Al-Israa (The Night Journey)

44. “The seven heavens and the earth, and every being therein, celebrate His glory, and there is not a single thing but glorifies Him with His Praise, but you do not understand their glorification; verily He is Forbearing, Forgiving.”

This noble verse proclaims that all the cosmic order has its own way of glorification, prostration, and individual prayer for the Lord (s.w.t.). Some commentators claim that this type of glorification is of a genetic kind.

That is, the structural part of the existence of every particle in the world, is a sign and a symbol of the Lord’s Will, Wisdom, Knowledge, and of His Justice.

Others are of the opinion that the world of existence has its own kind of consciousness and knowledge, and all are glorifying at all times though our ears are incapable of hearing their voice. This latter view is more consonant with the apparent form of the verses. Vocalization of the things is not impossibility, for such a process will actualize in the Hereafter.

“…they shall say: ‘Allah’, Who makes everything speak, has made us speak…”1

Even stones have got and possess sensibilities and feel frightened, and, for fear of the Lord, they fall down from the mountains.

“…and others tumble down through fear of Allah…”2

Solomon (as) could understand the medium of expression used by ants and was in full command of the expression symbols used by birds. A kind of bird called ‘Hud Hud’ used to inspect and recognize the deviation shown by some people and came to report it to Solomon.

The Lord, in many cases of the revelations, used to address the mountains.

For example, He tells them to pray along with Dawūd, saying:

“…O’ mountains! Sing praises with him…”3

There are frequent allusions made to the glorification by all beings, besides the above cases, in the Qur’an.

We also have it in quotations that bees glorify Allah.¹

A small pebble which was in the hands of the Prophet (S), testified as to the legitimacy of the Prophet’s mission (S).²

The shrill voices of the birds are their way of glorification of Allah³ .

All the above Islamic quotations refer to the real cases of glorification and they do not include their non-verbal language.

A Persian poetry says:

“Every one is using one way for You glorification and thankfulness to You. A nightingale goes on twittering sonnets while ‘qomri’ sings common songs.” “The entire particles of the world are addressing You during day and night and in private.” “They say: We are all-eyes all-ears, and all well-aware though we remain voiceless when we are with you.”

Later, to prove the magnitude of the position of the Lord and that it is aside from the imagination of the pagans, the Qur’an refers to the glorification of the beings of the world in the presence of His Sacred Essence, when it says:

“The seven heavens and the earth, and every being therein, celebrate His glory, and there is not a single thing but glorifies Him with His Praise…”

The profoundly deep universe of such magnitude with its amazing system and with all those secrets along with its breath-taking art all glorify and thank Him.

Nevertheless, He is forbearing and forgiving, at the same time, and you will not be immediately interrogated and questioned for your paganism and disbelief. Contrarily, He will provide you with an adequate respite while He will be leaving the gates of repentance open to you so as to complete the argument to you.

The verse says:

“…but you do not understand their glorification; verily He is Forbearing, Forgiving.”