Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 255

(Ayah 255) ➊ This is Ayat al-Kursi, which is the greatest verse of the entire Noble Qur’an.
Ubayy bin Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him) says that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “O Abu Mundhir! Do you know which verse from the Book of Allah that you have is the greatest?” He says, I replied, Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) know best. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “O Abu Mundhir! Do you know which verse from the Book of Allah that you have is the greatest?” He says, I replied: «اَللّٰهُ لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا هُوَ اَلْحَيُّ الْقَيُّوْمُ» (Ubayy bin Ka‘b, may Allah be pleased with him) says that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) struck his chest and said: “By Allah! (You have spoken the truth) O Abu Mundhir! May this knowledge be blessed for you.” [مسلم، صلوٰۃ المسافرین، باب فضل سورۃ الکہف و آیۃ الکرسی : ۸۱۰ ] Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates a long hadith, in which it is mentioned that he was appointed to guard the zakat al-fitr, and a man came three nights trying to steal, was caught twice and released after pleading, and on the third time, when caught, he told him: When you go to bed, recite Ayat al-Kursi, and surely a protector from Allah will be appointed over you, and no devil will come near you until morning. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) let him go this time as well. In the morning, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) asked: “What happened to your prisoner?” I narrated the whole story, so he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Know that he told you the truth, though he is a great liar.” Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “That was a devil.” [بخاری، الوکالۃ، باب إذا وکل رجلا فترک … : ۲۳۱۱، ۵۰۱۰ ]
From this hadith, along with the virtue of Ayat al-Kursi, it is also confirmed from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that the name of this verse is Ayat al-Kursi. Abu Umamah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Whoever recites Ayat al-Kursi after every obligatory prayer, nothing will prevent him from entering Paradise except death.” [عمل الیوم واللیلۃ للنسائی، ص : ۱۸۳۔ سلسلۃ الأحادیث الصحیحۃ : ۹۷۲۔ ابن کثیر اور البانی رحمہا اللہ نے اسے صحیح کہا ہے ]
➋ The longest verse of the Noble Qur’an: «اِذَا تَدَايَنْتُمْ بِدَيْنٍ » [البقرۃ : ۲۸۲ ] is, but the most magnificent verse is Ayat al-Kursi. The reason is that the subject of this verse is tawheed (monotheism), which is established in it through several proofs. Because of its subject and proofs, it is the greatest verse. Surah al-Ikhlas, despite being a short surah, is equal to one third of the Qur’an. [بخاری، فضائل القرآن، باب فضل : «قل ھو اللہ أحد » : ۵۰۱۳ ] The reason for this is also the greatness of the subject of tawheed. Point: In Ayat al-Kursi, the mention of Allah Almighty appears sixteen (16) times in the form of His names and pronouns. { ”يَعْلَمُ“ } and { ”شَآءَ“ } also contain pronouns.
➌ Ayat al-Kursi consists of a claim and its eleven proofs. The claim is: «اَللّٰهُ لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا هُوَ» that is, Allah is the One besides whom no worship is permissible.
First proof: He is { ”اَلْحَيُّ“ }, that is, He has always existed and will always exist, neither has a beginning nor an end. ‘Imran bin Husayn (may Allah be pleased with him) says that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [كَانَ اللّٰهُ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ شَيْءٌ قَبْلَهُ ] “Allah Almighty has always existed and there was nothing before Him.” [بخاری، التوحید، باب «و کان عرشہ علی الماء » : ۷۴۱۸ ] No being other than Him possesses this quality. Thus, it is said: «هُوَ الْحَيُّ لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا هُوَ» [المؤمن : ۶۵ ] “He is the Ever-Living; there is no deity except Him.” Whatever else is worshipped besides Him is neither eternal nor everlasting; everything has emerged from the lap of death and will return to it, as He said: «كَيْفَ تَكْفُرُوْنَ بِاللّٰهِ وَ كُنْتُمْ اَمْوَاتًا » [البقرۃ : ۲۸ ] “How can you disbelieve in Allah, while you were lifeless?” And He said: «وَ الَّذِيْنَ يَدْعُوْنَ مِنْ دُوْنِ اللّٰهِ لَا يَخْلُقُوْنَ شَيْـًٔا وَّ هُمْ يُخْلَقُوْنَ (20) اَمْوَاتٌ غَيْرُ اَحْيَآءٍ وَ مَا يَشْعُرُوْنَ اَيَّانَ يُبْعَثُوْنَ» [النحل : ۲۰، ۲۱ ] “And those whom they invoke besides Allah create nothing, while they themselves are created. They are dead, not alive.”
He alone is the One who is everlasting
The inheritance of the world is only for Him
All else is destined for annihilation
None will remain, nor has anyone remained
All are travelers here, both rich and poor
Both slave and free are destined to depart (Hali)
Second proof: { ”الْقَيُّوْمُ“ } This is on the pattern of { ”قَامَ يَقُوْمُ“ } from { ”فَيْعُوْلٌ“ }, originally { ”قَيْوُوْمٌ“ }, the first waw was changed to ya, then the first ya was assimilated into the second, and with the addition of ya, further emphasis is created, meaning He is self-sustaining without any support and sustains and upholds others. Man, who claims to be { ”اَنَا رَبُّكُمُ الْاَعْلٰى“ }, cannot live even a moment without Allah Almighty’s support. The beating of his heart, the flow of his breath, the system of urination and defecation, the circulation of blood, sleep and wakefulness, even life and death—none of these are in his control, so how can he support others? The life of our Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), the hardships that befell him—his being wounded, falling from a horse and spraining, becoming ill, hunger, thirst, in short, his entire life bears witness to this. Then, in such a vast universe and countless creatures, who besides Allah is there who upholds them, that He should be considered the remover of difficulties, the giver, the helper, or the one who fills the lap? Regarding the heavens and the earth, He said: «اِنَّ اللّٰهَ يُمْسِكُ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الْاَرْضَ اَنْ تَزُوْلَا» [فاطر : ۴۱ ] “Indeed, Allah holds the heavens and the earth lest they move from their places.” Regarding the flying birds, He said: «مَا يُمْسِكُهُنَّ اِلَّا الرَّحْمٰنُ » [الملک : ۱۹ ] “None holds them except the Most Merciful.”
Third proof: { ”لَا تَاْخُذُهٗ سِنَةٌ وَّ لَا نَوْمٌ“ ”سِنَةٌ“ } Originally { ”وَسَنٌ“ }, like { ”وَعْدٌ“ } from { ”عِدَةٌ“ }, the initial “waw” was omitted and “ta” was brought at the end. The meaning is drowsiness that comes before sleep, when a person is between sleeping and waking. { ”سِنَةٌ“ } and { ”نَوْمٌ“ } are translated due to the tanween: “Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep,” meaning Allah Almighty is not overtaken by even the slightest drowsiness or sleep. From this, it is understood that drowsiness and sleep are such powerful things that when they come upon someone, they seize him, and man is helpless before them. Our Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) once woke up for the morning prayer after sunrise. Allah Almighty is free from both drowsiness and sleep, because if drowsiness or sleep were to overtake Him, the universe would collide and perish. If you want to experiment, give even the most alert person a glass in each hand and keep him awake for a night or two and see what happens.
Fourth proof: { ”لَهٗ مَا فِي السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ مَا فِي الْاَرْضِ“ } That is, whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth belongs to Him. [مزيد ديكهيے مريم : ۹۳ تا ۹۵] When He is the Owner, then worship is His right alone. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Yahya (peace be upon him) explained to the Children of Israel by Allah’s command that worship Allah alone and do not associate anything with Him. Its example is like a man who bought a slave with his pure wealth of gold or silver, and said to the slave: This is my house and this is my work, work in it and give me its earnings. The slave works all day and in the evening gives the earnings to someone other than the owner. Which of you would like such a slave?” [ترمذی، الأدب، باب ما جاء فی مثل الصلوٰۃ … : ۲۸۶۳، و صححہ الألبانی ]
Fifth proof: { ”مَنْ ذَا الَّذِيْ يَشْفَعُ عِنْدَهٗۤ اِلَّا بِاِذْنِهٖ“ } That is, who is there who can intercede with Him except by His permission? In the verse before Ayat al-Kursi, all forms of intercession on the Day of Judgment are negated, and here intercession is made possible with Allah’s permission. The meaning is that it is not possible for any human, jinn, or angel to dare to intercede for anyone without Allah’s permission. Even our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), when he goes to intercede, upon seeing his Lord, will fall into prostration and praise Allah with praises that Allah will teach him at that time, then Allah will command him to raise his head and set a limit, saying: Take these people out of Hell. [بخاری، التوحید، باب قول اللہ تعالٰی : «لما خلقت بيدي» : ۷۴۱۰ ]
On the Day of Judgment, let alone intercession, no one will even dare to speak without Allah’s permission, as He said: «يَوْمَ يَقُوْمُ الرُّوْحُ وَ الْمَلٰٓىِٕكَةُ صَفًّا لَّا يَتَكَلَّمُوْنَ اِلَّا مَنْ اَذِنَ لَهُ الرَّحْمٰنُ وَ قَالَ صَوَابًا » [النبا : ۳۸ ] “The Day that the Spirit and the angels will stand in rows, they will not speak except for one whom the Most Merciful permits, and he will say what is correct.”
The belief that anyone can force Allah Almighty to accept their word, or that Allah will be compelled to accept someone’s intercession out of love for them, is pure ignorance; this was also the belief of the polytheists of Makkah. For details, see Surah az-Zumar (3) and Surah Yunus (18). There, nothing is accepted except humility and supplication, and nothing avails except by His own mercy and permission. To understand the subject of intercession well, study the third chapter of Shah Isma‘il Dehlawi’s book “Taqwiyat al-Iman.”
Sixth proof: { ”يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ اَيْدِيْهِمْ وَ مَا خَلْفَهُمْ“ } That is, He knows what is before them and what is behind them. “Before” refers to present things and “behind” refers to absent things. This includes knowledge of the past, present, and future. No being other than Him possesses this attribute, as He said: «قُلْ لَّا يَعْلَمُ مَنْ فِي السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الْاَرْضِ الْغَيْبَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ وَ مَا يَشْعُرُوْنَ اَيَّانَ يُبْعَثُوْنَ » [النمل : ۶۵ ] “Say: None in the heavens and the earth knows the unseen except Allah, and they do not perceive when they will be resurrected.” When Allah Almighty is aware of all the past, present, and future states of us and the entire universe, then worship is His right alone.
Seventh proof: { ”وَ لَا يُحِيْطُوْنَ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنْ عِلْمِهٖۤ اِلَّا بِمَا شَآءَ“ } That is, no one can encompass anything of His knowledge except what He wills, as He said: «عٰلِمُ الْغَيْبِ فَلَا يُظْهِرُ عَلٰى غَيْبِهٖۤ اَحَدًا (26) اِلَّا مَنِ ارْتَضٰى مِنْ رَّسُوْلٍ» [الجن : ۲۶، ۲۷ ] “(He is) Knower of the unseen, and He does not disclose His unseen to anyone, except a messenger whom He has chosen.” Hafiz Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) has also mentioned another possible meaning: that no one besides Allah can be informed of anything regarding Allah’s essence and attributes except what He Himself wills and informs, as if this verse is similar in meaning to: « وَ لَا يُحِيْطُوْنَ بِهٖ عِلْمًا » [طٰہٰ : ۱۱۰ ] “And they do not encompass Him in knowledge.”
In the story of Musa and Khidr (peace be upon them), it is mentioned that a bird pecked once or twice at the sea, so Khidr (peace be upon him) said to Musa (peace be upon him): “My knowledge and your knowledge have not diminished from Allah’s knowledge except as much as this bird’s peck has diminished from the sea.” [بخاری، العلم، باب ما یستحب للعالم… : ۱۲۲ ] Now think for yourself: is Allah Almighty worthy of worship, or this helpless creation?
Eighth proof: { ”وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الْاَرْضَ“ } The meaning of kursi is well known among all people, that is, the thing upon which one sits. According to the righteous predecessors, its meaning is indeed “kursi.” According to them, Allah Almighty’s kursi exists, and we believe in its existence, even though we do not know what it is like, because this is beyond human capacity. However, as the Qur’an states, His kursi is greater than the heavens and the earth, and we believe in this.
Among later commentators, some have adopted the view of the predecessors, but some have said that kursi means Allah’s dominion, and some have said it means knowledge. Generally, these are those who also deny the ‘Arsh (Throne), so they plainly say that there is neither a Throne nor a kursi, but rather, what is meant is Allah’s dominion and authority. But this meaning of kursi is not literal but metaphorical, which is used when the literal meaning is impossible, whereas taking Allah’s Throne and kursi in their literal sense does not entail any problem. As for the thought that this would make Allah resemble humans, while nothing is like Him, according to the statement of the predecessors, we do not say that His kursi is like our chairs; rather, it is as befits the majesty of Allah Almighty. Man is ‘alim (knowledgeable), as He said: « وَ بَشَّرُوْهُ بِغُلٰمٍ عَلِيْمٍ» [الذاریات : ۲۸ ] “And they gave him glad tidings of a very knowledgeable son,” and Allah Almighty is also ‘alim, so should we deny Allah’s being ‘alim because it would entail resemblance? No, rather Allah is ‘alim as befits His majesty. Take an even greater example: man exists, so should we deny Allah’s existence because it would entail resemblance to man? No, never. Therefore, Allah’s attributes must be accepted as they have come. Yes, those attributes are not like the attributes of creation. In the verse, this phrase is also a proof of tawheed: the vastness of Allah Almighty’s kursi is a proof of His being the only deity.
Ninth proof: { ”وَ لَا يَـُٔوْدُهٗ حِفْظُهُمَا“ } { ”آدَ يَؤُوْدُ“ } means for something to become a heavy burden, to cause hardship. No matter how great the creation is, it cannot protect itself, whereas for Allah Almighty, the protection of the heavens and the earth is no burden.
Tenth and eleventh proofs: { ”وَ هُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيْمُ“ } Loftiness and greatness are attributes of Allah Almighty; creation is nothing compared to Allah’s loftiness and greatness, so only Allah Almighty is worthy of worship. Finally, it is also necessary to point out another point present in this verse: this verse begins with the name of Allah, {”اَللّٰهُ“}, which is comprehensive of all attributes, and it cannot be used for anyone among creation. The gods mentioned in all religions can be made plural or dual, such as goddesses, gods, and “Gods,” etc., but the word “Allah” remains singular; it can neither be made plural nor dual. This too is a powerful proof of Allah Almighty’s oneness. If this point is also included, then there are twelve proofs of tawheed present in the verse.