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Arabic Text:

اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ ۚ لَا تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ ۚ لَّهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ ۗ مَن ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِ ۚ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِ إِلَّا بِمَا شَاءَ ۚ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ ۖ وَلَا يَئُودُهُ حِفْظُهُمَا ۚ وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ

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Translation:

“Allah! There is no god but He, the Ever-Living, the Self-Subsisting, All-Sustaining. Neither slumber nor sleep overtakes Him. To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. Who is there that can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is before them and what is behind them, and they cannot comprehend anything out of His knowledge except what He pleases. His Throne (Kursi) extends over the heavens and the earth, and the preservation of both does not weary Him. He is the Most High, the Most Great.”

(Translated by Syed Abul Ala Maududi)

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Tafseer (Explanation) from Tafheem-ul-Quran:

Syed Maududi, in his Tafheem-ul-Qan, explains that this is the most magnificent verse of the Quran (as described in a Hadith), which declares the absolute sovereignty and unique attributes of Allah.

Key Points of Tafseer:

1. The Essence of Faith (لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ):
   The verse begins with the foundational declaration of Tawhid (Oneness of God), establishing that Allah alone is worthy of worship.
2. The Perfect and Eternal Life (الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ):
   · Al-Hayy: The Ever-Living. His life is perfect, eternal, and self-sustaining. It is the source of all life.
   · Al-Qayyoom: The Self-Subsisting, All-Sustaining. The entire universe depends on Him for its existence and continuity at every moment. He is not dependent on anything.
3. Absolute Vigilance (لَا تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ):
   Unlike any created being, Allah is free from any lapse, drowsiness, or sleep. His knowledge, watchfulness, and control over creation are uninterrupted and perfect.
4. Unquestionable Sovereignty (لَّهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ):
   Everything in existence is His absolute property and is under His dominion. This negates any notion of independent ownership or power for any created entity.
5. Exclusive Right of Intercession (مَن ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُ…):
   No one can intercede with Allah except with His prior permission. This refutes the false beliefs of polytheists and establishes that all power of judgment rests solely with Allah.
6. All-Encompassing Knowledge (يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ…):
   · Allah’s knowledge is infinite, encompassing the past, present, and future of all creation.
   · Created beings can only know what Allah wills for them to know. This highlights human limitation and divine omnipotence.
7. The Majesty of the Kursi (وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ):
   · Kursi (often translated as Throne or Footstool) is a creation of Allah of immense magnitude, symbolizing His authority, knowledge, and dominion.
   · The heavens and the earth are contained within its vastness, yet preserving them is not a burden for Allah.
8. The Supreme Majesty (وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ):
   The verse concludes by affirming Allah’s absolute supremacy in rank and power (Al-Aliyy) and His boundless, magnificent greatness (Al-Azeem).

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Significance & Conclusion (from Tafheem):

This verse is a powerful proclamation of Allah’s unique attributes, designed to:

· Purify the concept of God from all human limitations and pagan corruptions.
· Instill absolute awe, reverence, and reliance on Allah alone in the believer’s heart.
· Provide immense spiritual protection and peace, as mentioned in numerous Ahadith about the virtues of reciting Ayat al-Kursi.

Maududi notes that its placement after the verses urging spending in Allah’s way (like 2:254) serves as a reminder: true success lies in relying on and obeying this All-Powerful, All-Knowing Lord, not in hoarding worldly wealth.