Adapted from Tafsir Ibn Ashur

Themes and purpose:

This Makkan surah opens with the command to glorify Allah, establishing His unique singularity through the ordered system of creation. Its primary purpose is to console and strengthen the Prophet (ﷺ) with the promise of effortless retention of the Quran and to affirm that the final message is the enduring, core truth found in all earlier scriptures.

Context of Revelation:

Era: Makkan by consensus.

Context: The surah was revealed during the early Makkan period when the Prophet (ﷺ) was concerned about memorizing and retaining the rapidly descending revelation.

Chronology: It is counted as the eighth surah in the order of descent, after Sūrat al-Takwīr and before al-Layl.

Name and Ayah Count:

Name: The surah is known by two main names: "Sūrat al-Aʿlā" (The Most High), and sometimes "Sūrat Sabbiḥ" (Glorify), both in reference to its opening ayah.

Virtue: The Prophet (ﷺ) customarily recited this surah (along with al-Ghāshiyah) in the Friday and ‘Eid prayers.

Ayah Count: 19 ayahs by consensus.

Surah Overview:

• Glorifying Allah and establishing His sole authority in creating, perfecting, decreeing, and guiding all things. [1-3]
• Affirming the Prophet's (ﷺ) mission and granting him the miracle of easy memorization (he will recite it, and he will not forget). [6]
• Consoling the Prophet (ﷺ) by reminding him that his message is designed for the pious and will be rejected only by the wretched who choose the worldly life. [8-11]
• Proving the reality of the Resurrection through the analogy of the revival of dead nature. [4-5, 13]
• Affirming that those who attain salvation are those who purify their souls, remember Allah, and perform prayer. [14-16]
• Concluding by affirming that the eternal truths of the surah were contained in the original scriptures of Prophets Abraham and Moses. [18-19]