Surah Al-Hashr (59) — Ayah 22

(Ayah 22) ➊ {هُوَ اللّٰهُ الَّذِيْ لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا هُوَ :} In this surah, the mention of Allah’s name, His pronouns, and His attributes occurs forty (40) times: twenty-four (24) times with the word {’’ اللّٰهُ ‘‘} and sixteen (16) times with explicit pronouns or lofty attributes. In short, the entire surah is filled with the mention of Allah’s great power and His wondrous and amazing dealings; therefore, it begins with the glorification of Allah and His attributes of ‘Aziz’ and ‘Hakim’, and it ends as well with such attributes, the mention of which increases the fear and love of Allah in the hearts of the believers and instills fear in the rebellious through His grasp, awe, and majesty. Along with this, these attributes also contain proofs of the truth of monotheism and the falsehood of polytheism. Moreover, each attribute is also related in some way to the events and subjects mentioned in the surah. (Ibn Ashur, summarized)

➋ { هُوَ اللّٰهُ الَّذِيْ لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا هُوَ :} Among the attributes of Allah, first the attribute of His being the “One God” is mentioned, because this is the basis of all other attributes. All other attributes are evidence for this attribute, that worship is the right of Him alone; therefore, in the Noble Qur’an, after the blessed name {’’ اللّٰهُ ‘‘}, this attribute is often mentioned, as in Ayat al-Kursi and at the beginning of Surah Al ‘Imran, He said: « اللّٰهُ لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّوْمُ » “Allah (is such that) there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of all existence.”

➌ {عٰلِمُ الْغَيْبِ وَ الشَّهَادَةِ: ’’ الْغَيْبِ ‘‘} and {’’ الشَّهَادَةِ ‘‘} are verbal nouns (masdar) which are in the meaning of the active participle (ism fa’il), i.e., the absent and the present. For emphasis, the verbal noun is used in place of the active participle, just as instead of {’’ زَيْدٌ عَادِلٌ ‘‘}, for emphasis, {’’ زَيْدٌ عَدْلٌ ‘‘} is said, meaning Zaid is the embodiment of justice. The ‘al’ (definite article) on {’’ الْغَيْبِ وَ الشَّهَادَةِ ‘‘} is for totality, i.e., He is the knower of every unseen and witnessed thing. After oneness, the second attribute of knowledge is mentioned, because being a deity necessarily requires that He has knowledge of everything and that His knowledge is perfect. What kind of deity would it be who does not even know that someone is worshipping Him? (See Ahqaf: 6,5) {’’ الْغَيْبِ وَ الشَّهَادَةِ ‘‘} is said in relation to others, otherwise nothing is hidden from Allah. If someone says that “Alim al-Ghayb” (Knower of the unseen) is indeed only Allah, but “Alim al-Shahadah” (Knower of the witnessed) can be others as well, then the answer is that the knowledge of every “al-Shahadah” is also possessed by none but Him; one who knows a few things cannot be called “Alim al-Shahadah.” See also the commentary of Surah Ra’d (10,9) and Surah A’la (7).

➍ { هُوَ الرَّحْمٰنُ الرَّحِيْمُ :} For its details, see the commentary of Surah Al-Fatiha.

22. 1. Ghaib is in relation to the created beings; otherwise, for Allah, nothing is hidden. The meaning is that He knows everything in the universe, whether it is before us or hidden from us, even to the extent that He knows the ant walking in the darkness.

22. He is Allah, besides Whom there is no deity. He knows the unseen [27] and the seen. He is the Most Merciful [28], the Most Compassionate.

[27]
What is Meant by the Unseen (Ghaib) and the Seen (Shahadah)?

Shahadah refers to all those things, events, and knowledge that have come into human knowledge or which he has acquired through observation and experience. Ghaib refers to all those things, events, and knowledge which, until now, have not been accessible to humans. Whether these things are related to the greater world or universe, or to the lesser world or the inner universe of the human body. And for Allah, there is absolutely nothing that is hidden. For Him, everything is shahadah (seen and manifest). And wherever the words ghaib and shahadah are used in the Quran, they are used only to make humans understand. And nothing is hidden from Allah because He Himself is the One who brings every thing, every event, and every incident into existence. Therefore, how can anything remain concealed or hidden from Him?

[28]
The Difference Between ﴿رحمٰن﴾ and ﴿رحيم﴾:

The difference between ﴿رحمٰن﴾ and ﴿رحيم﴾ is that for the existence of everything, its life, and the necessities for the continuation of life, whatever things were necessary and essential, He provided them even before its creation, and this is His perfect kindness. In the universe, no one else possesses this unlimited mercy. Even if the attribute of mercy is found in other living beings, firstly, it is partial and limited, and secondly, it is not their inherent attribute. Rather, it is granted by Allah, and it is given so that it may become a means for the nurturing and well-being of other creatures. Just as parents are merciful towards their children, and this itself is proof of His boundless mercy. It should be clear that Rahman is only the Being of Allah Ta'ala, and it contains a form of great intensity. And it relates to those mercies and blessings which are necessary for life and its continuation, for example, arranging for the sun, moon, air, rain, and the power of growth in the earth before the birth of man; or the activation of the machinery of the mother's breasts as soon as pregnancy occurs, the process of converting blood into milk, and the descent of milk into the mother's breasts at the birth of the child, and teaching the child how to reach for milk and suckle. Whereas Raheem can also be other than Allah among the creation.