Surah shura ayat 4 Tafsir Quran 42:4

﴿لَهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ ۖ وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ﴾
[ الشورى: 4]

42:4 To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth, and He is the Most High, the Most Great.

To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth as possession creation and servants and He is the Exalted above His creatures the Tremendous the Great.

Allah, Who owns, and has the rightful claim to all that is in the heavens and on earth and supremacy, authority, and power over them are acknowledged as His own. He is above all and beyond all. He is AL-Alim and AL-Azim (the Unique Whose attributes belong to the highest regions of thought and reality)

Which was revealed in Makkah بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. The Revelation and Allah's Might We have previously discussed the individual letters. كَذَلِكَ يُوحِى إِلَيْكَ وَإِلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكَ اللَّهُ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ ( Likewise Allah, the Almighty, the All-Wise sends revelation to you as to those before you. ) means, `just as this Qur'an has been revealed to you, so too the Books and Scriptures were revealed to the Prophets who came before you.' اللَّهِ الْعَزِيزِ ( Allah, the Almighty ) means, in His vengeance الْحَكِيمُ ( the All-Wise ) means, in all that He says and does.
Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, narrated that `A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said, "Al-Harith bin Hisham asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ , `O Messenger of Allah, how does the revelation come to you' The Messenger of Allah ﷺ  said:
«أَحْيَانًا يَأْتِينِي مِثْلَ صَلْصَلَةِ الْجَرَسِ، وَهُوَ أَشَدُّهُ عَلَيَّ فَيَفْصِمُ عَنِّي وَقَدْ وَعَيْتُ مَا قَالَ، وَأَحْيَانًا يَأْتِينِي الْمَلَكُ رَجُلًا فَيُكَلِّمُنِي فَأَعِي مَا يَقُول»
( Sometimes it comes to me like the ringing of a bell, which is the most difficult for me; then it goes away, and I understand what was said.
And sometimes the angel comes to me in the image of a man, and he speaks to me and I understand what he says. )" `A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said, "I saw him receiving the revelation on a very cold day, and when it departed from him, there were beads of sweat on his forehead." It was also reported in the Two Sahihs, and the version quoted here is that recorded by Al-Bukhari. لَهُ مَا فِى السَّمَـوَت وَمَا فِى الاٌّرْضِ ( To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on the earth, ) means, everything is subject to His dominion and control. وَهُوَ الْعَلِىُّ الْعَظِيمُ ( and He is the Most High, the Most Great. ) This is like the Ayat: الْكَبِيرُ الْمُتَعَالِ ( the Most Great, the Most High ) ( 13:9 ), and وَهُوَ الْعَلِىُّ الْكَبِيرُ ( He is the Most High, the Most Great ) ( 22:62 ).
And there are many similar Ayat. تَكَادُ السَّمَـوَتُ يَتَفَطَّرْنَ مِن فَوْقِهِنَّ ( Nearly the heavens might be rent asunder from above them, ) Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, Ad-Dahhak, Qatadah, As-Suddi and Ka`b Al-Ahbar said, "Out of fear of His might." وَالْمَلَـئِكَةُ يُسَبِّحُونَ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّهِمْ وَيَسْتَغْفِرُونَ لِمَن فِى الاٌّرْضِ ( and the angels glorify the praises of their Lord, and ask for forgiveness for those on the earth. ) This is like the Ayah: الَّذِينَ يَحْمِلُونَ الْعَرْشَ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهُ يُسَبِّحُونَ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّهِمْ وَيُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِ وَيَسْتَغْفِرُونَ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ رَبَّنَا وَسِعْتَ كُـلَّ شَىْءٍ رَّحْمَةً وَعِلْماً ( Those who bear the Throne and those around it glorify the praises of their Lord, and believe in Him, and ask forgiveness for those who believe (saying ): "Our Lord! You comprehend all things in mercy and knowledge,") ( 40:7 ) أَلاَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ ( Lo! Verily, Allah is the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful. ) This is a reminder, to take heed of this fact. وَالَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُواْ مِن دُونِهِ أَوْلِيَآءَ ( And as for those who take as protecting friends others besides Him ) This refers to the idolators, اللَّهُ حَفِيظٌ عَلَيْهِمْ ( Allah is Hafiz over them. ) meaning, He is Witness to their deeds, recording and enumerating them precisely, and He will requite them for them in full. وَمَآ أَنتَ عَلَيْهِم بِوَكِيلٍ ( and you are not a trustee over them. ) meaning, `you are just a warner, and Allah is the Trustee of all affairs.'

(42:4) His is all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth; He is the Most High, the All-Great. *2

To Him belongs whatever is in the meaning

*2) These introductory sentences are not meant to be said merely in praise of Allah Almighty, but their each word has a deep link with the background in which these verses were sent down.
The foremost basis of the objections of the people who were expressing wonder and doubts against the Holy Prophet and the Qur'an was that he was inviting them to Tauhid and they were being alarmed at this and saying that if AIlah alone is the Creator, Sustainer and Ruler, what would be the position of their saints and holy men? At this it has been said: " This whole Universe belongs to Allah.
How can therefore the godhead of another work and operate in the kingdom of the real Sovereign, particularly when those others whose godhead is acknowledged, are themselves also His subjects? " Then, it has been said: `He is the High, the Great!" That is, He is far above that somebody else should be equal to Him in rank and should became His associate in His Being, attributes, powers or rights.
"
 

Which was revealed in Makkah بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. The Revelation and Allah's Might We have previously discussed the individual letters. كَذَلِكَ يُوحِى إِلَيْكَ وَإِلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكَ اللَّهُ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ ( Likewise Allah, the Almighty, the All-Wise sends revelation to you as to those before you. ) means, `just as this Qur'an has been revealed to you, so too the Books and Scriptures were revealed to the Prophets who came before you.' اللَّهِ الْعَزِيزِ ( Allah, the Almighty ) means, in His vengeance الْحَكِيمُ ( the All-Wise ) means, in all that He says and does.
Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, narrated that `A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said, "Al-Harith bin Hisham asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ , `O Messenger of Allah, how does the revelation come to you' The Messenger of Allah ﷺ  said: «أَحْيَانًا يَأْتِينِي مِثْلَ صَلْصَلَةِ الْجَرَسِ، وَهُوَ أَشَدُّهُ عَلَيَّ فَيَفْصِمُ عَنِّي وَقَدْ وَعَيْتُ مَا قَالَ، وَأَحْيَانًا يَأْتِينِي الْمَلَكُ رَجُلًا فَيُكَلِّمُنِي فَأَعِي مَا يَقُول» ( Sometimes it comes to me like the ringing of a bell, which is the most difficult for me; then it goes away, and I understand what was said.
And sometimes the angel comes to me in the image of a man, and he speaks to me and I understand what he says. )" `A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said, "I saw him receiving the revelation on a very cold day, and when it departed from him, there were beads of sweat on his forehead." It was also reported in the Two Sahihs, and the version quoted here is that recorded by Al-Bukhari. لَهُ مَا فِى السَّمَـوَت وَمَا فِى الاٌّرْضِ ( To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on the earth, ) means, everything is subject to His dominion and control. وَهُوَ الْعَلِىُّ الْعَظِيمُ ( and He is the Most High, the Most Great. ) This is like the Ayat: الْكَبِيرُ الْمُتَعَالِ ( the Most Great, the Most High ) ( 13:9 ), and وَهُوَ الْعَلِىُّ الْكَبِيرُ ( He is the Most High, the Most Great ) ( 22:62 ).
And there are many similar Ayat. تَكَادُ السَّمَـوَتُ يَتَفَطَّرْنَ مِن فَوْقِهِنَّ ( Nearly the heavens might be rent asunder from above them, ) Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, Ad-Dahhak, Qatadah, As-Suddi and Ka`b Al-Ahbar said, "Out of fear of His might." وَالْمَلَـئِكَةُ يُسَبِّحُونَ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّهِمْ وَيَسْتَغْفِرُونَ لِمَن فِى الاٌّرْضِ ( and the angels glorify the praises of their Lord, and ask for forgiveness for those on the earth. ) This is like the Ayah: الَّذِينَ يَحْمِلُونَ الْعَرْشَ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهُ يُسَبِّحُونَ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّهِمْ وَيُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِ وَيَسْتَغْفِرُونَ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ رَبَّنَا وَسِعْتَ كُـلَّ شَىْءٍ رَّحْمَةً وَعِلْماً ( Those who bear the Throne and those around it glorify the praises of their Lord, and believe in Him, and ask forgiveness for those who believe (saying ): "Our Lord! You comprehend all things in mercy and knowledge,") ( 40:7 ) أَلاَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ ( Lo! Verily, Allah is the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful. ) This is a reminder, to take heed of this fact. وَالَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُواْ مِن دُونِهِ أَوْلِيَآءَ ( And as for those who take as protecting friends others besides Him ) This refers to the idolators, اللَّهُ حَفِيظٌ عَلَيْهِمْ ( Allah is Hafiz over them. ) meaning, He is Witness to their deeds, recording and enumerating them precisely, and He will requite them for them in full. وَمَآ أَنتَ عَلَيْهِم بِوَكِيلٍ ( and you are not a trustee over them. ) meaning, `you are just a warner, and Allah is the Trustee of all affairs.'

( Unto Him belongeth all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth ) of created beings: they are all His slaves, ( and He is the Sublime ) most sublime than all that is, ( the Tremendous ) greater than all that is.

To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth, and He is the Most High, the Most Great.

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