سُبْحَـٰنَ رَبِّ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَرْشِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ 82
Translations
Exalted is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, Lord of the Throne, above what they describe.
Transliteration
Subhana Rabbi as-samawati wal-ardi Rabbi al-arshi amma yasifun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah is a declaration of Allah's absolute transcendence and perfection, glorifying Him beyond all the false descriptions attributed to Him by the disbelievers and idolaters. Ibn Kathir explains that the verse emphasizes Allah's exaltation above the creation of the heavens and earth, and above the Throne (Arsh), refuting the polytheists' blasphemous claims and distortions about His nature. Al-Qurtubi notes that this tasbih (glorification) serves as both a rebuttal to false claims and an affirmation of Allah's unique attributes of perfection.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears near the end of Surah Az-Zukhruf, which is a Meccan surah addressing the polytheists' rejection of monotheism and their false descriptions of Allah. The specific context involves refuting the idolaters' claim that angels are daughters of Allah—a grave distortion that prompted this powerful declaration of Allah's transcendence beyond all inadequate human descriptions.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) emphasized the virtue of tasbih; Jabir reported in Sahih Muslim that the Prophet said, 'The best supplication is 'Alhamdulillah' (praise be to Allah), and the best remembrance is 'La ilaha illallah' (there is none worthy of worship except Allah).' Additionally, the concept of Allah's incomparability is reinforced in various hadith collections discussing the Names and Attributes of Allah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers to firmly reject false and diminishing descriptions of Allah, recognizing His complete transcendence beyond human limitation and inadequate understanding. It encourages constant glorification of Allah as a means of spiritual protection against misguidance and idolatrous thinking in all its forms.
Related Ayahs
إِلَـٰهُكُمْ إِلَـٰهٌ وَٰحِدٌ ۚ فَٱلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ قُلُوبُهُم مُّنكِرَةٌ وَهُم مُّسْتَكْبِرُونَ
Your god is one God. But those who do not believe in the Hereafter - their hearts are disapproving, and they are arrogant.
۞ قُلْ أَئِنَّكُمْ لَتَكْفُرُونَ بِٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلْأَرْضَ فِى يَوْمَيْنِ وَتَجْعَلُونَ لَهُۥٓ أَندَادًا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ رَبُّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ
Say, "Do you indeed disbelieve in He who created the earth in two days and attribute to Him equals? That is the Lord of the worlds."
فَاطِرُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ جَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَزْوَٰجًا وَمِنَ ٱلْأَنْعَـٰمِ أَزْوَٰجًا ۖ يَذْرَؤُكُمْ فِيهِ ۚ لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِۦ شَىْءٌ ۖ وَهُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْبَصِيرُ
[He is] Creator of the heavens and the earth. He has made for you from yourselves, mates, and among the cattle, mates; He multiplies you thereby. There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the Hearing, the Seeing.
ءَأَنتُمْ أَنزَلْتُمُوهُ مِنَ ٱلْمُزْنِ أَمْ نَحْنُ ٱلْمُنزِلُونَ
Is it you who brought it down from the clouds, or is it We who bring it down?