Surah Al-Muminoon (23) — Ayah 116

(Ayah 116) ➊ { فَتَعٰلَى اللّٰهُ …: ’’ تَعَالٰي‘‘ ’’عَلَا يَعْلُوْ‘‘} is from the form "tafā‘ul," which denotes emphasis, so it has been translated as "So very exalted is Allah," meaning Allah’s majesty is far above creating you in vain and without purpose. Then Allah Almighty has mentioned three of His attributes, each of which necessitates that He does not do anything in vain or without purpose.

➋ { الْمَلِكُ الْحَقُّ :} The first attribute is that He is the True Sovereign; His sovereignty is real and everlasting. Other kings are neither the true owners of their kingdoms nor are their kingdoms real and everlasting. Allah alone grants sovereignty to whom He wills and takes it away from whom He wills, as He said: « قُلِ اللّٰهُمَّ مٰلِكَ الْمُلْكِ تُؤْتِي الْمُلْكَ مَنْ تَشَآءُ وَ تَنْزِعُ الْمُلْكَ مِمَّنْ تَشَآءُ» [ آل عمران : ۲۶ ] "Say, O Allah! Owner of Sovereignty! You give sovereignty to whom You will and You take sovereignty away from whom You will." When no intelligent person does anything without purpose, then how could you assume about the True Sovereign, the King of the entire universe and of all kings, that He created you in vain and without purpose?

➌ { لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا هُوَ:} This is the second attribute, which also hints at the wisdom in creation. That is, not only is He unique in sovereignty, but there is no deity except Him; worship is His exclusive right. How ignorant you are that this One and Only, without partner, Deity created you for His oneness and worship, and you assumed that there is no purpose in our creation.

➍ { رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْكَرِيْمِ :} The meaning of "Arsh" is throne. The meaning of something being "Kareem" is that it possesses all the virtues and perfections of its kind and is superior and more honorable than all of them, as He said: « اِنِّيْۤ اُلْقِيَ اِلَيَّ كِتٰبٌ كَرِيْمٌ » [ النمل : ۲۹ ] "Indeed, a noble letter has been delivered to me." And He said: «وَ زُرُوْعٍ وَّ مَقَامٍ كَرِيْمٍ » [ الدخان : ۲۶ ] "And crops and a goodly place." And He said: «كَمْ اَنْۢبَتْنَا فِيْهَا مِنْ كُلِّ زَوْجٍ كَرِيْمٍ » [ الشعراء : ۷ ] "How many a thing We have caused to grow therein of every noble kind." And He said: « وَ قُلْ لَّهُمَا قَوْلًا كَرِيْمًا » [ بني إسرائیل : ۲۳ ] "And say to them a noble word." (Ibn Ashur and Raghib) In this verse, this is the third attribute of Allah Almighty: that He is the Owner of the Divine Throne, the greatest creation in the universe, which encompasses the earth, the heavens, and all creatures within them, and is the highest, so why would He not be the owner of all other creations?

➎ The Divine Throne is called "Kareem" (full of honor and dignity) because the honor of a place is due to its inhabitant, as it is said {’’فُلَانٌ مِنْ بَيْتٍ كَرِيْمٍ‘‘} that such-and-such person is a member of an honorable household, because the inhabitants of that house are honorable. The greatest honor and dignity of the Throne is that the Most Noble Lord is established upon it, and from this very Throne all commands, mercies, and blessings descend.

➏ In the entire Qur’an, {’’ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْكَرِيْمِ ‘‘} appears only at this place. {’’ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيْمِ‘‘} appears in two places, in Surah Tawbah (129) and Naml (26). Here, the attribute "Kareem" of the Throne is mentioned because the purpose here is to declare Allah free from defect and to mention His attribute of justice in this world and the Hereafter, whereas in Surah Tawbah and Naml, the purpose is to mention His attribute of might and power. (Biqā‘ī)