Al-Hashr (The Exile)
Verse 1
Table of Contents
Section 28 (juz’)
Number of Verses: 24
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
The blessed Chapter has twenty-four Verses and it was revealed in Medina.
The Arabic word
hashr (“gathering”)
is mentioned in the second Verse, hence the designation of the Chapter. The word does not denote gathering on the Day of Resurrection, but it connotes people's gathering for migration.
The blessed Chapter opens and closes with the glorification of God Almighty by all the world of existence. The blessed Chapter mainly treats of hypocrites' collaboration with Medinan Jews against the Muslims, though the Holy Qur’an says that their stratagems lead to nothing but their humiliation and defeat.
The Merit of Reciting the Chapter
Numerous merits have been mentioned for the recitation of the blessed Chapter in question.
According to a Prophetic tradition, whoever recites Surah al-Hashr, Paradise, Hell, Throne, the seven heavens and the earth, as well as animals, winds, birds, trees, creatures, the sun, the moon, and all angels invoke God Almighty that He may bestow His Mercy upon him and forgive him. Had he died on that day or night, he will be a martyr.1 Such blessings will be bestowed upon the recite owing to reflection upon its contents as the same reflects in man's life.
Surah al-Hashr - Verse 1
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ سَبَّحَ لِلَّهِ ما فِي السَّماواتِ وَ ما فِي الْأَرْضِ وَ هُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ (1)
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
1. Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth glorifies Allah. And He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.
The Arabic word sabbaha is attested 85 times in the Holy Qur’an. It is also used in different units of daily prayers in prostration and genuflexion. The word originally denotes moving rapidly in water and in the air but as a term, it connotes glorification of God of defects and promptness in worshipping him.
God Almighty possesses two kinds of attributes: affirmative and negative. The former reflect His Perfect Attributes, e.g. Omniscience and Omnipotence, and the latter glorify Him of defects, e.g. need, ignorance, and weakness.
The words
hamad (“praise”)
and
tasbih (“glorification”)
allude to such affirmative and negative qualities. It is also worthy of note that by tasbih existential rather than legislative glorification, namely all the world of existence glorify God Almighty dispositionally rather than verbally.
It is also maintained that glorification by the world of existence is both dispositional and verbal, as it is thus attested in the Holy Qur’an2 :
“But you comprehend not their glorification.”
Detailed arguments on the same are to be found in exegetic works.
The blessed Verse in question is saying that whatever exists in the heavens and on the earth glorify Him and He is All-Mighty and All-Wise. All existent beings, including angels, mankind, plants, and inanimate things may verbally or dispositionally glorify God Almighty, since the wondrous system of the creation of each and every particle dispositionally reflect Divine Omniscience, Omnipotence, Glory, and Wisdom.
Some scholars also hold that each and every being possesses some share of reason, comprehension, and intelligence, though we may not be aware of the same. As a consequence, each and every being glorifies God Almighty in its own language, even if we may fail to hearken the glorification.
Glorification of God Almighty is widespread in the world of existence, but we are ignorant of the same. However, those who have transcended the inanimate realm and have attained to proximity to God Almighty possess eyes through which they may see the unseen and share the secrets with all the world of existence.