Al-Jumu'a (Friday)
Verse 1
Table of Contents
Section (juz’) 28
Number of Verses: 11
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
The Chapter, revealed in Medina, has eleven Verses. One of the fundamental goals of the Chapter is to encourage the Muslims to congregate for the weekly establishment of the Friday prayer.
The Chapter opens with the glorification of Allah and the Prophetic Call and proceeds to suggests that the Muslims are not supposed to be like the Jews to whom the Torah was granted but they failed to act upon it.
The Muslims are suggested to leave everything aside upon hearing the call to the prayers and hasten toward the remembrance of Allah, otherwise they deserve to be censured. It is enjoined that the blessed Chapter be recited in the first prayer unit on Friday night.
The Merit of Reciting the Chapter
Numerous traditions have been narrated concerning the recitation of the Chapter independently or as a part of daily prayers.
It is narrated from the Noble Prophet (S) that whoever recites the Chapter, God Almighty will bestow ten good qualities upon him throughout the Muslim lands as many as the number of those who establish or fail to establish the Friday congregational prayer.1
It is also narrated from Imam Sadiq (as) that it is incumbent upon each and every believer following the Imams to recite Surah al-Jum‘a and
“Glorify the Name of your Most Exalted Lord” (sabbih ism rabbika al-a‘la)
on Friday night and Surah al-Jum‘a and Surah al-Munafiqin at Friday noon. Thus, he has followed Allah's Messenger (S) in his actions and God Almighty will reward him with Paradise provided that he also acts upon Qur’anic Injunctions.2 Such Rewards are in store for him.
Surah al-Jum’a - Verse 1
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ يُسَبِّحُ لِلَّهِ ما فِي السَّماواتِ وَ ما فِي الْأَرْضِ الْمَلِكِ الْقُدُّوسِ الْعَزِيزِ الْحَكِيمِ (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, the Sovereign, the Holy, the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.
The preceding Chapter opened with
“glorify” (sabbih)
and the blessed Chapter in question opens with
“glorifies” (yusabbih)
to reflect that glorification was, is, and will be for God Almighty. Glorification of God Almighty is the basis of all true Islamic beliefs and doctrines. The blessed Chapter, opening with the glorification of God Almighty, makes a reference to some of the Divine Attributes of His Beauty and Glory as well as His Most Beauteous Names.
Such reference is the prelude of the prospective discussions. The blessed Verse is saying that whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth glorify God Almighty at all times and thereby physically and spiritually glorify Him of all defects and shortcomings.
He is the Lord Who is the Owner, the Sovereign, and free from all defects. He is the Sovereign, the Holy.
Thus, emphasis is laid on His Ownership, Sovereignty, and being from any wrong-doing or defect, since the Arabic word
malik (“sovereign”)
connotes the innumerable wrong-doings of the sovereigns which are unholy, but such adverse connotations are all purified by the employment of the word
quddus (“holy”).
On the one hand, emphasis is laid on might and knowledge as the pillars of the state. As it will be mentioned below, such attributes are closely connected with the prospective discussions hereunder reflecting that the selection of the Divine Attributes in different Qur’anic Verses follow a certain order and a particular interrelation.
It is worthy of note that elaborate discussions are to be found above under 17:44 and 24:41.
It is narrated from the Noble Prophet of the Islamic faith (S) that whenever a servant utters
“Glorified is Allah” (subhan Allah)
whatever is beneath the Divine Throne will accompany him in his glorification and tenfold Rewards will be granted to the servant uttering such glorification; whenever he utters
“Praise be to Allah” (al-hamdu li-’llah),
God Almighty will grant him all the Bounties in this world until he meets with God Almighty when the Bounties in the Hereafter will be granted to him.3
Glorification of God Almighty is a kind of showing gratitude unto Him.
The Holy Qur’an is saying that whenever triumph falls into your share, glorify God Almighty
(“Whenever the Help of Allah and the conquest comes unto you. And you see that the people convert to Allah's religion in multitudes. So glorify the praises of your Lord and invoke Him for Forgiveness. Indeed, He is the One Who accepts the repentance and the One Who forgives.”4 ).
Glorification of Allah is the atonement for the words uttered or heard at gatherings.
It is narrated from Allah's Messenger (S) that upon his return from gatherings, he uttered the formula
“Glorified are You, their Lord, and in Your praise” (subhanaka Allahumma wa bi-hamdika)
saying that it was the atonement for the gathering (innahu kaffara al-majlis).
Glorification of Allah is a means of salvation.
Concerning the Prophet Jonah (Yunus; AS), the Holy Qur’an says:
“Had he not been from amongst them who glorify Allah. He would have verily remained inside its belly [the fish] until the Day of Resurrection”5 .
It is narrated that when man utters
“Glorified is Allah,”
all the angels salute him (sallu ‘alayhi kullu malakin).4
According to another tradition, while prostrating himself in his prayers and at other times, Imam Sadiq (as) repeated the formula
“Glorified is Allah”
and at times he repeated it five hundred times.5
According to the religious worldview, man is not the only being that praises and worships God Almighty, but all creatures worship Him at all times. Asked by a certain man to work a miracle, the Noble Prophet (S) took a handful of sand from the ground and the sound of the praises by the sand was heard upon the Noble Prophet's (S) request and Allah's Permission.6
The Noble Prophet (S) once said:
“There are many a mount better than their riders, since they praise God Almighty more than their riders.”
Allah's Messenger (S) forbade beating animals since they glorify God Almighty.7
Several points deserve attention in terms of the glorification by the creatures in the world of existence:
1. The Holy Qur’an regards the glorification by the Creatures to be out of knowledge and understanding;
(“Each one knows verily their prayer and glorification,”10 ).
2. Everyone may not understand the glorification by other creatures;
(“Though you understand not their glorification,”11 ).
3. The glorifications by creatures are different.
Imam Sajjad (as) narrates from the Commander of the Faithful, Imam ‘Ali (as), that he said:
“Birds glorify God Almighty each morning invoking Him to provide them with their daily sustenance.”12
It is worthy of note that according to the religious worldview, the world of creation glorifies God Almighty
(“Whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is on the earth glorify Allah”).
It is noteworthy, however, that in terms of existential glorification, there exists no difference amongst the creatures of the heavens and the earth, including inanimate beings, plants, animals, birds, and man. The other point is that glorification is supposed to be based on certain criteria and reasons.
Glorification solely belongs to the One who possesses Sovereignty, Holiness, Might, and Wisdom;
(“Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth glorifies Allah, the Sovereign, the Holy, the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.”).