Verse of 'Izz
| File:سوره اسراء آیه ۱۱۱.png | |
| Verse's Information | |
|---|---|
| Name | Verse of 'Izz • Verse of Might • Verse of Glory |
| Sura | Sura al-Isra |
| Verse | 111 |
| Juz' | 15 |
| Page | 293 |
| Content Information | |
| Cause of Revelation | Refutation of the beliefs of Jews, Christians, and Arab Polytheists regarding God |
| Place of Revelation | Mecca |
| Topic | Theological (Tawhid) |
| About | Absolute Oneness of God • Negation of son, partner, and helper |
| Related Verses | al-Kursi Verse • Qur'an 112 |
The Verse of ʿIzz (Arabic: آيَة ٱلْعِزّ, lit. Verse of Might/Glory) is the 111th and final verse of Sura al-Isra (Qur'an 17:111). This verse is a comprehensive statement of Islamic Monotheism (Tawhid), specifically negating any form of weakness, need, or plurality in the Divine Essence.
It is called the "Verse of ʿIzz" because its recitation is believed to bring dignity and might to the believer, and because it attributes absolute Glory to God by negating disgrace, weakness, or humility from Him. In narrations, this verse is recommended for repelling poverty, illness, and anxiety.
Text and Translation
| "And say, ‘All praise belongs to Allah, who has neither taken any son, nor has He any partner in sovereignty, nor has He any helper out of weakness,’ and magnify Him with a magnification (worthy of Him)" | "وَقُلِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي لَمْ يَتَّخِذْ وَلَدًا وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُ شَرِيكٌ فِي الْمُلْكِ وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُ وَلِيٌّ مِّنَ الذُّلِّ ۖ وَكَبِّرْهُ تَكْبِيرً" |
Commentary
Three Fundamental Negations
Commentators explain that this verse was revealed to refute the three main deviant groups regarding the concept of God existing at that time:
- "Who has neither taken any son": This refutes the Christians (who believed Jesus was the Son of God), the Jews (who believed Ezra was the Son of God), and the Arab Polytheists (who believed angels were daughters of God).
- "Nor has He any partner in sovereignty": This refutes the Arab idolaters and the Dualists (like Zoroastrians/Manichaeans) who believed in separate gods of Light and Darkness or partners in managing the universe.
- "Nor has He any helper out of weakness": This refutes the Sabians and those who believed that although God is One, He uses lower deities or angels as helpers because He cannot manage the universe alone (similar to a King who needs ministers). The verse clarifies that while God uses angels/causes, it is not out of weakness or inability but out of wisdom.[1]
"Magnify Him" (Takbir)
The verse ends with the command *Wa kabbirhu takbira* ("and magnify Him with a magnification"). This implies that no matter how much one praises God, He is greater than that description. Allama Tabataba'i states that this order to say "Allahu Akbar" serves as a seal to the praise and acknowledges that the human description falls short of His essence.[2]
Merits and Recitation
There are numerous traditions regarding the virtues of this verse:
- The Prophet (s) said: "The Verse of 'Izz is 'Wa qul al-hamdu lillah...' [17:111]." He instructed that it be taught to children as soon as they can speak.[3]
- Imam al-Sadiq (a) advised reciting this verse to remove obsessive thoughts (waswas) and anxiety.[4]
- It is recommended to recite this verse for the relief of poverty and debt. A narration states that whoever recites it while deeply believing in it, God will remove their poverty.[5]
See Also
Notes
References
- Kulaynī, Muḥammad b. Yaʿqūb al-. Al-Kāfī. Tehran, Dār al-Kutub al-Islāmiyya, 1407 AH.
- Makārim Shīrāzī, Nāṣir. Tafsīr-i nimūna. Tehran, Dār al-Kutub al-Islāmiyya, 1374 Sh.
- Suyūṭī, Jalāl al-Dīn al-. Al-Durr al-manthūr. Qom, Ayatollah Marashi Library, 1404 AH.
- Ṭabāṭabāʾī, Sayyid Muḥammad Ḥusayn. Al-Mīzān fī tafsīr al-Qurʾān. Beirut, Al-Aʿlamī lil-Maṭbūʿāt, 1390 AH.
- Ṭabrasī, Faḍl b. Ḥasan al-. Majmaʿ al-bayān fī tafsīr al-Qurʾān. Tehran, Nasser Khosrow, 1372 Sh.