Surah Al-Israa (17) — Ayah 44

(Ayah 44) ➊ {سُبْحٰنَهٗ … :} Everything in the earth and the heavens and whatever is between them is declaring the tasbih of Allah. {’’سَبَحَ يَسْبَحُ‘‘} (Fa) means to move swiftly in water or air. {’’سَبَحَ سَبْحًا وَسِبَاحَةً‘‘} The swift movement of stars in the orbits, as He said: «وَ كُلٌّ فِيْ فَلَكٍ يَّسْبَحُوْنَ» [ یٰسٓ : ۴۰ ] “And all are swimming in an orbit.” The swift running of a horse, as He said: «وَ السّٰبِحٰتِ سَبْحًا» [النازعات : ۳ ] However, in the form of tafeel, {’’اَلتَّسْبِيْحُ‘‘} means the tanziyah of Allah, that is, to declare Him free from every defect and deficiency. Its essence is also to show eagerness and swiftness in obedience, worship, and declaring purity. (Summary from Raghib) Some commentators have said, the meaning is that all these things are declaring the tasbih of Allah with the tongue of their state, meaning their condition shows that their Creator is free from every kind of defect or incapacity. But this interpretation is only needed if these things cannot declare tasbih with their own tongue, whereas it is established from the Noble Qur’an that every thing has perception and understanding and knows the way of its own worship and tasbih, but they have their own language which we do not understand, as Allah has said regarding every being in the heavens and the earth and the birds spreading their wings, that they are declaring the tasbih of Allah, and after that He said: «كُلٌّ قَدْ عَلِمَ صَلَاتَهٗ وَ تَسْبِيْحَهٗ » [ النور : ۴۱ ] “Each one has certainly known its prayer and its tasbih.” And He said: «اِنَّا سَخَّرْنَا الْجِبَالَ مَعَهٗ يُسَبِّحْنَ بِالْعَشِيِّ وَ الْاِشْرَاقِ (18) وَ الطَّيْرَ مَحْشُوْرَةً كُلٌّ لَّهٗۤ اَوَّابٌ » [ صٓ : ۱۸، ۱۹] “Indeed, We subjected the mountains with him, glorifying [Allah] in the late afternoon and [after] sunrise, and the birds assembled, all with him repeating [praises].” Allah also taught Dawud and Sulaiman (peace be upon them) the language of birds. (See An-Naml: 16) In fact, their conversation with ants and birds is also mentioned in Surah An-Naml (17 to 28). In this place too, He said: “And there is not a thing except that it exalts [Allah] by His praise, but you do not understand their tasbih.” It is clear that the meaning is not tasbih with the tongue of state, because everyone understands this language, and in reality, the state of every particle of the universe testifies to the unlimited power of its Creator and to His being free from every weakness and defect. Therefore, here, it is meant that everything declares tasbih not only with the tongue of state but also with the tongue of speech, and this is not far-fetched. Abdullah bin Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: [ وَلَقَدْ كُنَّا نَسْمَعُ تَسْبِيْحَ الطَّعَامِ وَهُوَ يُؤْكَلُ ] [ بخاري، المناقب، باب علامات النبوۃ في الإسلام : ۳۵۷۹ ] “We (in the time of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him) used to hear the tasbih of the food while it was being eaten.” For more incidents about the understanding, love and hatred, and tasbih of inanimate objects and plants, see Surah Al-Baqarah (74).

➋ { اِنَّهٗ كَانَ حَلِيْمًا غَفُوْرًا :} That is why He sees all your insolence and disobedience, yet despite having power, He shows forbearance towards you and does not send any punishment upon you, nor does He cut off your provision, nor deprive you of His blessings. If it were not for His extreme forbearance and concealment, your matter would have long been finished. See Surah An-Nahl (61) and Surah Fatir (45).