يُسَبِّحُ لِلَّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الأرْضِ   

 All that is in the Heavens and Earth glorifies Allah

     This Ayah brings into focus Allah's supremacy and authority and makes us stop to think.  It says that everything in Heaven and on Earth declares Allah's glory, praises Allah's  Lordship, and celebrates Allah's Eminence.

     If you reflect you will see that:

§ everything on earth manifests the signs of Allah's works.

§ everything needs Allah's mercy and support.

everyone ought to be grateful for Allah's favors.

     Allah Almighty tells us that everything, be it in Heaven or on earth, manifests His glory.  If you think of it we owe Allah (swt) our existence, our lives, our joy, our happiness, our well being, and in absolute terms we owe Him our totality.

Ø  Everything is a praise of Allah because we know of His absolute authority, mercy and compassion.

Ø We celebrate Allah's praise because He is the Power, the Creator, in whose hands lies our existence, and above all our eternal life.

Ø   Everything glorifies Allah (swt) because everything is a testimony to His work, be it a singing bird, a moving animal, a scientist working, a doctor healing, or a baby crying.  Life itself is nothing but a true declaration of the glory of Allah Almighty.

 الْمَلِكِ الْقُدُّوسِ الْعَزِيزِ الْحَكِيمِ    

Allah, the Sovereign, the Most Holy, the Exalted, the all-Wise

  Allah (swt) describes Himself as the King, and He is the true King of everyone, in every nation, every world, every­where.  Allah has been the King and will continue to be the King.

Ø   Allah is the only King we should love and hold allegiance to in absolute terms, and He is the only King we should obey and submit to.  Allah is the only King we should fear and do our best to please.

Ø   Allah is the only King whose law (Shari'ah) is to be fully studied, applied, and obeyed, and this law is that of Islam.

هُوَ الَّذِي بَعَثَ فِي الأُمِّيِّينَ رَسُولاً مِّنْهُمْ   

He it is who has raised among the unlettered

a Messenger from amongst them

     Before the Message of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) Arabia was a country of warring tribes, living in a neglected corner of the world.  The Arabs, before Islam, were tribal, uncultured and often wild.  They were unpolished, ignorant, unruly, sometimes vulgar, and the majority of them were illiterate.

     Allah wanted to remind the Arab people of His favors.  He was very kind by selecting a Prophet from among them.  Thus, the Arabs were privileged by this choice.

     Allah (swt) reminds these people that:

1. He was the one who sent a Prophet from among them as an honor and privilege to them, and to all humanity.

2. He knew well what these people could do for Islam in the future.

3. He knew that once these people turned to Islam they would be very effective to spread it and carry its torch.

     One may ask then, would a people of such a background be ready to receive, accept, and support a Prophet of Allah?  And would they stand behind him?  Would this ignorant people be changed into a refined and civil people, people of integrity?

     Though this seemed a near impossibility, the fact is that all the above did occur.  Almost miraculously the Arabs became advanced and sophisticated once they embraced and followed Islam.  Islam changed them for the better and elevated them to new very high standards.

 يَتْلُوعَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتِهِ وَيُزَكِّيهِمْ وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ    

who recites His revelations to them, purifies them, and

teaches them the Book (Quran) and wisdom—

     This is a continuation of the previous Ayah, it explains the role of Prophet Muhammad.  This Prophet (pbuh) will:

§ recite to the people the Revelations he receives from Allah,

§ educate and teach them the Holy Quran,

§ teach them what is best for them.

     Muhammad (pbuh) will continue teaching so the people will improve and become pure.  He is to educate, tutor, and direct them.  He is to advise and guide them in the direction of Islam, and by doing so the Prophet (pbuh) purifies the people, washing away their sins by way of Islam.

وَإِن كَانُوا مِن قَبْلُ لَفِي  ضلال مُّبِينٍ    

though they were aforetime in manifest straying.

     Islam transformed the people to high level of (Islamic) enlightenment.

Ø   Before Islam, people were in the darkness of ignorance and indecencies.  Many were immoral, self-centered, and power hungry.  Social injustice and inequity were the norm.  Society lacked moral direction.

Ø   Islam changed everything, setting very high moral and ethical standards.  Islam changed them into people with noble aims, dignity, and a desire to work for Allah, the Lord and Master.  Thus, through Islam, people became like brothers and sisters, unified rather than warring.  They enjoyed a miraculous change in themselves and the society at large.

وَآخَرِينَ مِنْهُمْ لَمَّا يَلْحَقُوا بِهِمْ  وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ    

And (to) others among them who have not joined them yet.

and He is the ever-Present, the all-Wise

     Who are those others who have not joined yet?

     It is said that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was in company of some people, among whom was Salman the Persian, a dedicated Muslim but not Arab by birth.  The Prophet (pbuh) was asked about what was meant by the above Ayah, he remained silent.  He was asked again but he remained silent too.  When asked the third time Muhammad put his hand on the hand of Salman and said, "Of these people."  By that, Muhammad (pbuh) meant, the word other in the Ayah meant, the non‑Arabic speaking people, the ones who would later convert to Islam.

     This prediction came true, and the non‑Arab people continued to accept Islam through the ages, and they continued to study, apply, and spread it.  This is happening now and it is taking place all over the world.  Therefore, this Ayah is also in regard to people who convert to Islam through the ages.

     Allah finishes off this Ayah by saying that He is the Exalted, the Wise.

ذَلِكَ فَضْلُ اللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَن يَشَاء ِ   

That is the grace of Allah, He gives it to whom He pleases

     Therefore, despite the bad ways in which the Arabs lived before Islam, they were still worthy of Allah's favor.  Allah bestowed His favor on them with:

1. His last Messenger, Muhammad (pbuh), and

2. Islam and its Directives.

     This was a great favor, a generous favor from Allah, so the people should recognize and appreciate it.  Allah bestows His favor on whom He wishes.

وَاللَّهُ ذُو الْفَضْلِ الْعَظِيم   

And Allah is the Lord of Great Favor

Allah Almighty is very generous, and He gives a great deal, His bounty is infinite and vast.  So we may ask of His bounty, and

Ø   it may please Him to give us of this bounty, and

Ø   to favor us to be people who work for Islam, and

Ø   to benefit by applying Islam.

     Allah is He who does favors to man, and He does them often.  Allah's favors are generous so let us ask that we deserve His favors!