Surah Al-Israa
Chapter 17 · Verse 44 · Revealed in Makkah
“The seven heavens and the earth and whatever is in them exalt Him. And there is not a thing except that it exalts [Allah] by His praise, but you do not understand their [way of] exalting. Indeed, He is ever Forbearing and Forgiving.”
Translation: Saheeh International
Listen to recitation
Mishary Rashid Alafasy
Reflection — Ibn Kathir
Everything glorifies Allah
Allah says: the seven heavens and the earth and all that is therein, meaning the creatures that dwell therein, sanctify Him, exalt Him, venerate Him, glorify Him and magnify Him far above what these idolators say, and they bear witness that He is One in His Lordship and Divinity. In everything there is a sign of Allah indicating that He is One. As Allah says:
تَكَادُ السَّمَـوَتُ يَتَفَطَّرْنَ مِنْهُ وَتَنشَقُّ الاٌّرْضُ وَتَخِرُّ الْجِبَالُ هَدّاً - أَن دَعَوْا لِلرَّحْمَـنِ وَلَداً
Reflection — Maarif ul Quran
The meaning of Tasbih (glorification of Allah) said by the heavens and the earth and everything present therein
Among these, the Tasbih of Allah said by all angels and believing jinn and human beings is self-evident. Everyone knows that. As for disbelieving human beings and the jinn, they obviously do not say it. Similarly, there are other things in this universe about which it is said that they are insensate, devoid of reason and intelligence. How do we rationalize their act of saying Tasbih? Some ` Ulama' say that their Tasbih is circumstantial, state-articulated, the testimony of their state of being - because, the collective condition of everything other than Allah Ta’ ala is telling us that it is neither permanent existence-wise nor survival-wise. This whole ongoing condition has been activated under the power and control of some supreme power - this testimony is its Tasbih.
What does this verse bring up for you today?