The Meaning of Praise Filling the Heavens and the Earth
Source: Fatāwā Amanpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amanpuri
❖ Question:
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin ‘Abbās (RA) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, after rising from rukū‘, would recite the following supplication:
اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّنَا لَكَ الْحَمْدُ، مِلْءُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمِلْءُ الْأَرْضِ، وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا، وَمِلْءُ مَا شِئْتَ مِنْ شَيْءٍ بَعْدُ، أَهْلَ الثَّنَاءِ وَالْمَجْدِ، لَا مَانِعَ لِمَا أَعْطَيْتَ، وَلَا مُعْطِيَ لِمَا مَنَعْتَ، وَلَا يَنْفَعُ ذَا الْجَدِّ مِنْكَ الْجَدُّ.
“O Allah! Our Lord! To You belongs all praise, filling the heavens, filling the earth, filling whatever is between them, and filling whatever else You will. O Possessor of praise and glory! None can withhold what You give, and none can give what You withhold. The might of the mighty is of no avail against You.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 478)
The question: What is meant by praise filling the heavens and the earth?
❖ Answer:
This phrase carries two possible meanings:
① Figurative Meaning – Abundance and Vastness
“Filling the heavens and the earth” signifies extreme abundance and vastness of praise. It is a metaphor.
- Evidence: Sayyiduna Abu Dharr al-Ghifārī (RA) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
الله عز وجل يقول: من لقيني بقراب الأرض خطيئة لا يشرك بي شيئا لقيته بمثلها مغفرة.
“Allah Almighty says: Whoever meets Me with sins nearly filling the earth, not associating anything with Me, I shall meet him with forgiveness equal to it.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 2687)
Just as “earth-filling sins” refers to abundance, “earth and heaven-filling praise” also refers to abundance.
② Literal Meaning – Praise Filling Records
It may also mean that the words of Allah’s praise are written in scrolls so numerous that they fill the vast spaces of the heavens and the earth.
Conclusion:“Praise filling the heavens and the earth” emphasizes either the immensity of Allah’s praise or the actual filling of scrolls with words of praise, both reflecting the limitless majesty of Allah’s perfection.
