أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يُسَبِّحُ لَهُ مَن فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَالطَّيْرُ صَافَّاتٍ كُلٌّ قَدْ عَلِمَ صَلَاتَهُ وَتَسْبِيحَهُ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِمَا يَفْعَلُونَ

Have you not regarded that Allah is glorified by everyone in the heavens and the earth, and the birds spreading their wings. Each knows his prayer and glorification, and Allah knows best what they do.

EXEGESIS

Tara (regarded) literally means ‘to see’, but here means to know and understand. It is said that this is because the point being made is not something that relates to actually seeing something. In other words, it is so obvious that it is as if it can be seen.^[1]

Yusabbiḥu (glorify) is the present continuous of sabbaḥa which means performing tasbīḥ. Tasbīḥ is the act of negating from God all those things that are not becoming of Him, such as having partners or children, or performing evil actions, and thereby glorifying Him.[2] It is from the root sabaḥa which originally means to move swiftly in air or water. The Quran says about the sun and the moon that each swims in an orbit (yasbaḥūn) (36:40). Sabāḥah is swimming. Thus, the musabbiḥ is one who moves swiftly to glorify God by negating false attributes from Him.[3]

Ṣāffāt (spreading their wings) comes from ṣaffa, meaning to place things in one row.[4] When used to describe birds here it means they spread (ṣaffat) their wings straight out,[5] like in the verse, Have they not regarded the birds above them spreading (ṣāffāt) and closing their wings? (67:19). Ṣāffāt also has the meaning of being arranged in ranks, as in, By the [angels] ranged (ṣāffāt) in ranks (37:1). It hence also calls to mind birds which are flying in an organised flock. The term also calls into mind the rows (ṣaff) that believers form when praying, which adds to the imagery of worship present in the verse.

EXPOSITION

Continuing with the surah’s main theme which examines how the ‘clear command’ of God gives order to all things in creation, we are now taken from pondering metaphors to pondering creation itself by observing how everything in it is submitted to the command of God. Everything in the heavens and earth is following the purpose that it has been given, and in doing so is in harmonious submission and glorification of God. We are told to look to the birds, which fly in ordered flocks, migrating vast distances. They are innately drawn towards their goal, and know the path they must take to reach a destination thousands of kilometres away. This is a beautiful example of how God inspires creation towards purpose. By pondering that, we realise that we too have been given a map and tools of navigation by God. The fact that everything is ordered and follows a purpose is an act of glorification as it points to a wise creator.

The previous verse was speaking about the faithless who are lost in aimless darkness because they do not possess faith and thus have no true purpose to their life. To deny that God has created us with a purpose is faithlessness and is to attribute something unseemly to Him. The purposefulness inherent in all of creation is an act of glorification that denies the possibility of such foolish claims.

Have you not regarded: the verse exhorts the reader to look at the creation around them and to witness the signs of God all around. Utilising sight for knowledge also ties into the earlier imagery of light and dark and seeing the world for what it really is. As such, you is addressed to all of mankind. It has been also said that it is specifically addressed to Prophet Muhammad (s), whom God had shown the realities of the metaphysical realm (malakūt), and thus was keenly aware of how everything is in a constant state of praise.[6]

That Allah is glorified by everyone in the heavens and the earth: this innate glorification of God by all beings and all of existence can be understood in one of two ways. The first possibility is that it means that the signs that are evident in creation are a type of glorification since they point to the existence of the Creator, His unity, His intelligence, and negate the possibility of Him having any rivals or equals.[7] In this sense tasbīḥ has the meaning of tanzīh, of negating unbecoming attributes from God.[8] By virtue of their harmonious existence and their connection to the divine, all things are praising Him.

In a similar fashion, Tabatabai argues that since Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth (verse 35), every being is by virtue of its existence a sign that emanates from a source that – which unlike itself – is free from any darkness and flaws. When something becomes visible it does so by virtue of the light that is reflected off it. This not only reveals the thing, but tells us that there is a source of light which enabled it to be seen.[9] If we accept this understanding, it becomes obvious why the verse has chosen to use the expression tara (seeing) in Have you not regarded.

The second possibility is that they possess an intellect and capability which allows them to actually glorify God.[10] This is not mutually exclusive to the first. While the content and context of this verse indicates that it is speaking of the orderliness of creation being a sign of a creator and how we should ponder that, there are many other verses in the Quran which definitely tell us that there is some sort of action of praise being uttered by all beings; The seven heavens glorify Him, and the earth [too], and whoever is in them. There is not a thing but celebrates His praise, but you do not understand their glorification (17:44). The statement you do not understand their glorification makes it obvious that this is not speaking of signs that points to God’s oneness in creation, but rather it is some sort of innate capability to understand and ‘speak’.

This glorification of God has always been and will always be part of all existent beings. This is why sometimes the past tense verb is used – Whatever there is in the heavens has glorified (sabbaḥa) Allah and [whatever there is on] the earth (57:1) – and sometimes the present tense verb – Whatever there is in the heavens glorifies (yusabbiḥu) Allah and whatever there is in the earth (64:1). All of creation testifies to His glory. Even in the time preceding creation God Himself testifies to this, Allah bears witness that there is no god except Him (3:18).[11]

The question also remains as to how the faithless engage in this glorification, since they are included in Each? As discussed in verse 35, it seems then that God’s light has two aspects: a general one which is the all-encompassing light of God, which stretches out through all of creation, and a specific one which is found with the believers. It is like His mercy which is two parts, one which encompasses everything, My mercy embraces all things (7:156), and another which is specific to the believers, As for those who have faith and do righteous deeds, their Lord will admit them into His mercy (45:30).[12]

In addition to glorification (tasbīḥ) and prayer (ṣalāh), other verses of the Quran also attribute praise (ḥamd) and prostration (sujūd) to all things.[13]

And the birds spreading their wings. Each knows his prayer and glorification: prayer (ṣalāh) has been understood here as supplication (duʿāʾ), and glorification (tasbīḥ) is understood as worship and prayer. on the other hand, supplication is the act of beseeching God for one’s needs. The act of beseeching is evidence of the supplicant’s needs and the needlessness of the one being supplicated to. Hence it is an extension of glorification.[14]

It is said that this verse means each one is aware of the prayer and glorification that they perform;[15] or that each knows how to perform the glorification and prayer required of them and the meaning it entails.[16] However, it is more appropriate to say that God is the subject of knows in the verse, and that the meaning is: God knows the prayer and glorification of each one.[17] This may be in congruence with the subject of the verse and its following verse and the theme of the surah. God has ordered creation and given everything a purpose. Everything in His kingdom knows and glorifies Him, and He knows and is aware of their glorification. This is why it then follows by saying and Allah knows best what they do, meaning God is aware of the prayers and glorification that they perform.[18] In other words, God is aware how their existence is glorification, but how the actions of some of them betray and bely that.[19]

INSIGHTS FROM HADITH

1. From Abū Ḥamzah al-Thumālī, that he was with Imam al-Sajjād (a) when some sparrows flew around him and chirped. The Imam then said to him: ‘Do you know what these sparrows are saying?’ Abū Ḥamzah replied that he did not. The Imam then said: ‘They praise the sanctity of their Lord and ask for their daily provision.’[20]

REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE

Rāzī discusses the possibility of animals engaging in prayer and praise at length. He points out how even some simple animals such as insects and rodents are capable of amazing feats that point towards their gifted capabilities. For example, a spider builds intricate webs and utilises cunning tactics to hunt its prey, a bee will construct nests displaying complex geometrical design which might baffle even accomplished mathematicians, a mouse will use surprising cleverness to steal its food from a house, birds will navigate vast distances across the planet, crocodiles will open their mouths to allow small birds to clean their teeth, and so on. Rāzī says that the same Creator that has inspired these to act in these ways could easily inspire them to pray and engage in praise of their Lord.[21]

INSIGHTS FROM OTHER TRADITIONS

1. Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights above. Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his heavenly hosts. Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars. Praise him, you highest heavens and you waters above the skies … Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all ocean depths, lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy winds that do his bidding, you mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars, wild animals and all cattle, small creatures and flying birds.[22]
2. The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.[23]
3. Let heaven and earth praise him, the seas and all that move in them.[24]

[1] Tabrisi, 7/232; Nemuneh, 14/496. See also Razi, 24/401.
[2] Tibyan, 7/445.
[3] Tantawi, 10/135.
[4] Tahqiq, 6/307, ṣ-f-f.
[5] Tibyan, 7/445.
[6] Safi, 3/439; Mizan, 15/134.
[7] Tibyan, 7/445; Razi, 24/401.
[8] Razi, 24/401.
[9] Mizan, 15/133-134.
[10] Nemuneh, 14/497-498.
[11] Sharawi, p. 10290.
[12] Mizan, 15/135.
[13] See 17:44 and 13:15.
[14] Mizan, 15/135.
[15] Nemuneh, 14/499-500. Related in Tibyan, 7/446; Tabari, 18/117.
[16] Tantawi, 10/136. Related in Tabari, 18/117.
[17] Tibyan, 7/445-446; Tabrisi, 7/233; Tabari, 18/117. Ṭūsī considers and Allah knows best what they do as supporting evidence for this understanding since it indicates that God is aware of their prayers and glorification. Tabatabai on the other hand considers that statement evidence to the contrary, saying it shows that it is not referring to God (Mizan, 15/135).
[18] Tibyan, 7/446; Tabari, 18/117.
[19] Mizan, 15/136.
[20] Manaqib, 3/276. The same hadith has also been reported from Imam al-Bāqir (a). See Baghdadi, 11/99; Razi, 24/402; Suyuti, 4/185.
[21] Razi, 24/402-403.
[22] Psalms 148:1-10.
[23] Psalms 19:1-4.
[24] Psalms 69:34.