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
قُلْ أَتُحَآجُّونَنَا فِى ٱللَّهِ وَهُوَ رَبُّنَا وَرَبُّكُمْ وَلَنَآ أَعْمَـٰلُنَا وَلَكُمْ أَعْمَـٰلُكُمْ وَنَحْنُ لَهُۥ مُخْلِصُونَ
Say, [O Muḥammad], "Do you argue with us about Allāh while He is our Lord and your Lord? For us are our deeds, and for you are your deeds. And we are sincere [in deed and intention] to Him."
وَتَٱللَّهِ لَأَكِيدَنَّ أَصْنَـٰمَكُم بَعْدَ أَن تُوَلُّوا۟ مُدْبِرِينَ
And [I swear] by Allāh, I will surely plan against your idols after you have turned and gone away."
وَلَقَدْ أُوحِىَ إِلَيْكَ وَإِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكَ لَئِنْ أَشْرَكْتَ لَيَحْبَطَنَّ عَمَلُكَ وَلَتَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلْخَـٰسِرِينَ
And it was already revealed to you and to those before you that if you should associate [anything] with Allāh, your work would surely become worthless, and you would surely be among the losers.
قُلْ أَغَيْرَ ٱللَّهِ أَتَّخِذُ وَلِيًّا فَاطِرِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَهُوَ يُطْعِمُ وَلَا يُطْعَمُ ۗ قُلْ إِنِّىٓ أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ أَوَّلَ مَنْ أَسْلَمَ ۖ وَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ
Say, "Is it other than Allāh I should take as a protector, Creator of the heavens and earth, while it is He who feeds and is not fed?" Say, [O Muḥammad], "Indeed, I have been commanded to be the first [among you] who submit [to Allāh] and [was commanded], 'Do not ever be of the polytheists."