Al-Hashr (The Exile)

Verse 23

Table of Contents

    23. He is Allah beside Whom none has the right to be worshipped but He, the Sovereign, the Holy, the One Free from all defects, the Giver of security, the Dominant over all things, the Invincible All-Mighty, the Compeller, the Supreme. Glory be to Allah! [High is He] above all that they associate as partners with Him.

    Besides emphasizing Divine Unity, eight more Divine Attributes are enumerated in the blessed Verse: there is no object of worship besides Him; He is the Sovereign and the Absolute Owner of all things; He is free from all defects; He wrongs no one; He bestows security upon all.

    “Allah calls to the Home of Peace and guides who He wills to the Straight Path”1 . “Wherewith Allah guides all those who seek His Good Pleasure to ways of peace”2 .

    The believers'

    “abode of peace is with their Lord.”

    The people of Paradise will be greeted by

    “but only the saying of greetings with peace”3 .

    The blessed Verse proceeds to say that He bestows security and faith upon His friends, namely the believers. He is the Protector and Watcher of all things. He is so Mighty that He is Invincible. He improves everything through His Invincible Will.

    The Arabic word jabbar is employed in ten instances in the senses of “compeller, dominant” and “improver” nine instances of which refer to wrong-doers, the disobedient, and the corrupt, but solely one instance, in the blessed Verse in question, refers to God Almighty.

    The blessed Verse also says that He is Worthy of Grandeur and there is no being more exalted and sublime than Him. The Arabic word mutakkabir is applied in two different senses, one is praised applying to God Almighty denoting having grandeur, good deeds and attributes and the other is blameworthy used for beings besides God Almighty.

    The latter sense connotes that insignificant people claim grandeur and ascribe attributes to themselves of which they are free. Since God Almighty is the only Being worthy of Grandeur and Magnificence, the word in its ameliorative sense is applied to Him. The word in its pejorative sense is applied to beings besides God Almighty.

    The blessed Verse closes by laying emphasis on Divine Unity, mentioned in the beginning of the blessed Verse, saying:

    “Glory be to Allah! [High is He] above all that they associate as partners with Him.”