Surah Al-Ala Ayat 1 (87:1 Quran) With Tafsir

Ala-Maududi

(87:1) Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High,^[1]

1. Literally: “Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High.” This can have several meanings and all are implied:

(1) Allah should be remembered by the names which fit Him, and no such name should be used for His exalted Being which, with regard to its meaning and sense, does not fit Him, or which reflects some aspect of deficiency, lack of reverence, polytheism about Him, or which refers to some wrong belief in respect of His Being, attributes, or works. For this purpose, the safest way is that only such names be used for Allah, which He himself has mentioned in the Quran, or which are a correct translation of these names in other languages.

(2) Allah should not be remembered by the names as are used generally for the created beings, or the created beings should not be called by names as are specifically meant for Allah. And if there are some attributive names which are not specifically meant for Allah, but may also be used for the created beings, such as Rauf (Kind), Rahim (Compassionate), Karim (Generous), Sami (Hearing), Basir (Seeing), etc. one should exercise due care not to use them for man as they are used for Allah.

(3) Allah should not be mentioned in a way or in a state which reflects lack of respect for Him; for example, to mention His name when engaged in mockery or jest, or when in the lavatory, or while committing a sinful act, or before the people who might behave insolently in response, or in assemblies where the people are engaged in absurd things and might laugh off His mention, or on an occasion when it is feared that the hearer will hear it disdainfully. About Imam Malik, it is related that when a beggar begged him for something and he did not have anything to give, he would not turn away the beggar, saying that Allah would help him, as is commonly done by the people, but he would excuse himself in some other way. When asked why he did so, he replied: When the beggar is not given anything and one makes an excuse, it inevitably displeases him. On such an occasion, I do not like to mention Allah’s name, for I do not like that somebody should hear His name in a state of annoyance and displeasure.

In the Hadith, it has been reported from Uqbah bin Amir Juhani that the Prophet (peace be upon him) had enjoined recitation of Subhana Rabbi yal-Aala in sajdah on the basis of this very verse, and the recitation of Subhana Rabbi yal- Adheem in ruku on the basis of the last verse of Surah Al- Waqiah, viz. Fa-sabhih bismi-Rabbi-kal-Adeem. (Musnad Ahmad, Abu Daud, lbn Majah, Ibn Hibban, Hakim, Ibn al- Mundhir).

Ibn-Kathir

1. Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High. 2. Who has created, and then proportioned it. 3. And Who has measured; and then guided. 4. And Who brings out the pasturage, 5. And then makes it dark stubble. 6. We shall make you recite, so you shall not forget, 7. Except what Allah may will He knows what is apparent and what is hidden. 8. And We shall make easy for you the easy. 9. Therefore remind in case the reminder profits. 10. The reminder will be received by him who fears, 11. But it will be avoided by the wretched, 12. Who will enter the great Fire. 13. There he will neither die nor live.

Imam Ahmad recorded from Ibn `Abbas that whenever the Messenger of Allah would recite

(Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High.) he would say,

(Glory to my Lord, the Most High.) Ibn Jarir recorded from Ibn Ishaq Al-Hamdani that whenever Ibn `Abbas would recite

(Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High.) he would say, “Glory to my Lord, the Most High,” and whenever he would recite

(I swear by the Day of Resurrection.) (75:1) and then reach the end of it

(Is not He able to give life to the dead) (75:40) he would say, “Glory to You, of course.” Qatadah said,

(Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High.) “It has been mentioned to us that whenever the Prophet of Allah used to recite it he would say,

(Glory to my Lord, the Most High.)”

Allah says,

(Who has created, and then proportioned it.) meaning, He created that which has been created, and He fashioned every creation in the best of forms. Then Allah says,

(And Who has measured; and then guided.) Mujahid said, “He guided man to distress and happiness, and he guided the cattle to their pastures.” This Ayah is similar to what Allah has said about Musa’s statement to Fir`awn,

(Our Lord is He Who gave to each thing its form and nature, then guided it aright.) (20:50) meaning, He decreed a set measure and guided the creation to it. This is just as is confirmed in Sahih Muslim on the authority of `Abdullah bin `Amr that the Messenger of Allah said,

(Verily, Allah ordained the measure of all creation fifty thousand years before He created the heavens and the earth, and His Throne was over the water.) Concerning Allah’s statement,

(And Who brings out the pasturage,) meaning, all types of vegetation and crops.

(And then makes it dark stubble.) Ibn `Abbas said, “Dried up and altered.” It has been narrated that Mujahid, Qatadah and Ibn Zayd, all made similar statements.

Allah says,

(We shall make you to recite,) meaning, `O Muhammad.’

(so you shall not forget (it),) This is Allah informing and promising him (the Prophet ) that He will teach him a recitation that he will not forget.

(Except what Allah may will.) Qatadah said, “The Prophet did not forget anything except what Allah willed.” It has been said that the meaning of Allah’s statement,

(so you shall not forget,) is, “do not forget” and that which would be abrogated, is merely an exception to this. Meaning, `do not forget what We teach you to recite, except what Allah wills, which He removes and there is no sin on your leaving it off (not retaining it).’ Concerning Allah’s statement,

(He knows what is apparent and what is hidden.) meaning, He knows what the creatures do openly and what they hide, whether it be statements or deeds. None of that is hidden from Him. Then Allah says,

(And We shall make easy for you the easy.) meaning, `We will make good deeds and statements easy for you, and We will legislate such Law for you that is easy, tolerant, straight and just, with no crookedness, difficulty or hardship in it.’

Allah then says,

(Therefore remind in case the reminder profits.) meaning, remind where reminding is beneficial. From here we get the etiquette of spreading knowledge, that it should not be wasted upon those who are not suitable or worthy of it. The Commander of the believers, `Ali said, “You do not tell people any statement that their intellects do not grasp except that it will be a Fitnah (trial) for some of them.” He also said, “Tell people that which they know. Would you like for Allah and His Messenger to be rejected” Allah said:

(The reminder will be received by him who fears,) meaning, `he whose heart fears Allah and who knows that he is going to meet Him, will receive admonition from what you convey to him, O Muhammad.’

(But it will be avoided by the wretched, who will enter the great Fire. There he will neither die nor live.) meaning, he will not die and thus be allowed to rest, nor will he live a life that is beneficial to him. Instead, his life will be harmful to him, because it will be the cause of his feeling of the pain of torment and various types of punishments what he is being punished with. Imam Ahmad recorded from Abu Sa`id that the Messenger of Allah said,

(Concerning the people of the Fire who are deserving of it, they will not die nor will they live. Regarding the people that Allah wants mercy for, He will cause them to die in the Fire. Then He will allow the intercessors to come to them, and a man will take his groups of supporters and plant them (or he said (they will be planted) in the River of Al-Haya (or he said (Al-Hayah, or Al-Hayawan, or Nahr Al-Jannah). Then they will sprout up like the sprouting of the seed on the moist bank of a flowing stream.) Then the Prophet said,

(Haven’t you all seen the tree that is green, then it turns yellow, then it turns green (again)) Abu Sa`id then said that some of those present said, “It is as if the Prophet used to live in the desert wilderness (i.e., due to his parables of nature).” Ahmad also recorded from Abu Sa`id that the Messenger of Allah said,

(Concerning the people of the Fire who will be dwellers of it, they will not die in it nor will they live. However, there will be a group of people – or as he said -( whom the Fire will burn due to their sins – or he said – (their wrongdoings. So, He will cause them to die until they become burnt coal. Then the intercession will be allowed and they will be brought group after group, and they will be scattered over the rivers of Paradise. Then it will be said: “O people of Paradise! Pour down upon them.” Then they will sprout like the growing of the seed that is upon the moist bank of the flowing stream.” Then, a man from among the people present said, “It is as if the Messenger of Allah used to live in the desert wilderness.” Muslim also recorded this Hadith.