سُبْحَـٰنَ ٱللَّهِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ 159
Translations
Exalted is Allāh above what they describe,
Transliteration
Subhana-llahi amma yasifun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah is a declaration of Allah's absolute transcendence and perfection, expressing that Allah is far removed and exalted above all the false descriptions and attributes that the disbelievers ascribe to Him. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari explain that this refutation encompasses the pagan Arabs' claims that Allah had children, partners, or other attributes contrary to His divine nature. The ayah serves as a powerful rebuttal to polytheistic and anthropomorphic misconceptions about the Divine.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah As-Saffat, which addresses various theological falsehoods prevalent during the Meccan period, including the pagan Arabs' assertions that angels were daughters of Allah and their worship of idols. The surah systematically refutes these false beliefs and reaffirms Allah's oneness and transcendence throughout.
Related Hadiths
The concept of tasbih (glorification) in this ayah relates to the hadith in Sahih Bukhari where the Prophet (peace be upon him) encouraged saying 'Subhan'Allah' (Glory be to Allah) and 'Alhamdulillah' (All praise be to Allah) as expressions of worship and remembrance of Allah's greatness.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers to constantly affirm Allah's perfect transcendence and to consciously reject any false or diminished conceptions of the Divine in both belief and speech. In modern contexts, it encourages Muslims to guard their understanding of Allah against cultural, philosophical, or rationalistic distortions that contradict revealed truth.
Related Ayahs
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ رَبِّى وَرَبُّكُمْ فَٱعْبُدُوهُ ۗ هَـٰذَا صِرَٰطٌ مُّسْتَقِيمٌ
Indeed, Allāh is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. That is the straight path.'"
وَيَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا يَنفَعُهُمْ وَلَا يَضُرُّهُمْ ۗ وَكَانَ ٱلْكَافِرُ عَلَىٰ رَبِّهِۦ ظَهِيرًا
But they worship rather than Allāh that which does not benefit them or harm them, and the disbeliever is ever, against his Lord, an assistant [to Satan].
لَهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا وَمَا تَحْتَ ٱلثَّرَىٰ
To Him belongs what is in the heavens and what is on the earth and what is between them and what is under the soil.
وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ إِلَـٰهٌ وَفِى ٱلْأَرْضِ إِلَـٰهٌ ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْحَكِيمُ ٱلْعَلِيمُ
And it is He [i.e., Allāh] who is [the only] deity in the heaven, and on the earth [the only] deity. And He is the Wise, the Knowing.