What is the difference between the Surahs that begin with "سَبَّحَ لِلَّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ" (What is in the heavens and what is in the earth has glorified Allah) and the Surahs that begin with "سَبَّحَ لِلَّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ" (What is in the heavens and the earth has glorified Allah)?
The Quran is miraculous in its eloquence, and every word and letter within it has a precise place and meaning. In Surat Al-Hadid, Allah Almighty says: (Whatever is in the heavens and the earth glorifies Allah) [57:1], indicating Allah’s greatness and His uniqueness in creation. Here, "whatever" encompasses all existent beings. However, in Surat Al-Hashr, Al-Saff, Al-Jumu'ah, and Al-Taghabun, Allah Almighty says: (Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth glorifies Allah), because these surahs speak of Allah’s blessings upon Muslims in earthly events. Thus, it was appropriate to mention the inhabitants of the earth with a separate relative pronoun for them. Furthermore, the verb "to glorify" is in the past tense at the beginning of Surat Al-Hadid, Al-Hashr, and Al-Saff to indicate the permanence of glorification, and in the present tense in Surat Al-Jumu'ah and Al-Taghabun to indicate its renewal and continuity.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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