Surah Saba 34:1
سُورَةُ سَبَإٍ · Meccan · Verse 1 of 54
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِى لَهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَهُ ٱلْحَمْدُ فِى ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْحَكِيمُ ٱلْخَبِيرُ
Translation
Praise be to God, to whom belongs all that is in the heavens and earth, and praise be to Him in the life to come. He is the All Wise, the All Aware.
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
Wording
This foundational verse of Surah Saba invites us to begin with a posture of deep reverence, echoing the very words of Allah Himself. It opens with *Al-Hamdulillah*, "All praise belongs to Allah." This isn't merely a statement, but a profound declaration and an invitation for us to utter it from our hearts. It signifies that every conceivable form of beautiful commendation, gratitude, and acknowledgment of perfection is solely and truly due to Allah. Ibn Ashur points out that this opening sets the tone for the entire Surah, which will reveal Allah's unique divinity and magnificent attributes.
His Boundless Ownership
The verse continues, *Alladhee lahu ma fis-samawati wa ma fil-ard* (The One to whom belongs all in the heavens and all in the earth). This highlights Allah's absolute ownership and dominion. Everything we see, feel, and know, from the grand galaxies to the smallest particle, is His creation and His possession. As al-Zamakhshari explains, every single thing in existence is a blessing from Allah, making Him the most deserving of our praise and gratitude. Ibn Ashur notes that this true ownership, rooted in His act of creation, is a beautiful deed that merits all praise. Moreover, this phrase gently reminds us that if all belongs to Him, it is folly to direct our praise or worship to anything else that holds no power or awareness in these realms.
Praise in the Hereafter
The verse then adds, *Wa lahul-hamdu fil-akhirah* (And to Him belongs all praise in the Hereafter). Notice the shift in wording from *Al-Hamdulillah* to *wa lahul-hamd*. Ibn Ashur highlights that placing "to Him" (لَهُ) before "praise" (الْحَمْدُ) here implies an exclusive restriction. It means that in the Hereafter, praise will be *exclusively* for Allah, with no ambiguity or room for attributing blessings to anyone else. In this world, we might praise someone for delivering a blessing, recognizing that Allah used them as a means. But in the Hereafter, all veils are lifted, and the truth will be undeniably clear: Allah alone is the source of every good, every reward, and every grace. This complete clarity will fill the hearts of believers with an unadulterated joy and gratitude, making their praise spontaneous and absolute.
All-Wise, All-Aware
Finally, the verse concludes with two of Allah's magnificent names: *Wa Huwal-Hakeemul-Khabir* (And He is the All-Wise, the All-Aware). Ibn Ashur beautifully connects these names to Allah's comprehensive dominion over both this life and the next. *Al-Hakeem* (The All-Wise) signifies that Allah's actions are perfect, precise, and have ultimate purpose. His creation and management of all affairs are done with profound wisdom. *Al-Khabir* (The All-Aware) means He has perfect knowledge of all things, their inner realities, their details, their beginnings, and their ultimate outcomes. This pairing assures us that the Creator of the heavens and earth, the Master of both worlds, orchestrates everything with perfect wisdom and full knowledge. He knows what is best, and He implements it flawlessly.
The entire verse, through its careful wording, paints a picture of Allah's majestic perfection, His absolute ownership, His eternal deserving of praise, and His encompassing wisdom and knowledge, inviting us to reflect on these truths deeply.
Source: al-Zamakhshari (al-Kashshaf), al-Jadwal fi I'rab al-Quran (Mahmud Safi), al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb), Ibn Ashur (al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir), al-Jalalayn
Sources: al-Zamakhshari (al-Kashshaf), al-Jadwal fi I'rab al-Quran (Mahmud Safi), al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb), Ibn Ashur (al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir), al-Jalalayn
Topics that discuss this verse
Surah Saba 34:1 is discussed in 2 study guides on Maani. Each guide gathers the key verses, Arabic words and lessons of one Quranic topic.
Reflect on this verse
Open Surah Saba 34:1 in Maani to reflect on it through the Five Lenses: its wording, its context, what it means for you, its connections across the Quran and its lessons, grounded in classical tafsir.