When to use the phrase subhan Allah.
Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,
As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
(May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)
One of our brothers/sisters has asked
this question:
As
Salaam Aleikum Brother Burhan
ITs my
first time that i am asking a question to you and really i am very please by
your this great work.May Allah give you more knowlege to answer the
questions.
I want
to know the meaning and detail of the " Subbhan Allah" and in what
occasions we should use it.
(There may be some grammatical and spelling
errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from
questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in
confidentiality.)
Answer:
When to use the
phrase subhan Allah
In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His
help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide,
and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear
witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear
witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His
Messengers.
Your
Question: I want to know the meaning and detail of the " Subbhan
Allah"
The literal meaning of the term ‘Subhan-Allah’ is ‘Glory
be to Allah’, a declaration whereby a believer declares that his Lord Creator
is Unconditionally and Absolutely
Perfect in each and every aspect without exception….be it in His Self, with His
creation, His Laws, His Decrees, His Determinations, His Commands, His
Guidance, etc….absolutely everything that originates from the Lord Most
Majestic Most Supreme is by its very inherent nature absolutely perfect, without
any flaw, fault, defect, blemish, or error whatsoever!
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 67 Surah
Mulk verses 3-4:
3 He Who created the seven heavens one above another; no want of
proportion wilt thou see in the Creation of (Allah) Most Gracious; so turn thy
vision again: seest thou any flaw?
4 Again turn thy vision a second time; (thy) vision will come back to
thee, dull and discomfited, in a state worn out!
Your
Question: …..and in what occasions we should use it.
A believer is at liberty to declare the Unconditional and
Absolute Perfection and Glory of his Lord Creator whenever he wills and pleases
or is convenient for him…..and the term ‘Subhan-Allah’ is generally used on
three types of ‘occasions’:
Occasion-1:
‘Dhikr’ or Remembrance of the Lord Most High.
Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 885 Narrated by Abdullah ibn Mas'ud
The Prophet (saws) said: ‘When one of you
bows in prayer, he should say three times: ‘Subhana-Rabbi
al-Adheem’ (Glory be to my Lord Most Mighty), and when he prostrates in
prayer, he should say: ‘Subhana-Rabbi
al-Aala’ (Glory be to my Lord Most High) three times.’
Abu Hurairah
reported that the Prophet (saws) said, "There are two phrases that are
light on the tongue but heavy on the Scale of rewards and are dear to (Allah)
the Gracious One. These are: ‘Subhan
Allah wa bi-hamdihi’ (All Glory is to Allah and all Praise to Him), and
‘Subhan Allah al-Adheem (Glory be to
Allah The Most Mighty).''
Related by Muslim,
Bukhari, and Tirmidhi.
Occasion-2: When
one happens to witness a ‘Glory’ of The Lord Most High
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 43 Surah
Zukhruf verse 82:
82 Glory to the Lord of the heavens and the earth, The Lord of the
Throne (of Authority)! (He is free) from the things they (falsely) attribute
(to Him)!
Whenever a believer happens to witness a ‘Glory’ of His
Lord Most High….be it anything in the Lord’s Creation, or in His Laws, or in
His Decrees, or in His Commands, or in His Guidance, etc….one’s heart is so
filled with the Awe and the Perfection of the Lord’s Glory, that one’s tongue
spontaneously declares the ‘Glory’ of the Lord by saying ‘Subhan-Allah’!
For example one sees a beautiful flower, or an animal, or
the stars, or the sun, or the moon, or the rain, or absolutely anything in the
Lord’s Creation…..or one comes across an Aayah in the Glorious Quran praising
the Lord….or one hears another praising the Lord Most Majestic or His Attributes
or His Perfection…. one’s heart is so filled with the Awe and the Perfection of
the Lord’s Glory, that one’s tongue spontaneously declares the ‘Glory’ of the
Lord by saying ‘Subhan-Allah’!
Occasion-3: When
one happens to witness a falsehood being declared against the Lord Most
Majestic Most Supreme, or some evil one tries to associate a weakness, or a
flaw, or an error, or a blemish, or a defect in anything which originates from
the Supreme ‘Office’ of The Lord Most High Most Supreme!
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 21 Surah
Anbiyaa verse 26:
26 And they say: "(Allah) Most Gracious has begotten a son." Subhan-Allah (Glory to Him)! They
are (mere) servants (of Allah which He has) raised to honor.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 39 Surah Zumur
verse 67:
67 No just estimate have they made of Allah such as is due to Him: on
the Day of Judgment the whole of the earth will be but His Handful and the heavens
will be rolled up in His Right Hand: Subhan-Allah
(Glory to Him)! High is He above the Partners they attribute to Him!
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 10 Surah
Yunus verse 18:
18 They serve besides Allah things that hurt them not nor profit them
and they say: "These are our intercessors with Allah." Say: "Do
ye indeed inform Allah of something He knows not in the heavens or on
earth? Subhan-Allah (Glory to Him)! Far is He above the partners
they ascribe (to Him)!"
If anyone declares a falsehood against The Lord Most High,
or if and when any ignorant person tries to find or associate a weakness, or a
flaw, or a blemish, or a defect, or an error in absolutely anything in the
creation of the Lord Most High, or in His Laws, or in His Guidance, or in His
Commands, or absolutely anything associated with the High and Supreme ‘Office’
of the Lord Who Created…..a believer is to re-affirm his belief and his faith
in the Unconditional and Absolute Perfection of His Lord Most Majestic and
declare ‘Subhan-Allah’, confirming his belief that his Lord Who Created is
Absolutely free and far above any weakness or flaw which the ignorant associate
with or to Him.
Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only
due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me
alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is
the Only Source of Strength.
Your brother and
well wisher in Islam,
Burhan