وَلَهُ ٱلْكِبْرِيَآءُ فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ 37
Translations
And to Him belongs [all] grandeur within the heavens and the earth, and He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.
Transliteration
Wa lahu al-kibriyaa' fi as-samawati wa al-ard, wa huwa al-aziz al-hakim
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah affirms that all greatness, majesty, and sovereignty belong exclusively to Allah in the heavens and on earth. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi explain that 'al-kibriyaa' (supremacy/majesty) encompasses Allah's absolute power, dominion, and might over creation. The ayah concludes by emphasizing two of Allah's essential attributes—Al-Aziz (The Mighty/Invincible) and Al-Hakim (The All-Wise)—indicating that His greatness is coupled with perfect wisdom and justice.
Revelation Context
Surah Al-Jathiyah addresses those who stubbornly reject divine guidance despite clear signs. This particular ayah appears near the end of the surah (verse 37 of 37) and serves as a powerful conclusion, reminding the disbelievers that regardless of their arrogance, all magnificence and authority ultimately belong to Allah alone. The thematic context emphasizes humbling oneself before divine sovereignty after discussing human stubbornness and rejection of truth.
Related Hadiths
Related thematically to the hadith in Sahih Muslim wherein the Prophet ﷺ said: 'The greatest ayah in the Qur'an is Ayat al-Kursi (2:255),' which similarly emphasizes Allah's complete sovereignty and knowledge. Also relates to the hadith in Jami' at-Tirmidhi: 'Whoever is humble for the sake of Allah, Allah will exalt him.'
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers to recognize that true greatness belongs only to Allah, serving as a spiritual antidote to pride and arrogance in our lives. It reminds us that submitting to Allah's sovereignty with humility is the path to wisdom and strength, not weakness.
Related Ayahs
مِّن وَرَآئِهِمْ جَهَنَّمُ ۖ وَلَا يُغْنِى عَنْهُم مَّا كَسَبُوا۟ شَيْـًٔا وَلَا مَا ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ أَوْلِيَآءَ ۖ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ
Before them is Hell, and what they had earned will not avail them at all nor what they had taken besides Allāh as allies. And they will have a great punishment.
قُلِ ٱللَّهُ يُحْيِيكُمْ ثُمَّ يُمِيتُكُمْ ثُمَّ يَجْمَعُكُمْ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
Say, "Allāh causes you to live, then causes you to die; then He will assemble you for the Day of Resurrection, about which there is no doubt, but most of the people do not know."
وَقِيلَ ٱلْيَوْمَ نَنسَىٰكُمْ كَمَا نَسِيتُمْ لِقَآءَ يَوْمِكُمْ هَـٰذَا وَمَأْوَىٰكُمُ ٱلنَّارُ وَمَا لَكُم مِّن نَّـٰصِرِينَ
And it will be said, "Today We will forget you as you forgot the meeting of this Day of yours, and your refuge is the Fire, and for you there are no helpers.
وَءَاتَيْنَـٰهُم بَيِّنَـٰتٍ مِّنَ ٱلْأَمْرِ ۖ فَمَا ٱخْتَلَفُوٓا۟ إِلَّا مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا جَآءَهُمُ ٱلْعِلْمُ بَغْيًۢا بَيْنَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَقْضِى بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ فِيمَا كَانُوا۟ فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ
And We gave them clear proofs of the matter [of religion]. And they did not differ except after knowledge had come to them - out of jealous animosity between themselves. Indeed, your Lord will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning that over which they used to differ.