Surah Al-Hashr 59:1
سُورَةُ الحَشۡرِ · Medinan · Verse 1 of 24
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ سَبَّحَ لِلَّهِ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ
Translation
Everything in the heavens and earth glorifies God; He is the Almighty, the Wise.
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
Wording
This verse opens Surah Al-Hashr with a powerful declaration, setting the stage for the events to follow. It declares that everything in the heavens and the earth glorifies Allah, and He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise. This is Allah speaking directly, establishing His supreme authority and wisdom before recounting the story of Banu Nadir's expulsion from Medina. The tone is one of majesty and universal praise.
The Universal Voice
The verse begins with the word `سَبَّحَ` (sabbaha), a verb that means "to glorify" or "to declare free from all imperfections." This isn't just a casual praise; it's an active acknowledgment of Allah's absolute perfection and transcendence. What is it that glorifies Him? `مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ`, "whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth." The word `مَا` (ma) meaning "whatever" is used here to encompass all creation, both animate and inanimate, rational and non-rational.
Ibn Ashur highlights a subtle but profound point in the wording. While other similar verses might say "what is in the heavens *and* the earth" (joining them with a single `and`), here it distinctly repeats `وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ` ("and whatever is in the earth"). This specific repetition, "whatever is in the heavens *and* whatever is in the earth," emphasizes each domain separately. For a surah that details a significant earthly event (the expulsion of Banu Nadir), this linguistic choice directs our attention to Allah's dominion over the earth and its inhabitants, connecting the universal glorification to the specific human actions and divine judgment soon to be described. It’s as if to say: even as events unfold on earth, the entire cosmos acknowledges its Creator.
A Timeless Declaration
The verb `سَبَّحَ` is in the past tense, signifying "has glorified." Ibn Ashur notes that this past tense is not merely a statement of eternal truth, but an active pronouncement of gratitude for a specific blessing that had already occurred before the surah was revealed: the expulsion of Banu Nadir. By using the past tense, Allah connects this universal, continuous glorification to the recent, tangible victory granted to the believers. It is a reminder to them, and to all creation, to offer their own glorification in gratitude for Allah’s help and decree in worldly affairs.
Divine Attributes
The verse concludes with `وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ`, "And He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise." These two Divine Names often appear together. `العزيز` (al-Azeez), the All-Mighty, conveys Allah's irresistible power; He is unconquerable, and no one can oppose His will. `الحكيم` (al-Hakeem), the All-Wise, signifies that His power is never arbitrary but always exercised with perfect wisdom, purpose, and justice. As the ayah context explains, He is "Wise in His decree, management, creation, and legislation, putting matters in their proper places." This combination reassures us that even in difficult or seemingly harsh events like the expulsion of a tribe, Allah's ultimate decision is backed by both ultimate power and perfect wisdom.
Sources: al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb), al-Zamakhshari (al-Kashshaf), Ibn Ashur (al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir), al-Jadwal fi I'rab al-Quran (Mahmud Safi), al-Jalalayn
Topics that discuss this verse
Surah Al-Hashr 59:1 is discussed in 2 study guides on Maani. Each guide gathers the key verses, Arabic words and lessons of one Quranic topic.
- Remembrance (Dhikr) (key verse)
- Glorification (Tasbih)
Reflect on this verse
Open Surah Al-Hashr 59:1 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.