Surah Al-Hadid (The Iron)

It has twenty-nine verses, and it is a Meccan Surah.

Verse 1:

{ سبح لله ما فى السماوات والا رض وهو العزيز الحكيم }

Glorify Allah whatever is in the heavens and the earth. And He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.

Iron (Al-Hadid): (1) Glorify Allah...

Issues Discussed:

Tasbīḥ means distancing Allah, the Exalted, from any defect or evil. Similarly, Taqdīs (Sanctification) implies remoteness and distance.

Know that glorification (Tasbīḥ) from evil encompasses distancing:

1. The Essence (Dhāt): By negating that Allah is subject to contingency (imkān). Contingency is equated with non-existence (evil). Negating contingency necessitates negating multiplicity, which in turn necessitates negating corporeality (jism) and accident (ʿaraḍ), and establishes absolute Unity.
2. The Attributes (Ṣifāt): By being pure from ignorance (i.e., being omniscient, capable of all things, and having attributes free from change).
3. The Actions (Afʿāl): By ensuring His agency is not dependent on matter (mādda) or form (mithāl), because everything other than Him is contingent and His creation. If His agency required matter/form, it would lead to an infinite regress (tasalsul). Furthermore, His agency is not dependent on time or space, as both are contingent and composed of parts. Dependence on them would also lead to infinite regress. His actions are not dependent on gaining a benefit or repelling harm, as that would imply incompleteness in His Essence, which is impossible.
4. The Names (Asmāʾ): As stated: "And to Allah belong the best names, so invoke Him by them" (Al-Aʿrāf: 180).
5. The Judgments (Aḥkām): That everything He legislates is a benefit (maṣlaḥa), goodness (iḥsān), and virtue. The fact that His legislation is a favor is not obligatory upon Him, but rather an act of grace.

In summary, the concept of Tasbīḥ requires the understanding that His judgment and command are binding upon everyone, yet no one has authority or command over Him, nor is anything obligatory upon Him toward anyone. This defines the scope of glorification.

The command appears sometimes in the past tense (sabbaha) and sometimes in the present/future tense (yusabbiḥu). This indicates that the state of glorifying these things is not restricted to a specific time. They were glorifying in the past, and they will glorify in the future. This is because glorification is an inherent attribute of their very essence (māhiyyāt). Since everything besides the Necessary Existent (Allah) is contingent and dependent on Him, and His necessity requires His purification from all evil (in essence, attributes, actions, judgments, and names, as explained above), this glorification must have existed in the past and will exist in the future.

The verb sabbaha is sometimes used transitively with the preposition li (e.g., sabbaha lillāh in this Sura), and sometimes intransitively (e.g., wa-tusabbiḥūhu bukratan wa-aṣīlā - "and glorify Him morning and evening").

The original form is intransitive, meaning "I distanced Him from evil." The preposition li (for/to) can either be like the lām in naṣaḥtuhu wa-naṣaḥtu lah (I advised him/I advised for him), or it can mean: "He brought forth the glorification for the sake of Allah and purely for His sake."

Al-Zajjāj claimed that the intended meaning of this glorification is verbal utterance (qawl). He offered two proofs:

1. Allah says: "And there is not a thing except that it exalts [glorifies] with praise of Him, but you do not perceive their exaltation" (Al-Isrāʾ: 44). If glorification meant the indication of creation pointing to the Creator, then people would perceive it.
2. Allah says: "And We subjected the mountains with David, [that] they exalt [glorify] with Him" (Al-Anbiyāʾ: 79). If glorification meant the indication of creation pointing to the Creator, there would be no need to single out David (peace be upon him).

Critique of Al-Zajjāj's Argument: This view is weak for two reasons:

1. The indication of physical bodies pointing to the transcendence of Allah's Essence, Attributes, and Actions is one of the most subtle matters, leading to disagreement among the rational. Therefore, the phrase "but you do not perceive their exaltation" might refer to those who failed to grasp this subtle indication. Even if "you" refers to a specific group, it implies that others did perceive it.
2. The second proof is weak. It is possible that Allah granted life to the mountains so they could utter the glorification. However, regarding inanimate objects that are necessarily known to be inert (like stones), it is impossible to claim they utter this glorification verbally. If we allowed sound utterance from inert matter, we could not use Allah's actions as proof that He is Knowing and Living, which leads to disbelief.

Conclusion on the Nature of Glorification: Verbal glorification (qawl) can only issue from a rational being who knows Allah and intends by that speech to purify his Lord. This is not possible for inanimate objects.

Therefore, the general glorification involving both rational beings and inanimate objects must be interpreted in one of two ways:

1. Indicative Glorification: They glorify by demonstrating His greatness and transcendence through their existence.
2. Submissive Glorification: All contingent things are subject to His will and command; nothing can prevent or repel His action and creation.

If we adopt the first interpretation (verbal glorification), then:

• What is in the heavens: Includes the bearers of the Throne ("If they become too proud, then those who are with your Lord glorify Him by night and day and are never weary" - Fussilat: 38), the near ones ("They say, 'Exalted are You! You are our protector, other than them'" - Sabaʾ: 41), and other angels ("They say, 'Exalted are You! It is not for us to take any protector besides You'" - Al-Furqān: 18).
• What is on earth: Includes the Prophets (e.g., Dhul-Nun: "There is no deity except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers" - Al-Anbiyāʾ: 87; Moses: "Exalted are You! Indeed, I have repented to You" - Al-Aʿrāf: 143), the Companions ("Exalted are You! Then protect us from the punishment of the Fire" - Āl ʿImrān: 191), and others.

If we adopt the second interpretation (indicative/submissive glorification):

• The components of the heavens, the atoms of the earth, mountains, sands, seas, trees, beasts, Paradise, Hellfire, the Throne, the Footstool, the Tablet, the Pen, light, darkness, essences, attributes, bodies, and accidents—all are glorifying, humble, and submissive to Allah's majesty, obedient to His disposition, as stated: "And there is not a thing except that it exalts [glorifies] with praise of Him" (Al-Isrāʾ: 44). This is the same glorification referred to by "prostration" in the verse: "And to Allah prostrates whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth" (An-Nahl: 49).

Regarding "And He is the All-Mighty, the Wise" (Wa Huwa al-ʿAzīz al-Ḥakīm):

• Al-ʿAzīz (The All-Mighty) refers to His perfect power, where nothing challenges Him.
• Al-Ḥakīm (The Wise) refers to His knowledge, where nothing is hidden from Him (whether particulars or universals), or that He acts according to wisdom and correctness.
• Power (ʿAzīz) is mentioned before knowledge (Ḥakīm) because knowledge of His power precedes knowledge of His wisdom.

Furthermore, the phrase "And He is the All-Mighty, the Wise" implies restriction (ḥaṣr). Just as one says, "Zayd is the knowledgeable one, and no one else," this implies that there is no deity except the One, because anyone else is neither All-Mighty nor Wise, and that which lacks these qualities cannot be a deity.