Tafseer of Consultation · Ash-Shura · 42:5
The heavens almost break from above them, and the angels exalt [Allah] with praise of their Lord and ask forgiveness for those on earth. Unquestionably, it is Allah who is the Forgiving, the Merciful.
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.
And His word: ( تَكَادُ السَّمَاوَاتُ يَتَفَطَّرْنَ مِنْ فَوْقِهِنَّ ) (The heavens are about to split apart above one another): the Exalted, exalted be His remembrance, says: the heavens are about to split apart above the earths, on account of the magnificence of the All-Merciful and His majesty.
And in accordance with what we have said about that, the exegetes spoke.
* Mention of who said that:
Muḥammad ibn Saʿd related to me, saying: my father related to me, saying: my uncle related to me, saying: my father related to me, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning His word: ( تَكَادُ السَّمَاوَاتُ يَتَفَطَّرْنَ مِنْ فَوْقِهِنَّ ) (The heavens are about to split apart above one another), he said: that is, on account of the weight of the All-Merciful and His magnificence, blessed and exalted be He.
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His word: ( تَكَادُ السَّمَاوَاتُ يَتَفَطَّرْنَ مِنْ فَوْقِهِنَّ ) (The heavens are about to split apart above one another): that is, on account of the magnificence of Allah and His majesty.
Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us, saying: Muḥammad ibn Thawr related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of Qatāda, the like of it.
Muḥammad related to us, saying: Aḥmad related to us, saying: Asbāṭ related to us, on the authority of al-Suddī: ( تَكَادُ السَّمَاوَاتُ يَتَفَطَّرْنَ ) (The heavens are about to split apart), he said: they split apart; and concerning His word مُنْفَطِرٌ بِهِ (split apart thereby) he said: split apart thereby.
It was related to us on the authority of al-Ḥusayn, saying: I heard Abū Muʿādh say: ʿUbayd informed us, saying: I heard al-Ḍaḥḥāk say concerning His word: ( يَتَفَطَّرْنَ مِنْ فَوْقِهِنَّ ) (they split apart above one another), he says: they split asunder on account of the magnificence of Allah.
Muḥammad ibn Manṣūr al-Ṭūsī related to us, saying: Ḥusayn ibn Muḥammad related to us, on the authority of Abū Maʿshar, on the authority of Muḥammad ibn Qays, who said: a man came to Kaʿb and said: O Kaʿb, where is our Lord? The people said to him: may Allah strike you down! Do you ask about this? But Kaʿb said: leave him, for if he is a scholar, he will increase in knowledge, and if he is ignorant, he will learn. You have asked where our Lord is, while He is seated upon the magnificent Throne, reclining, with one of His legs crossed over the other, while the distance of this earth on which you are is five hundred years, and from one earth to the next is a journey of five hundred years, and its thickness is five hundred years, until seven earths are complete, and then from the earth to the heaven is a journey of five hundred years, and its thickness is five hundred years, and Allah reclines upon the Throne, and then the heavens split apart. Then Kaʿb said: recite, if you will: ( مِنْ فَوْقِهِنَّ ) (above one another)... the verse.
And His word: ( وَالْمَلائِكَةُ يُسَبِّحُونَ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّهِمْ ) (and the angels glorify the praise of their Lord): the Exalted, exalted be His remembrance, says: and the angels pray in obedience to their Lord and in gratitude toward Him, out of awe for His majesty and His magnificence.
As Muḥammad ibn Saʿd related to me, saying: my father related to me, saying: my uncle related to me, saying: my father related to us, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās: ( وَالْمَلائِكَةُ يُسَبِّحُونَ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّهِمْ ) (and the angels glorify the praise of their Lord), he said: and the angels glorify Him on account of His magnificence.
And His word: ( وَيَسْتَغْفِرُونَ لِمَنْ فِي الأرْضِ ) (and they ask forgiveness for those who are on the earth), he says: and they ask their Lord for forgiveness for the sins of those who are on the earth, of the people who believe in Him.
As Muḥammad related to us, saying: Aḥmad related to us, saying: Asbāṭ related to us, on the authority of al-Suddī, concerning His word: ( وَيَسْتَغْفِرُونَ لِمَنْ فِي الأرْضِ ) (and they ask forgiveness for those who are on the earth), he said: for the believers.
Allah, mighty and exalted be He, says: indeed, know that it is Allah who forgives the sins of His believing servants, the Merciful toward them, that He does not punish them after they have repented of them.
