وَهُوَ الَّذي فِي السَّماءِ إِلٰهٌ وَفِي الأَرضِ إِلٰهٌ ۚ وَهُوَ الحَكيمُ العَليمُ
It is He who is God in the sky, and God on the earth; and He is the all-wise, the all-knowing.
EXEGESIS
Ilāh (god) either stems from the root verb aliha, denoting ‘to worship’, or alaha, denoting ‘to be bewildered’. Consequently, if the term is derived from alaha, then God is called ilāh because minds are bewildered when attempting to comprehend His essence. If it is derived from aliha, then He is called ilāh because He is the object of worship.
However, it is possible that both meanings are intended as can be inferred from the words of Imam Ali (a): ‘Allāh means the one who is worshipped, about whom the creation is bewildered (yaʾlahu fīhi), and toward whom they are drawn (yuʾlahu ilayhi).’
The repetition of the word God (ilāh) in God in the sky, and God on the earth instead of ‘God in the sky and on the earth’ is for the sake of emphasis as well as to indicate that His divinity applies to both, i.e. it is necessary for the inhabitants of the sky to worship Him just as it is necessary for the inhabitants of the earth to worship Him.
Some exegetes suggest that the repetition is an indication that the worship of the inhabitants of the skies differs from that of the inhabitants of the earth, in terms of quality and quantity.
Rāghib notes in his work that, in principle, this word should not have a plural form since there is no true object of worship other than God. However, historically, the Arabs – based on their polytheistic beliefs that there were multiple objects of worship – did pluralise it, using the form ālihah (gods).
The sentence It is He who is God in the sky, and God on the earth conveys exclusivity, meaning: He – and none other – is the God in the heaven and the God on the earth.
All the same, He is the all-wise, the all-knowing indicates exclusivity, since both the subject and predicate are definite, as well as indicating that He alone has lordship since these two attributes are logical corollaries of lordship.
EXPOSITION
This verse is conjoined to verse 81, Say: ‘If the All-Beneficent had a son … and the two intervening clauses are parenthetical. The purpose of this conjunction is to affirm the absolute negation of any partner in divinity after having already negated partnership through sonship.
The mention of sky and earth is intended to encompass all realms of governance and creation. This is because the polytheists claimed partners for God on earth – namely, their erected idols – and they claimed partners for Him in heaven – namely, the angels, whom they alleged to be God’s daughters.
This verse and the next continue the discussion on the issue of divine oneness. On one hand, they constitute a conclusion to the preceding verses, and on the other, they serve as evidence to complete and affirm them. Within these verses are seven of the attributes of Allah, all of which play a role in consolidating and strengthening the foundations of monotheism.
This verse stands in opposition to the polytheists who believed in a separation between the god of the heavens and the god of the earth. Indeed, they invented a god for the sea, a god for the desert, another for war, and a fourth for peace and reconciliation – various deities as numerous as the things that exist. Thus, the verse says, It is He who is God in the sky, and God on the earth. This is because His being the only deity in both heaven and earth proves His being the Lord (rabb) and the one worshiped in both – a point already established in the previous verses. The true object of worship is the Lord of the world and its disposer, not various lords, nor angels, nor the Messiah, nor idols. None of these are worthy of being lords or deities, as they do not possess the station of lordship; they are all created in themselves, nurtured by God, sustained by the provisions of Allah, and they all worship Him.
It has also been attributed to Qatādah that the purport of the verse is to declare that it is He who is worshipped in the skies and on the earth. It is similar in purport to 6:3, He is Allah in the heavens and on the earth.
Regarding the second and third attributes, the verse says, And He is the all-wise, the all-knowing. Consequently, all of His actions are established upon the foundation of precision, calculation, and order. He is all-knowing of everything and encompasses it; thus, He knows the deeds of His servants perfectly and will recompense them for those deeds in accordance with His wisdom.
INSIGHTS FROM HADITH
- Abū Shākir al-Dayṣānī was a famous dualist who lived at the time of Imam al-Ṣādiq (a). Hishām ibn al-Ḥakam reports the following encounter: ‘Abū Shākir came to me and said: “There is a verse in the Quran which supports our doctrine [i.e. that light and darkness are two fundamental principles behind good and evil, rather than affirming one sole Creator over all existence].” I asked: “Which verse is it?” He replied: “It is He who is God in the sky, and God on the earth.” I did not know how to respond to him. So, I performed the hajj and informed Imam al-Ṣādiq (a) about this. The Imam said: “This is the speech of a vile heretic. When you return to him, ask him: ‘What is your name in Kufa?’ He will say: ‘So-and-so.’ Then ask him: ‘What is your name in Basra?’ He will say [the same]: ‘So-and-so.’ Then say to him: ‘Likewise is Allah, our Lord; in the heaven He is God, on the earth He is God, in the seas He is God, in the wildernesses He is God, and in every place He is God.’” I returned and went to Abū Shākir and informed him. He replied: “This [answer] has been carried from Hijaz [from the Imam in Medina].”’
- It has been reported that a Christian Bishop said to ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb: ‘Tell me, O ʿUmar, where is Allah, the exalted?’ ʿUmar became angry. Then the Commander of the Faithful said: ‘I shall answer you; ask whatever you wish.’ Then he said: ‘We were with the Messenger of Allah (s) one day when an angel came to him and offered greetings. The Messenger of Allah asked him: “From where were you sent?” He replied: “From the seven heavens, from my Lord.” Then another angel came and offered greetings. The Messenger of Allah asked him: “From where were you sent?” He replied: “From the seven earths, from my Lord.” Then another angel came and offered greetings. The Messenger of Allah asked him: “From where were you sent?” He replied: “From the rising place of the sun [the East], from my Lord.” Then another angel came and the Messenger of Allah asked him: “From where were you sent?” He replied: ‘From the setting place of the sun [the West], from my Lord.” So, Allah is here and He is there; It is He who is God in the sky, and God on the earth, and He is the all-wise, the all-knowing.’ Imam al-Bāqir (a) said: ‘The meaning of this is: [they came] from the sovereignty (malakūt) of my Lord which is in every place, and nothing escapes His knowledge; blessed and exalted is He.’
REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE
Some exegetes suggest that this phrase could be understood as evidence for the claim that He is the only God in the heavens and the earth. A being that has infinite knowledge and wisdom is needless of any partner or offspring.
Ālūsī postulates that perhaps the reason why the word ilāh has been repeated twice in this verse is because the bewilderment of the inhabitants of the skies is different to the bewilderment of the inhabitants of the earth because their modes of knowledge differ. Human knowledge is either sensory or acquired through rational inference; when these avenues are blocked, humans fall into confusion and helplessness. The beings of the heavens, however, are free from sensory perception and acquired knowledge, so their bewilderment is of an entirely different kind, corresponding to their distinct mode of existence. Alternatively, bewilderment in knowing God’s essence and attributes arises from witnessing the manifestations of His greatness and perfect power. Since these divine manifestations are more magnificent in the heavens than on earth, the resulting bewilderment is greater there. On this reading, ilāh may be interpreted metaphorically as ‘that in which minds are bewildered’, serving as a figurative expression for God’s supreme greatness – manifested in the heavens in one mode and on earth in another.
Some exegetes consider the phrase, and He is the all-wise, all-knowing as an indicator that what is meant by ilāh is creator, i.e. He is the Creator of the skies and its inhabitants and He is the Creator of the earth and its inhabitants. However, there is no linguistic basis for interpreting ilāh as creator.
INSIGHTS FROM OTHER TRADITIONS
- And as soon as we heard these things, our hearts melted; neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you, for the LORD your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.
- “Am I a God near at hand,” says the LORD, “And not a God afar off? Can anyone hide himself in secret places, So I shall not see him?” says the LORD; “Do I not fill heaven and earth?” says the LORD.
[1] Qamus, 1/96.
[2] Tawhid, p. 89.
[3] Mizan, 18/126; Tabrisi, 9/88; Tibyan, 9/220; Furqan, 26/373-374.
[4] Alusi, 13/105.
[5] Raghib, pp. 82-83.
[6] Mizan, 18/126; Rahnama, 17/113.
[7] Ibn Ashur, 25/299.
[8] Amthal, 16/105.
[9] Tabari, 20/660.
[10] Kafi, 1/99.
[11] Burhan, 4/887.
[12] Ibn Ashur, 25/300.
[13] Alusi, 13/105-106.
[14] Makhzan, 12/54-55.
[15] Joshua 2:11.
[16] Jeremiah 23:23-24.