Al-Ala

Al-Aʻlā (Arabic: الأعلى, lit. 'The Most High, Glory To Your Lord In The Highest') is the eighty-seventh chapter (surah) of the Qur'an, with 19 ayat or verses.

Sura 87 of the Quran
الأعلى
Al-Aʻlā
The Most High
ClassificationMeccan
Other namesGlory to Your Lord in the Highest, The All-Highest
PositionJuzʼ 30
No. of verses19
No. of words72
No. of letters296
Quran
History
Manuscripts
Divisions
Content
Reading
Translations
Exegesis
Characteristics
Related
Page from an Ottoman Qur'an with Al-Ala and the start of the next surah.

Al-A'la describes the Islamic view of existence, the Oneness of Allah, and Divine revelation, additionally mentioning rewards and punishments. Mankind often hides things from each other and from themselves as well. The sura reminds its readers that Allah knows the things that are declared and things that lie hidden. The final verse of this Sura affirms that a similar message was also revealed to Abraham and Moses in the scriptures.[1] This sura is part of the series of Al-Musabbihat as it begins with the glorification of Allah. This is a Makkan surah. The first 7 Āyāt (verses) were revealed during the first years of Makkan life.

One of the companions of Ali said that he prayed twenty consecutive nights behind him and he did not recite any Surah, except Surah A’la. Surat Al-A'lā is among the most recited suras in the Jummah and Witr prayers.

Summary
  • 1-5 God, the Most High, praised for his works
  • 6-9 God promises to help Muhammad to proclaim the Quran
  • 10-11 The God-fearing only shall be admonished
  • 12-15 The wicked shall be punished, but the righteous shall be blessed
  • 16-17 Men choose the present life rather than the life to come
  • 18-19 The books of Abraham and Moses attest the Quran [2]

Hadith

The first and foremost exegesis/tafsir of the Qur'an is found in hadith of Muhammad.[3] Although scholars including ibn Taymiyyah claim that Muhammad has commented on the whole of the Qur'an, others including Ghazali cite the limited amount of narratives, thus indicating that he has commented only on a portion of the Qur'an.[4] Ḥadīth (حديث) is literally "speech" or "report", that is a recorded saying or tradition of Muhammad validated by isnad; with Sirah Rasul Allah these comprise the sunnah and reveal shariah. According to Aishah,[5][6] the life of Prophet Muhammad was practical implementation of Qur'an.[7][8][9] Therefore, higher count of hadith elevates the importance of the pertinent surah from a certain perspective. This surah was held in special esteem in hadith, which can be observed by these related narratives. According to hadith, the prophet Muhammad used to recite this surah in Salah of Zuhr prayer, witr and in congregational prayers of Jumu'ah and in Eid prayers.[10] And the prophet Muhammad used to recite this surah before surah Al-Ghashiyah (Sura 88).[11][12] Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal relates on the authority of Ali bin Abu Talib that Muhammad loved this surah.

  • Ibn ‘Abbas reported; when the prophet recited: “Glorify the name of thy Lord, the Most High.”(Al-Ala) He would say: ”Glory be to Allah, the most High”.[20]
  • It was narrated from al-Nu'man b. Bashir that: The Messenger of Allah used to recite on the two Eid prayers and on Jumu'ah: "Glorify the Name of Your Lord, the Most High" (Al-Ala) and "Has there come to you the narration of The Overwhelming?"(Al-Ghashiyah) Sometimes the two ('Eid and Jumu'ah) occurred on the same day, and he would recite them (these two Surahs).[29][30][31]
  • It was narrated that Imran ibn Husain said: "The Prophet prayed Zuhr and a man behind him recited: Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High. When he had finished praying, he said: 'Who recited: Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High?" (Al-Ala) A man said: 'I did.' He said: 'I realized that some of you were disputing with me over it'".[32][33]
  • Abu Bakr bin An-Nadr said: "We were in At-Taff with Anas, and he led them in praying Zuhr. When he had finished, he said: 'I prayed Zuhr with the Messenger of Allah and he recited two surahs for us in the two rak'ahs: "Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High' (Al-Ala) and 'Has there come to you the narration of the over-whelming?'" (Al-Ghashiyah). [34]
  • It was narrated that Jabir said: "Muadh stood up and prayed Isha', and made it lengthy. The Prophet said: 'Do you want to cause hardship to the people, O Mu'adh; do you want to cause hardship to the people O Mu'adh? Why didn't you recite Glorify the Name of your Lord Most High (Al-Ala) or Ad-Dhuha or; When the heaven is cleft asunder?"[35][36]
  • Narrated Uqbah ibn Amir: “When the following was revealed: ‘So glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most Great’,[69:52] the Messenger of Allah said to us: ‘Say this in your Ruku’.’ And when the following was revealed: ‘Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High.’[87:1] the Messenger of Allah said to us: ‘Say this in your prostrations.’”[37]

References
  1. Sells, Michael, Approaching The Qur'an, p. 72-73, ISBN 1-883991-69-2
  2. Wherry, Elwood Morris (1896). A Complete Index to Sale's Text, Preliminary Discourse, and Notes. London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner, and Co. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  3. Şatibi, El-muvafakat
  4. Muhsin Demirci, Tefsir Usulü, 120
  5. Grade : Sahih (Al-Albani) صحيح (الألباني) حكم  : Reference  : Sunan Abi Dawud 1342 In-book reference  : Book 5, Hadith 93 English translation  : Book 5, Hadith 1337
  6. Al-Adab Al-Mufrad » Dealings with people and good character - كتاب English reference  : Book 14, Hadith 308 Arabic reference  : Book 1, Hadith 308
  7. Sahih Al- Jami' AI-Saghir, No.4811
  8. Sunan Ibn Majah (d.887) 2333 In-book reference  : Book 13, Hadith 26 English translation  : Vol. 3, Book 13, Hadith 2333
  9. Grade : Sahih (Darussalam) Reference  : Sunan an-Nasa'i 1601 In-book reference  : Book 20, Hadith 4 English translation  : Vol. 2, Book 20, Hadith 1602
  10. Sunan an-Nasa'i 1568 In-book reference  : Book 19, Hadith 13 English translation  : Vol. 2, Book 19, Hadith 1569
  11. Muwatta Imam Malik, USC-MSA web (English) reference: Book 5, Hadith 21; Arabic reference: Book 5, Hadith 244.
  12. Sunan ibn Majah, Grade: Sahih (Darussalam); English reference: Vol. 1, Book 5, Hadith 1120; Arabic reference: Book 5, Hadith 1174
  13. Sunan an-Nasa'i (d.915) 1743 In-book reference  : Book 20, Hadith 146 English translation  : Vol. 2, Book 20, Hadith 1744
  14. Jami` at-Tirmidhi 462 In-book reference  : Book 3, Hadith 10 English translation  : Vol. 1, Book 3, Hadith 462
  15. Sunan an-Nasa'i 1703 In-book reference  : Book 20, Hadith 106 English translation  : Vol. 2, Book 20, Hadith 1704
  16. Sunan an-Nasa'i 1733 In-book reference  : Book 20, Hadith 136 English translation  : Vol. 2, Book 20, Hadith 1734
  17. Sunan an-Nasa'i 1741 In-book reference  : Book 20, Hadith 144 English translation  : Vol. 2, Book 20, Hadith 1742
  18. Sunan an-Nasa'i 1750 In-book reference  : Book 20, Hadith 153 English translation  : Vol. 2, Book 20, Hadith 1751
  19. Sunan Abu Dawud 829 In-book reference  : Book 2, Hadith 439 English translation  : Book 2, Hadith 828
  20. Abu Dawud said; In this tradition the other narrators have differed from the narrator Wakl. This has been narrated by Wakl, and Shu’bah from Abu Ishaq, from Sa’ld b. Jubair, from Ibn ‘Abbas as his own statement (and not from the Prophet). Sunan Abi Dawud 883 In-book reference  : Book 2, Hadith 493 English translation  : Book 2, Hadith 882
  21. Grade : Sahih (Al-Albani) Reference  : Sunan Abu Dawood 1125 In-book reference  : Book 2 Prayer (Kitab Al-Salat) (393)Chapter: What Should Be Recited During The Friday Prayer Hadith 736 English translation  : Book 3, Hadith 1120
  22. Sunan ibn Maja English reference  : Vol. 1, Book 5, Hadith 1120 Arabic reference  : Book 5, Hadith 1174
  23. Sunan an-Nasa'i Vol. 2, Book 14:The Book of Jumu'ah, Hadith 1423 (Friday Prayer)
  24. Sunan al-Tirmidhi 519 In-book reference  : Book 4, Hadith 32 English translation  : Vol. 1, Book 4, Hadith 519
  25. Sunan ibn Maja reference  : Vol. 1, Book 5 Establishing the Prayer and the Sunnah Regarding Them English, Hadith 1283 Arabic reference  : Book 5, Hadith 1342
  26. Sunan Abu Dawood 1122 In-book reference  : Book 2, Hadith 733 English translation  : Book 2, Hadith 1117
  27. Sunan an-Nasa'i 1590 In-book reference  : Book 19, Hadith 35 English translation  : Vol. 2, Book 19, Hadith 1591
  28. Sunan ibn Maja English reference  : Vol. 1, Book 5, Hadith 1281 Arabic reference  : Book 5, Hadith 1340
  29. Sunan an-Nasa'i 1568 In-book reference  : Book 19, Hadith 13 English translation  : Vol. 2, Book 19, Hadith 1569
  30. Sunan al-Tirmidhi 533 In-book reference  : Book 5, Hadith 4 English translation  : Vol. 1, Book 5, Hadith 533
  31. Reference  : Sahih Muslim 878 a In-book reference  : Book 7, Hadith 78 USC-MSA web (English) reference  : Book 4, Hadith 1907 (deprecated numbering scheme)
  32. Sunan an-Nasa'i 917 In-book reference  : Book 11, Hadith 42 English translation  : Vol. 2, Book 11, Hadith 918
  33. Sunan an-Nasa'i 1744 In-book reference  : Book 20, Hadith 147 English translation  : Vol. 2, Book 20, Hadith 1745
  34. Sunan an-Nasa'i 972 In-book reference  : Book 11, Hadith 97 English translation  : Vol. 2, Book 11, Hadith 973
  35. Sunan Al-Nasa'i 997 In-book reference  : Book 11, Hadith 122 English translation  : Vol. 2, Book 11, Hadith 998
  36. Sunan Ibn Majah English reference  : Vol. 1, Book 5, Hadith 836 Arabic reference  : Book 5, Hadith 885
  37. Sunan Ibn Majah English reference  : Vol. 1, Book 5, Hadith 887, Arabic reference  : Book 5, Hadith 937
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