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
ذَٰلِكُم بِأَنَّهُۥٓ إِذَا دُعِىَ ٱللَّهُ وَحْدَهُۥ كَفَرْتُمْ ۖ وَإِن يُشْرَكْ بِهِۦ تُؤْمِنُوا۟ ۚ فَٱلْحُكْمُ لِلَّهِ ٱلْعَلِىِّ ٱلْكَبِيرِ
[They will be told], "That is because, when Allāh was called upon alone, you disbelieved; but if others were associated with Him, you believed. So the judgement is with Allāh, the Most High, the Grand."
وَيَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا يَمْلِكُ لَهُمْ رِزْقًا مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ شَيْـًٔا وَلَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ
And they worship besides Allāh that which does not possess for them [the power of] provision from the heavens and the earth at all, and [in fact], they are unable.
قَالَ رَبُّ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَآ ۖ إِن كُنتُم مُّوقِنِينَ
[Moses] said, "The Lord of the heavens and earth and that between them, if you should be convinced."
مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ فَٱهْدُوهُمْ إِلَىٰ صِرَٰطِ ٱلْجَحِيمِ
Other than Allāh, and guide them to the path of Hellfire