سُبْحَـٰنَ رَبِّكَ رَبِّ ٱلْعِزَّةِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ 180
Translations
Exalted is your Lord, the Lord of might, above what they describe.
Transliteration
Subhana rabbika rabbi al-izzati amma yasfun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah is a declaration of Allah's absolute transcendence and glorification, asserting that the Lord of Might and Power is far beyond the false descriptions and attributes that the disbelievers ascribe to Him. Ibn Kathir explains that this verse refutes the polytheists' blasphemous claims about Allah—such as attributing partners to Him, describing Him with human characteristics, or denying His attributes—by emphasizing His complete exaltation above all imperfections and falsehoods. Al-Qurtubi notes that 'Rabb al-Izzah' (Lord of Might/Grandeur) underscores Allah's perfect power and dominion, making it impossible for Him to be limited by human comprehension or corrupted by false descriptions.
Revelation Context
This ayah concludes Surah As-Saffat, which is primarily Meccan and addresses the early Muslims' struggle against polytheistic beliefs. It serves as a powerful closing statement to the entire surah, which contains numerous refutations of shirk (associating partners with Allah) and affirmations of Divine oneness, particularly through stories of the prophets who called people to pure monotheism.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The greatest sin is to associate partners with Allah in worship.' (Sahih Bukhari 2654). Additionally, 'Whoever says Subhan'Allah wa bihamdihi (Glorified is Allah and praised be He) one hundred times a day, his sins will be wiped away even if they are like the foam of the sea.' (Sahih Bukhari 7237) reflects the importance of glorifying Allah as expressed in this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers to constantly affirm Allah's absolute transcendence and to guard their understanding of Him from false beliefs and corrupted descriptions. It is a reminder that our limited human understanding can never fully comprehend the Divine, and that we must purify our faith from all forms of shirk and innovation in religion.
Related Ayahs
فَتَعَـٰلَى ٱللَّهُ ٱلْمَلِكُ ٱلْحَقُّ ۖ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ رَبُّ ٱلْعَرْشِ ٱلْكَرِيمِ
So exalted is Allāh, the Sovereign, the Truth; there is no deity except Him, Lord of the Noble Throne.
لَّقَدْ كَفَرَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلْمَسِيحُ ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَ ۚ قُلْ فَمَن يَمْلِكُ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ شَيْـًٔا إِنْ أَرَادَ أَن يُهْلِكَ ٱلْمَسِيحَ ٱبْنَ مَرْيَمَ وَأُمَّهُۥ وَمَن فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا ۗ وَلِلَّهِ مُلْكُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا ۚ يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَآءُ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
They have certainly disbelieved who say that Allāh is Christ, the son of Mary. Say, "Then who could prevent Allāh at all if He had intended to destroy Christ, the son of Mary, or his mother or everyone on the earth?" And to Allāh belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them. He creates what He wills, and Allāh is over all things competent.
وَفِىٓ أَنفُسِكُمْ ۚ أَفَلَا تُبْصِرُونَ
And in yourselves. Then will you not see?
أَفَغَيْرَ دِينِ ٱللَّهِ يَبْغُونَ وَلَهُۥٓ أَسْلَمَ مَن فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ طَوْعًا وَكَرْهًا وَإِلَيْهِ يُرْجَعُونَ
So is it other than the religion of Allāh they desire, while to Him have submitted [all] those within the heavens and earth, willingly or by compulsion, and to Him they will be returned?