necessitates a more complete form of gratitude than if He had said, {created for you what is on the earth}. This is because if what is in the heavens and the earth belongs to Him, and we are the beneficiaries (not Him), this demands a level of gratitude that mere ownership by us would not necessitate.

The Question: You mentioned that the Ḥamd here points to the blessing of the Hereafter, so why did Allāh mention the heavens and the earth?

The Answer: Yes, the Hereafter is unseen. Therefore, Allāh mentioned the visible blessings—what is in the heavens and the earth. Then, He added, {And to Him is all praise in the Hereafter} so that the blessings of the Hereafter can be compared to the blessings of this world, allowing us to understand the superiority of the former due to its permanence compared to the transient nature of the latter.

This is why He follows this by saying, {And He is the All-Wise, the All-Aware}. This indicates that He created these things with wisdom and knowledge. Wisdom (Ḥikmah) is an established attribute of Allāh that cannot cease, making it possible for Him to create similar things again in the Hereafter.

Ḥakīm (Wise) is the knowledge that connects to action. If someone knows something but does not act accordingly, they are not called wise. The actor whose deed conforms to his knowledge is the Wise One.

Khabīr (All-Aware) is the one who knows the consequences and inner realities of matters.

Therefore, His statement {Wise} means: in the beginning, He creates as is proper. And {All-Aware} means: regarding the end, He knows what will issue from the creature and what will not, and what the final destination of everyone will be. Thus, He is Wise in the beginning and All-Aware regarding the end.

Verse 7

{He knows what penetrates into the earth and what emerges from it, and what descends from the heaven and what ascends to it. And He is the Most Merciful, the Forgiving.}

Allāh then clarified what He had informed, as stated in His saying: {He knows what penetrates into the earth and what emerges from it, and what descends from the heaven and what ascends to it. And He is the Most Merciful, the Forgiving.}