Surah As-Saff (The Ranks)

(Chapter 61)

Fourteen verses, revealed in Mecca.

Verse 1:

{ سبح لله ما فى السماوات وما فى الا رض وهو العزيز الحكيم * } Glorify Allah whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth. And He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.

Verse 2:

{ ياأيها الذين ءامنوا لم تقولون ما لا تفعلون } O you who have believed, why do you say that which you do not do?

Chapter: (1) Glorify [Him] is Allah...

Connection to the Preceding Chapter

The connection to the previous chapter (Al-Mumtahanah) is that the latter explained leaving [one's home] for Jihad in the way of Allah and seeking His pleasure, as stated: {If you have come out striving in My cause and seeking My pleasure} (Al-Mumtahanah: 1).

This chapter (As-Saff) explains what motivates the faithful and urges them toward Jihad, as stated: {Indeed, Allah loves those who fight in His cause in ranks as if they were a solid structure} (As-Saff: 4).

Regarding the connection between the beginning of this chapter and the end of the previous one: It is as if the address is: If the disbelievers, out of their ignorance, attribute things to Our Holy Presence that are unsuitable, then know that the angels and other beings among humans and jinn have been glorifying Our Presence, just as He said: {Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth glorifies Allah}.

This means that everything in the heavens and the earth testifies to His Lordship, His Oneness, and other praiseworthy attributes.

• {The All-Mighty} (Al-'Aziz): Derived from 'azza (to overcome/prevail). He is the One who prevails over everything else, and nothing can prevail over Him.
• {The All-Wise} (Al-Hakim): Derived from hakama (to judge/decree). He is the One who judges over everything else, and no one can judge over Him.

Thus, the statement {Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth glorifies Allah} indicates His Lordship and Oneness.

Furthermore, in some Surahs, He stated: {Glorify Allah} (Al-Hadid: 1, Al-Hashr: 1) using the past tense/command form, and in others: {glorify} (Al-Jumu'ah: 1, At-Taghabun: 1) using the present tense, and in others: {Glorify} (Al-A'la: 1) using the imperative form. This is to indicate that the glorification of Allah's Presence is perpetual and unending: the past tense indicates it in the past, the future tense indicates it in the future, and the command indicates it in the present moment.

Regarding the Verse: {Allah is a witness over you...}

The statement {Allah is a witness over you. Indeed, Allah knows what you do} is interpreted in several ways:

1. Regarding a group of believers: They desired to perform the most beloved deeds to Allah. So, Allah revealed: {O you who have believed, shall I direct you to a transaction...} (As-Saff: 10) and {Indeed, Allah loves those who fight...} (As-Saff: 4). They then loved life and turned away on the Day of Uhud. Consequently, Allah revealed: {Why do you say what you do not do?} (Page V29 P269).
2. Regarding those who claim: "I fought," when they did not fight, or "I stabbed," when they did not stab, or "I did," when they did not do.
3. Regarding the hypocrites in battle: They wished for fighting, but when Allah commanded it, they said: {Why have fighting been prescribed for us?} (An-Nisa: 77).
4. Regarding every believer: Because they had believed in fulfilling the promises they made to Allah regarding obedience, submission, humility, and reverence. If they fail to fulfill what they promised, there is fear that every slip-up might cause them to fall under the meaning of this verse.

Within this context, there are several discussions:

He stated {Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth glorifies Allah} at the beginning of this Surah (Al-Hadid/Al-Hashr are mentioned here, implying a connection or reference to similar openings), and then stated it at the beginning of another Surah. This is repetition, and repetition is generally considered a flaw.

Response: It can be argued that He repeated it to indicate that in reality, it is not a repetition. The glorification that occurred when the universe came into existence by Allah's creation is different from the glorification that occurred after the universe existed, and similarly, the glorification at the time of Adam's creation is different from the glorification after his existence.

He said: {Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth glorifies Allah} and did not say: "The heavens and the earth and whatever is in them glorify Allah," even though the latter phrasing implies greater emphasis.

Response: This would only be the case if the intended meaning of glorification was the glorification by the state of being (lisān al-ḥāl) absolutely. However, if the intended meaning is a specific type of glorification, then some things are described in one way, and others in another, so the phrasing is not as you suggested.

The author of Al-Kashshāf suggests that {Why} (Limā) is the preposition Lām (for) attached to the interrogative Mā (what), similar to how other prepositions attach to it, such as in Bimā (with what), Fīmā (in what), ʿimmā (about what), and Mimma (from what). The Alif of Mā is dropped because the Mā and the preposition become like a single unit, which is common in interrogative speech.

If this were the case, the meaning of interrogation would apply to the verse: {Why do you say what you do not do?} Interrogation from Allah is impossible, as He knows all things.

Response: This is true if the purpose of the interrogation is to seek understanding. However, if the purpose is to hold accountable someone who reneged on their promise or denied the truth while persisting in falsehood, then interrogation is permissible (as a form of severe admonishment).

Then Allah Almighty said:

{Grievous is it in the sight of Allah that you say what you do not do.} (60:3)