Published on May 13 2010 

Hudhur gave a discourse on verses 2 – 4 of Surah Al A’la in his Friday Sermon today. The translation of the verses reads: ‘Glorify the name of thy Lord, the Most High, Who creates and perfects, And Who designs and guides’ (87:2-4).

Hudhur explained that it is traditional that we recite this Surah in the first rakah (one unit of Salat) of Friday Prayers as well as the Eid Prayers, in line with the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him). Surah Al Ghashiyah is recited in the second rakah. It is also traditional that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) read Surah Al A’la in the first rakah of Witr Prayer, Surah Al Kafiroon in the second and either Surah Al Ikhlas or all the last three Surahs of the Holy Qur’an in the third rakah.

In his detailed Urdu commentary comprising of most Surahs of the Holy Qur’an entitled ‘Tafseer e Kabeer’, which Hudhur called a treasure of knowledge that must be availed of, Hadhrat Musleh Maud (may Allah be pleased with him) explains that ‘Glorify the name of thy Lord, the Most High’ signifies to praise and extol our Lord Who, in His quality of Rububiyyat (to sustain and nurture) is Most High and Whose grandeur is over and above everyone else’s. It is the responsibility of a believer, who accepts that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) was the last law-bearing Prophet and whom God made a perfect example, to extol God’s name in the world. Each person who is associated with the Prophet in the true sense should follow his blessed model, as God states in the Qur’an: ‘Verily you have in the Prophet of Allah an excellent model…’ (33:22). In terms of glorification of God, the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) had the most supreme model, yet in his humility he would pray to God, ‘…make me remember You and make me grateful to You…’. During the raku and sajdah postures of Salat his Tasbih (glorification of God) would be exceptional. In raku, having recited Subhana Rabbiyal ‘Azeem (Holy is my Lord, the Most Great), he then stood upright and recited Sami Allahu liman hamidah (Allah listens to him who praises Him) followed by Hamdan Kathiran Tayyiban Mubarakan Fih (praise which is bountiful, pure and blessed). Hadhrat ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said that the beauty and the length of the raku and sajdah of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) was indescribable. A Hadith relates that once the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) came to the mosque and facing the Qibla, he went into sajdah posture. The duration of his sajdah was so long that it caused great concern. To the extent that it was thought that he had passed away. When a companion went near the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) he rose from sajdah. When he was asked why his sajdah was so long, he replied, ‘Jibraeel had come to me with the glad-tiding that whoever invoked Durud (salutations and blessings) on me will have mercy shown to him and whoever will invoke peace on me will have peace given to him and I was prostrating in thankfulness of this.’

Hudhur explained that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) used to extensively glorify God and was grateful to Him at every small bounty and blessing that was given to him. His diet was most frugal, at times he would have nothing to eat and other times he would simply eat dry bread. Yet he would express extreme gratefulness to God and glorify Him. Hudhur explained that Traditions relate that before Surah Al A’la was revealed, the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) had taught another prayer for the sajdah posture of Salat. However, after the revelation he taught to read, Subhana Rabbiyal a’ala (Glory to my Lord, the Most High) as well as taught to read Subhana Rabbiyal ‘Azeem during raku. Hadhrat Javeria relates that once when the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) left at the time of morning Prayer she was sitting on the Prayer mat. When he returned home, she was still on the mat doing Tasbih. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) enquired what was she doing since morning and she replied that she had been doing Tasbih. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) said since he left he had only repeated four phrases three times but if they were to be compared with Hadhrat Javeria’s entire Tasbih, they would be weightier. These phrases were: ‘Holy is Allah according to the number of His creation, Holy is Allah according to the pleasure of His Self, Holy is Allah according to the weight of His Throne and Holy is Allah according to the ink [used in recording] His words.’ Hudhur said while this demonstrates the spiritual levels of his blessed wives that they had attained with the help of his holiness, it also illustrates the supreme level of concentration and focus of his own Tasbih that entailed him repeating these phrases three times over a long period of time. Clearly he had the most elevated insight into the Greatness of God and did his Tasbih in view of that. After the victory of Makkah, as he entered the city on camel-back, his head was bowed down and even in triumph the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) said the following prayer in utter humility: Holy are You O’ Allah, all glorification and praise is Yours. O Allah, forgive me.’

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