Tafseer of Those drawn up in Ranks · As-Saaffaat · 37:180
Exalted is your Lord, the Lord of might, above what they describe.
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
His statement سُبْحَانَ رَبِّكَ رَبِّ الْعِزَّةِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ ("Exalted is your Lord, the Lord of might, above what they ascribe") — the Exalted, whose mention is exalted, says: an exaltation of your Lord, O Muḥammad, and an absolution of Him. رَبِّ الْعِزَّةِ ("the Lord of might") means: the Lord of strength and overwhelming might. عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ ("above what they ascribe") means: above that which these slanderers claim about Him — the polytheists of Quraysh — with their statement that Allah has begotten, and their statement that the angels are daughters of Allah, and other matters of their shirk and their slander against their Lord.
As Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda سُبْحَانَ رَبِّكَ رَبِّ الْعِزَّةِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ : that is to say, above that with which they lie — He declares Himself exalted when slander is spoken about Him.
