سُوْرَةُ سَبَاٍ
Surah Saba (34) — Ayah 1
ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِى لَهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَهُ ٱلْحَمْدُ فِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْحَكِيمُ ٱلْخَبِيرُ ﴿1﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
All the praises and thanks be to Allâh, to Whom belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. His is all the praises and thanks in the Hereafter, and He is the All-Wise, the All-Aware.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
ٱلْحَمْدُ
al-ḥamdu
All praises
لِلَّهِ
lillahi
(be) to Allah
ٱلَّذِى
alladhī
the One to Whom belongs
لَهُۥ
lahu
the One to Whom belongs
مَا
mā
whatever
فِى
fī
(is) in
ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ
l-samāwāti
the heavens
وَمَا
wamā
and whatever
فِى
fī
(is) in
ٱلْأَرْضِ
l-arḍi
the earth
وَلَهُ
walahu
and for Him
ٱلْحَمْدُ
l-ḥamdu
(are) all praises
فِى
fī
in
ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ ۚ
l-ākhirati
the Hereafter
وَهُوَ
wahuwa
And He
ٱلْحَكِيمُ
l-ḥakīmu
(is) the All-Wise
ٱلْخَبِيرُ
l-khabīru
the All-Aware
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 1) ➊ {اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ الَّذِيْ لَهٗ مَا فِي السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ مَا فِي الْاَرْضِ …:} The meaning of "Hamd" is praise due to someone's excellence. This surah is one of the five surahs that begin with {’’ اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ ‘‘}, and they are Surah Al-Fatiha, Al-An'am, Al-Kahf, Saba, and Fatir. In all five, a separate reason is mentioned for all praise being for Allah, although all are also related to each other. In saying {’’ اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ ‘‘}, it is not only meant that all praise is for Allah, but also that He alone possesses all excellences, because without excellence, what is there to praise? And the proof that all praise and all excellences are for Allah is that whatever is in the heavens or whatever is in the earth, meaning whatever exists in the entire universe, He alone is its owner. He alone created everything, He alone sustains them, and He alone manages their affairs. If there is any excellence in anything, it is granted by Him; then, who else besides Him can be the owner of every excellence and every praise?
➋ There are two interpretations of this verse: one is that in the first phrase {’’ اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ الَّذِيْ لَهٗ مَا فِي السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ مَا فِي الْاَرْضِ ‘‘}, it means that in this world, all praise is for Allah, because in the second phrase {’’ وَ لَهُ الْحَمْدُ فِي الْاٰخِرَةِ ‘‘}, it is mentioned that in the Hereafter, all praise will be for Him. The second interpretation is that in the first phrase {’’ اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ الَّذِيْ لَهٗ مَا فِي السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ مَا فِي الْاَرْضِ ‘‘}, it means that in both the world and the Hereafter, praise is for Allah. Then, the fact that praise will be for Allah alone in the Hereafter is mentioned again specifically, because in this world, apparently, someone else may also be praised, but in the Hereafter, only Allah will be praised, and the phrase {’’ اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ ‘‘} will be on everyone's lips. See Surah Az-Zumar (74), Al-A'raf (43), and Fatir (34, 35). This is just like in Surah Al-Baqarah, verse (98): « مَنْ كَانَ عَدُوًّا لِّلّٰهِ وَ مَلٰٓىِٕكَتِهٖ وَ رُسُلِهٖ وَ جِبْرِيْلَ وَ مِيْكٰىلَ فَاِنَّ اللّٰهَ عَدُوٌّ لِّلْكٰفِرِيْنَ », where in the word { ’’ مَلٰٓىِٕكَتِهٖ ‘‘}, even though all angels are included, Jibreel and Mika'il are also mentioned separately. For more benefits of {’’اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ ‘‘}, see the benefits of Surah Al-Fatiha.
➌ { وَ هُوَ الْحَكِيْمُ الْخَبِيْرُ :} That is, He alone is the One whose every action is firm and perfect, and who has complete knowledge of every particle in the universe; therefore, there is no defect or flaw in any of His actions, whereas no one else has complete knowledge or wisdom, so they have nothing but incapacity and poverty—then, what is there to praise?
➋ There are two interpretations of this verse: one is that in the first phrase {’’ اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ الَّذِيْ لَهٗ مَا فِي السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ مَا فِي الْاَرْضِ ‘‘}, it means that in this world, all praise is for Allah, because in the second phrase {’’ وَ لَهُ الْحَمْدُ فِي الْاٰخِرَةِ ‘‘}, it is mentioned that in the Hereafter, all praise will be for Him. The second interpretation is that in the first phrase {’’ اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ الَّذِيْ لَهٗ مَا فِي السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ مَا فِي الْاَرْضِ ‘‘}, it means that in both the world and the Hereafter, praise is for Allah. Then, the fact that praise will be for Allah alone in the Hereafter is mentioned again specifically, because in this world, apparently, someone else may also be praised, but in the Hereafter, only Allah will be praised, and the phrase {’’ اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ ‘‘} will be on everyone's lips. See Surah Az-Zumar (74), Al-A'raf (43), and Fatir (34, 35). This is just like in Surah Al-Baqarah, verse (98): « مَنْ كَانَ عَدُوًّا لِّلّٰهِ وَ مَلٰٓىِٕكَتِهٖ وَ رُسُلِهٖ وَ جِبْرِيْلَ وَ مِيْكٰىلَ فَاِنَّ اللّٰهَ عَدُوٌّ لِّلْكٰفِرِيْنَ », where in the word { ’’ مَلٰٓىِٕكَتِهٖ ‘‘}, even though all angels are included, Jibreel and Mika'il are also mentioned separately. For more benefits of {’’اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ ‘‘}, see the benefits of Surah Al-Fatiha.
➌ { وَ هُوَ الْحَكِيْمُ الْخَبِيْرُ :} That is, He alone is the One whose every action is firm and perfect, and who has complete knowledge of every particle in the universe; therefore, there is no defect or flaw in any of His actions, whereas no one else has complete knowledge or wisdom, so they have nothing but incapacity and poverty—then, what is there to praise?
