وَلَهُ ٱلْكِبْرِيَآءُ فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ 37
Translations
And to Him belongs [all] grandeur within the heavens and the earth, and He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.
Transliteration
Wa lahu al-kibriyaa' fi as-samawati wa al-ard, wa huwa al-aziz al-hakim
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah affirms that all greatness, majesty, and sovereignty belong exclusively to Allah in the heavens and on earth. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi explain that 'al-kibriyaa' (supremacy/majesty) encompasses Allah's absolute power, dominion, and might over creation. The ayah concludes by emphasizing two of Allah's essential attributes—Al-Aziz (The Mighty/Invincible) and Al-Hakim (The All-Wise)—indicating that His greatness is coupled with perfect wisdom and justice.
Revelation Context
Surah Al-Jathiyah addresses those who stubbornly reject divine guidance despite clear signs. This particular ayah appears near the end of the surah (verse 37 of 37) and serves as a powerful conclusion, reminding the disbelievers that regardless of their arrogance, all magnificence and authority ultimately belong to Allah alone. The thematic context emphasizes humbling oneself before divine sovereignty after discussing human stubbornness and rejection of truth.
Related Hadiths
Related thematically to the hadith in Sahih Muslim wherein the Prophet ﷺ said: 'The greatest ayah in the Qur'an is Ayat al-Kursi (2:255),' which similarly emphasizes Allah's complete sovereignty and knowledge. Also relates to the hadith in Jami' at-Tirmidhi: 'Whoever is humble for the sake of Allah, Allah will exalt him.'
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers to recognize that true greatness belongs only to Allah, serving as a spiritual antidote to pride and arrogance in our lives. It reminds us that submitting to Allah's sovereignty with humility is the path to wisdom and strength, not weakness.
Related Ayahs
وَقِيلَ ٱلْيَوْمَ نَنسَىٰكُمْ كَمَا نَسِيتُمْ لِقَآءَ يَوْمِكُمْ هَـٰذَا وَمَأْوَىٰكُمُ ٱلنَّارُ وَمَا لَكُم مِّن نَّـٰصِرِينَ
And it will be said, "Today We will forget you as you forgot the meeting of this Day of yours, and your refuge is the Fire, and for you there are no helpers.
أَفَرَءَيْتَ مَنِ ٱتَّخَذَ إِلَـٰهَهُۥ هَوَىٰهُ وَأَضَلَّهُ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ عِلْمٍ وَخَتَمَ عَلَىٰ سَمْعِهِۦ وَقَلْبِهِۦ وَجَعَلَ عَلَىٰ بَصَرِهِۦ غِشَـٰوَةً فَمَن يَهْدِيهِ مِنۢ بَعْدِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ أَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ
Have you seen he who has taken as his god his [own] desire, and Allāh has sent him astray due to knowledge and has set a seal upon his hearing and his heart and put over his vision a veil? So who will guide him after Allāh? Then will you not be reminded?
قُل لِّلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ يَغْفِرُوا۟ لِلَّذِينَ لَا يَرْجُونَ أَيَّامَ ٱللَّهِ لِيَجْزِىَ قَوْمًۢا بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَكْسِبُونَ
Say, [O Muḥammad], to those who have believed that they [should] forgive those who expect not the days of Allāh [i.e., of His retribution] so that He may recompense a people for what they used to earn.
هَـٰذَا هُدًى ۖ وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ رَبِّهِمْ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ مِّن رِّجْزٍ أَلِيمٌ
This [Qur’ān] is guidance. And those who have disbelieved in the verses of their Lord will have a painful punishment of foul nature.