Which Surahs Open With the Glorification of Allah?
كم عدد السور التي تفتتح بالتسبيح في القرآن الكريم؟ وما هي؟
7 Surahs: Sabbaha, Yusabbihu, Subhana
(Exalted is He who took His Servant by night from al-Masjid al-Haram to al-Masjid al-Aqsa,) [Al-Isra 17:1]
(Exalt the name of your Lord, the Most High,) [Al-A'la 87:1]
(Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth is exalting Allah, the Sovereign, the Pure, the Exalted in Might, the Wise.) [Al-Jumu'ah 62:1]
(Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth is exalting Allah.) [At-Taghabun 64:1]
(Whatever is in the heavens and earth exalts Allah, and He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.) [Al-Hadid 57:1]
(Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth exalts Allah, and He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise) [Al-Hashr 59:1]
(Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth exalts Allah, and He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise) [As-Saff 61:1]
سبع 7 سور: سبح ويسبح وسبحان
(سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي أَسْرَىٰ بِعَبْدِهِ لَيْلًا مِّنَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ الْأَقْصَى ) [الإسراء 17: 1]
(سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الْأَعْلَى) [الأعلى 87: 1]
(يُسَبِّحُ لِلَّـهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ الْمَلِكِ الْقُدُّوسِ الْعَزِيزِ الْحَكِيمِ) [الجمعة 62: 1]
(يُسَبِّحُ لِلَّـهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ) [التغابن 64: 1]
(سَبَّحَ لِلَّـهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ۖ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ) [الحديد 57: 1]
(سَبَّحَ لِلَّـهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ) [الحشر 59: 1]
(سَبَّحَ لِلَّـهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ) [الصف 61: 1]
1. Four Forms of Glorification | أربع صيغ للتسبيح
The seven openings use four forms: subhana, Exalted is He, opening Al-Isra (17:1); sabbaha, has glorified, in Al-Hadid, Al-Hashr and As-Saff (57:1, 59:1, 61:1); yusabbihu, glorifies, in Al-Jumu'ah and At-Taghabun (62:1, 64:1); and the command sabbih, glorify, in Al-A'la (87:1).
سَبَّحَ لِلَّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ۖ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ (سورة الحديد: 1)
جاءت فواتح السور السبع بأربع صيغ: (سبحان) في أول سورة الإسراء، و(سبح) بصيغة الماضي في أول سور الحديد والحشر والصف، و(يسبح) بصيغة المضارع في أول سورتي الجمعة والتغابن، و(سبح) بصيغة الأمر في أول سورة الأعلى.
2. Everything Glorifies Him | يسبح له ما في السماوات والأرض
Ibn Kathir explains the opening of Al-Hadid: whatever is in the heavens and the earth glorifies Him, the animals and the plants, as in: the seven heavens and the earth and whoever is in them glorify Him, and there is nothing but glorifies Him with praise, but you do not understand their glorification (17:44). Read more in whether living creatures praise Allah.
وَإِن مِّن شَيْءٍ إِلَّا يُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِهِ وَلَٰكِن لَّا تَفْقَهُونَ تَسْبِيحَهُمْ (سورة الإسراء: 44)
قال ابن كثير في أول سورة الحديد: يخبر تعالى أنه يسبح له ما في السماوات والأرض، أي من الحيوانات والنباتات، كما قال في الآية الأخرى: (تسبح له السماوات السبع والأرض ومن فيهن وإن من شيء إلا يسبح بحمده ولكن لا تفقهون تسبيحهم) (الإسراء 17: 44).
3. Two Words Heavy in the Scale | كلمتان خفيفتان على اللسان
The Prophet said: two words are light on the tongue, heavy in the scale and beloved to the Most Merciful: Subhanallahil-Azim and Subhanallahi wa bihamdihi (Sahih al-Bukhari 6406). Asked which words are best, he said: what Allah chose for His angels, Subhanallahi wa bihamdihi (Sahih Muslim 2731). Daily remembrance is discussed in how a Muslim remembers and glorifies Allah.
قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: "كلمتان خفيفتان على اللسان، ثقيلتان في الميزان، حبيبتان إلى الرحمن: سبحان الله العظيم، سبحان الله وبحمده" (صحيح البخاري 6406)، وسئل أي الكلام أفضل؟ فقال: "ما اصطفى الله لملائكته أو لعباده: سبحان الله وبحمده" (صحيح مسلم 2731).
4. Al-A'la: The Command to Glorify | الأمر بالتسبيح في سورة الأعلى
Six of the seven describe glorification that is taking place; only Al-A'la opens with a command: glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High (87:1). Al-A'la is also one of the surahs named after one of Allah’s names.
سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الْأَعْلَى (سورة الأعلى: 1)
ست من هذه السور تخبر عن التسبيح، وتنفرد سورة الأعلى بالأمر به: (سبح اسم ربك الأعلى) (الأعلى 87: 1).
Scholarly Insight: Ibn Kathir explains that the openings of these surahs describe the glorification of everything in the heavens and the earth, the animals and the plants, which people do not understand, as 17:44 states. Read more in the tafsir of Surah Al-Hadid.
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
How many surahs open with the glorification of Allah?
Seven: Al-Isra, Al-Hadid, Al-Hashr, As-Saff, Al-Jumu'ah, At-Taghabun and Al-A'la.
In which forms does the glorification come?
Subhana (17:1), sabbaha (57:1, 59:1, 61:1), yusabbihu (62:1, 64:1) and the command sabbih (87:1).
Which surah opens with a command to glorify?
Surah Al-A'la: glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High (87:1).
Which two words are heavy in the scale?
Subhanallahil-Azim and Subhanallahi wa bihamdihi (Sahih al-Bukhari 6406).
Prepared by Eng. Ghada Homad, founder of IslamFAQ, researched and written in consultation with qualified scholars, reviewed by Professor Khaled Jassem Al-Houli, Associate Professor of Comparative Jurisprudence and Islamic Politics, Faculty of Sharia and Islamic Studies, University of Kuwait. Read more about the authors and this project →