Sharh Al-Aqeedat-il-Wasitiyah (Islamic book) -A muslims foundation of beliefs

12. The Greatest Verse of the Qur'an

In the greatest verse of the Qur'an, Allah has described His Attributes in this way: "Allah! La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists. Neither slumber, nor sleep overtakes Him. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on earth. Who is he that can intercede with Him except with His Permission? He knows what happens to them (His creatures) in this world, and what will happen to them in the Hereafter. And they will never compass anything of His Knowledge except that which He wills. His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth, and He feels no fatigue in guarding and preserving them. And He is the Most High, the Most Great (Ayat-ul-Kursi). (Surah AI-Baqarah, 2:255)

Muslim has reported in his Sahih on the authority of Ubai bin Ka'b (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) asked him:

"Which verse in the Quran is the greatest?" He replied, "Allah and His Prophet know better." The Prophet (peace be upon him) repeated the question again and again and each time he got the same reply. Then he said, "Ubai! That verse is Ayat-ul-Kursi . " Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) placed his hand on his shoulder and said, "O Abu Mundhir! You must be happy to learn this."

A narration of Ahmad contains that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "I swear in the Name of the One Who holds my soul in His possession, this verse has a tongue and two lips which describe the glorification of Allah near His Throne." Indeed, this great verse comprises such Names and Attributes of Allah as are not comprised in other verses.

Allah has in this verse given information about His Self that He is Alone in His Godhood and no type of worship and no form of it suits any other one except Him. Then after the matter of Tauhid, He has mentioned those things which bear witness to His Qualities and His Perfect Attributes. He said that He is Alive and has absolute control on life, for life is one of the implications of His Self which is eternal and the perfection of His life is implied in all His personal perfections just as reverence, control, knowledge, information, hearing, seeing, intention, will, etc. So, if any of these is left out, it is due to defect in life. Therefore, perfection in life means perfection in all the Attributes. Then He associated it with His Name Al-Qaiyoom (the Eternal) which means the One Who is established on its own and is absolutely without need from the entire creation. There is not the slightest possibility in it of mixing with want, for He is Allah and the existence of everything is owing to him and they are all dependent on Him. In fact they cannot afford to become independent of Him even for a moment. Only He is the One Who invented the existing things in such a stable way that He looks after their needs and provides them with all that they need for survival, and for reaching that perfection which He determined for these things. In this way, this name includes all the active Attributes. That is why the Hadith mentions that AI-Hayy (the Alive) and Al-Qaiyoom (the Eternal) are the greatest Names of Allah. When He is asked for anything through these names He awards it, and when He is invoked with these names He responds.

After this, that thing has been mentioned which argues for the perfection of His Hayat (Life) and Qaiyoomiyah (Eternality). Thus He said: "Neither slumber nor sleep overtakes Him" etc.

For this is contrary to eternality; sleep is a form of death and that is why the inhabitants of Paradise do not sleep. Then He mentioned the expanse of His territory which includes all the worlds above and all the worlds below and all are under His sway. Thus He said:

"Unto Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on earth ..."

And thereafter He mentioned that attribute which constitutes a proof of His kingdom, that is, He Alone has the right to intercede; no one can recommend to Him unless He has allowed him. These include two commandments-negation and exception:

1. Affirmation of correct intercession, that is, this intercession can be taken up only by the Command of Allah by a person with whose words and deeds Allah is pleased.

2. Refutation of the polytheistic intercession: The polytheists had faith in their idols that these could intercede with Allah without His Permission and Will.

Then He has mentioned His breadth and comprehensiveness of His Knowledge that nothing yet to happen and nothing that has already happened is unknown to Him. But the creatures cannot bring within bounds His Knowledge except that which Allah Himself wants to teach them through His Prophets or through discussion, insight, investigation and analysis.

Then He mentioned that which forms a proof for the breadth of His kingdom and for His greatness.  Thus he said that His Kursi has been encompassing all the heavens and the earth.

The correct meaning of the Kursi is that it is separate from the Throne and it signifies the place lying beneath both the Steps. This is in comparison to the Throne as a ring in a desert. And what Ibn Kathir has mentioned in the interpretation of the Kursi with reference to Ibn 'Abbas saying that it means knowledge, is not correct. This implies repetition in the verse.

After this Allah has mentioned His great control and perfect power and said:

"And He feels no fatigue in guarding and preserving them."

He is not tired of protecting the earth and the heavens. Sheikh-ul-Islam Ibn Taimiyah (Allah's mercy be upon him) has done the explanation of Ya 'ooduhu from Yuthqilahu which means that He is not bored.

Later Allah has at the end of this blessed verse qualified Himself with two great Attributes, that is, height and greatness, an absolute height in every sense. Ali is that which possesses all forms of absolute, and the height of Self is that, while Allah is established over the Throne, He is above all creatures. 'Uloo-ul-Qadar is that for Him all Attributes are evident in perfect form and He has the highest and the greatest level of all of them. 'Uloo-ul-Qahr is that He is dominant over all his slaves and is the Wise and the Knower.

Al-Azeem means the One Who has the attribute of such a greatness that nothing is superior to Him, nothing is higher and greater. In the hearts of the Prophets, angels and the virtuous ones, perfect reverence is only for Allah.