A044
Surah: 017 - Ayah: 044
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17:44
Q. In verse (17:44) God says: "And (in the entire universe) there is not a single thing which does not do His tasbih (yusabbihu) with His hamd (praise)". Would you please tell us about the reality of this tasbih.
A. There are great secrets in the same verse (17:44) that the Pen (hamd= Intellect), the Tablet, the seven heavens and the earth and all the things contained in them, do the tasbih of Allah, i.e. they hold that He is free from all attributes. The Pen, the Tablet, the seven heavens and the earth are the ten universals ( kulliyat) and in every universal a representation of the rest is necessary. Viewed from this aspect we need to accept that everything unconsciously does His tasbih in at least ten places. The tasbih is according to its place and the highest tasbih is at the rank of Intellect which is also called the Pen as well as Hamd. Thus in the sense of tajaddud-i amthal or the renewal of similitudes, the Divine Pen (Hamd= Intellect) is writing the things of the universe and existents at this very moment and in this state, all things do His tasbih with His Hamd, namely through the Intellect. That is, they consider Him free from and above everything. Similarly, everything is doing His tasbih in the Universal Soul in accepting the form of the spiritual writing and in every heaven in its state and characteristic and on earth in the way it has been created.
It is a Qur'anic teaching and universal law that: "There is not a single thing but that it does His tasbih (yusabbihu) with His hamd (Praise)" (17:44). The people of faith understand the meaning of this verse, but the tasbih which we can feel is helpful, such as the tasbih of the melodies of birds, or the Sur-i Israfil-like tasbih of the daf and the rubab, or the silent tasbih of beautiful scenery, etc. Because although man has the capacity for true love, he cannot easily actualise it and needs some support to do so.
The Resurrecting Power of the Sur of Israfil:
This in fact, is the Divine power which shakes the entire universe. Almighty Allah creates this power from His creatures. In this power there is the recitation of the hamdiyah tasbih of the things of the entire universe, the salat of everything (17:44; 24:41), the prostration of every creature of the heavens and the earth (13:15; 16:49), Divine melody, dawat-i haqq (invitation to True Religion), the greatest miracle, the renewal of the creation of Adam and the prostration of the angels and also an example of Nuh's deluge.
In the name Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. "The seven heavens and the earth, and all that is in them, celebrate His purity (tusabbihu), there is not a single thing but it celebrates His purity with His Praise (Hamd), but you do not understand their celebration of (His) purity (tasbih). Verily, He is forbearing, forgiving" (17:44).
Example 15: Does the time of God's kingdom have any beginning or end? No, it does not. What proof is there? There are many proofs, but the most clear and easiest to understand is that everything is drawn in a wisdom-filled circle on the page of existence with the Pen of Divine power. There is a world of difference between a circle: O and a line: , The circle by its shape shows beginninglessness and endlessness, whereas a line starts from one end and finishes at the other end, which gives a beginning and an end. Thus everything rotating on its circle is doing Allah's tasbih (17:44) and says that God is free from the attributes of creatures and is the Owner of the eternal kingdom. And this is the answer to the question: "What does everything say?"
Although everything, either with the spoken tongue or mute expression, glorifies and purifies God and no creature is exempt from this “universal law” (17:44), yet, the way and the sense in which He has glorified Himself in the many places of the wise Qur’an is supreme, unprecedented and full of wisdom. See particularly in the Suratu'l-Fatihah, He is praised due to His attribute of sustainership (rububiyyat). Thus, there is an extremely important allusion for the people of wisdom to reflect well on the laws of Divine sustainership that, although He is the Sustainer of each and every world, yet He is the Sustainer of the worlds of humanity in particular. Further, there is no doubt that even for human beings, there are degrees ordained for them, which depend on their obedience to God and His Messengers. Thus, the honour of the supreme heavenly sustenance or upbringing is conferred first of all upon the Prophets, may peace be on them, and then the awliya' (Friends of God) are honoured with the highest rank of heavenly upbringing.
The world that we inhabit (the earth) is the most base, the darkest and the densest of the four elements. When it becomes still lower and more humble it takes the form of slime or mud. Since the lowest state of the earth is linked with the initial (stage of) life, therefore the luminous rays of the mercies of the Benevolent and Matchless God, through the heavenly bodies, started to pour a most gentle rain of nature on it, whereby it (slime) turns into leaven. This leaven possesses qualities of smoothness, fineness, taste, chemical power, mixture of dissolved fertiliser and fineness of [elemental] natures, and transforms into a smooth, fine, tasteful nourishment for plants. By reflecting on the state of this transformed [and dissolved] earth it will surely become evident that there is life, even in its earthly particles, about which God says: “And there is not a thing but purifies His praise, but you do not understand their purifying” (17:44).
In verse (17:44) attention is drawn to the fact that there is nothing in the heavens and the earth that does not praise Hm. No doubt, all the things glorify Him separately in their own way, but the way their particles of soul glorify Him together in the personal world (world of particles) of the Perfect Man is a great spiritual miracle. It is this glorification which is called the miracle of Daudian Melody (21:79; 34:10; 38:18) and which is also undoubtedly included the miracle of the sur (trumpet) of Israfil.
Q490 It is said in verse (17:44): “And there is nothing which does not do His tasbih with His hamd, but you do not understand their tasbih.” This amazing universal principle (kulliyyah) of the wise Qur’an is unforgettable. Would it be possible for you to tell us some of its wisdoms?
A490
- Everything is doing His tasbih at four places, that is, it is purifying Him from the attributes of creatures.
- Firstly, everything is doing this tasbih in its place through the silent language.
- Secondly, everything is taking part in the cosmic tasbih.
- Thirdly, when a perfect person undergoes spiritual resurrection, everything recites tasbih in harmony with the continuous voice of the sur of Israfil.
- Fourthly, when the final destination, that is the destination of hamd (Intellect) comes, everything there is doing the tasbih of God with hamd and becomes merged. This is the final tasbih of everything.
This verse has been referred 7 times.