أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُسَبِّحُ لَهُۥ مَن فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَٱلطَّيْرُ صَـٰٓفَّـٰتٍ ۖ كُلٌّ قَدْ عَلِمَ صَلَاتَهُۥ وَتَسْبِيحَهُۥ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌۢ بِمَا يَفْعَلُونَ 41
Translations
Do you not see that Allāh is exalted by whomever is within the heavens and the earth and [by] the birds with wings spread [in flight]? Each [of them] has known his [means of] prayer and exalting [Him], and Allāh is Knowing of what they do.
Transliteration
Alam tara anna Allaha yusabbih lahu man fi as-samawati wa-l-ardi wa-at-tairu saffatin. Kullun qad alima salataahu wa-tasbihaahu. Wa-Allahu alimun bima yafalooun.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah establishes the universal glorification (tasbih) of Allah by all creation in the heavens and earth, specifically mentioning birds in formation as a vivid example of this phenomenon. According to classical scholars like Al-Qurtubi and Ibn Kathir, every creature glorifies Allah in its own manner—whether through speech, action, or inherent nature—and each knows its prescribed form of worship and glorification. The ayah emphasizes Allah's complete knowledge of all creatures' actions and their glorification, affirming both the divine reality that pervades creation and Allah's omniscience.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah An-Nur (Chapter 24), a Medinan surah that primarily addresses legal and moral matters. This particular ayah is thematically part of a passage (24:41-45) that emphasizes signs of Allah's majesty in creation and serves to redirect the reader's focus from worldly concerns to cosmic realities and divine magnificence.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Every creature glorifies Allah, but you do not understand their glorification' (a theme found in various hadith collections). Additionally, Surah Al-Isra (17:44) contains a parallel verse on universal tasbih: 'The seven heavens and the earth, and all beings therein, declare His glory.'
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah invites believers to recognize that all of creation participates in glorifying Allah through its very existence and function, encouraging us to perceive the divine in natural phenomena and to join in this universal act of worship through conscious remembrance (dhikr) and gratitude.