Here is the greatest verse of the whole Book of the Holy Quran. Abdulllah Bin Abi Masoud narrated that the greatest verse of the Holy Quran is: (Allah – there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence.) (“Kursi” verse)[1]. There are as well many Hadiths by the Prophet Muhammad (saws) on the greatness and merit of this verse, such as:
Whoever recites the “Kursi” verse after every obligatory prayer will have nothing preventing his entry into Paradise, except his death.}[2]
Abu Huraira narrated: “Allah’s Apostle deputed me to keep the Zakat of Ramadan. A comer came and started taking handfuls of the foodstuff. I took hold of him and said, “By Allah, I will take you to Allah’s Apostle .” He said, “I am needy with many dependents, and I am in great need.” I released him, and in the morning Allah’s Apostle asked me:
“What did your prisoner do yesterday?”
I said, “O Allah’s Apostle! The person complained of being needy and of having many dependents, so, I pitied him and let him go.” Allah’s Apostle said:
“Indeed, he told you a lie and he will be coming again.”
So, I believed that he would show up again as Allah’s Apostle had told me that he would return. So, I waited for him watchfully. When he (showed up and) started stealing handfuls of foodstuff, I caught hold of him again and said, “I will definitely take you to Allah’s Apostle. He said, “Leave me, for I am very needy and have many dependents. I promise I will not come back again.” I pitied him and let him go. In the morning Allah’s Apostle asked me:
“What did your prisoner do?”
I replied, “O Allah’s Apostle! He complained of his great need and of too many dependents, so I took pity on him and set him free.” Allah’s Apostle said:
“Verily, he told you a lie and he will return.”
I waited for him attentively for the third time, and when he (came and) started stealing handfuls of the foodstuff, I caught hold of him and said, “I will surely take you to Allah’s Apostle as it is the third time you promise not to return, yet you break your promise and come.” He said, “(Forgive me and) I will teach you some words with which Allah will benefit you.” I asked, “What are they?” He replied, “Whenever you go to bed, recite the “Kursi Verse” {Allah – there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence.} till you finish the whole verse. (If you do so), Allah will appoint a guard for you who will stay with you and no satan will come near you till morning.” So, I released him. In the morning, Allah’s Apostle asked:
“What did your prisoner do yesterday?”
I replied, “He claimed that he would teach me some words by which Allah will benefit me, so I let him go.” Allah’s Apostle asked, “What are they?” I replied, “He said to me, ‘Whenever you go to bed, recite the “Kursi Verse” {Allah – there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence.} from the beginning to the end. He further said to me, ‘(If you do so), Allah will appoint a guard for you who will stay with you, and no satan will come near you till morning.’ Abu Huraira added that they (the companions) were very keen to do good deeds. The Prophet said:
“He really spoke the truth, although he is an absolute liar. Do you know whom you were talking to, these three nights, O Abu Huraira?”
Abu Huraira said, “No.” He said:
“It was Satan.”[3]
This means that he told the truth: the “Kursi Verse” is the greatest of the Holy Quran.
(… اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ ) (Allah – there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence…): The verse starts with God’s name (Allah) which is a proper noun indicating the existence. It’s the noun that brings all the attributes together. While the Attributes of Allah (swt), like The Omniscient, The Powerful, The Ever-Living, The Sustainer, The Great, The Strong, (swt), The All-Forgiving, The Compassionate …, indicate both the name in addition to the attribute, “Allah” is the name that indicates all the attributes of perfection, beauty and majesty of Allah (swt). “Allah” is the name no one can ever use.
(… اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ) (Allah – there is no deity except Him,…): We have a negation and affirmation here. On the other hand, the greatness of such verse lies in the fact that no one has been to deny it or prove it otherwise. The wording and letters of the verse prove it: (Allah – there is no deity except Him,) that is had there been a deity but Allah (swt), He would have told us about the existence of such deity. Allah (swt) says: “I do whatever I want.” No one could claim that they do whatever they want though. Moreover, Allah (swt) says: “I created the heavens, Earth, the sun and the moon.” Still, no one could have claimed that they created them. Then, it’s proved that there is no other deity but Allah till comes another god (an imaginary one) and claims: “I created” and provides an evidence on the same. None has ever and will never do so:
“To prove other than You is blasphemous
Our belief in no other but You is joyous”
(… اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ) (Allah – there is no deity except Him,…): Meaning that there is no god but Him, and (except) doesn’t indicate exclusion. When we say: (Allah – there is no deity except Him) it means no one to obey and worship but Allah (swt), and any other deity should order to be obeyed so that the true meaning or worship and obeyance is attained. No other deity has ever done so.
(… الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ ) (the Sustainer of [all] existence…): Scholars say the secret of the “Kursi” verse is that it includes seventeen attributes of Allah (swt) starting with the Ever-Living.
How can the “Ever-Living” be defined? The “Ever-Living” is the one who can keep doing their duties. Humans, animals and plants can’t keep the performance of their duties on after they’re deceased. Allah (swt) says:
{ كُلُّ شَيْءٍ هَالِكٌ إِلَّا وَجْهَهُ ۚ}
(Everything will be destroyed except His Face.) (Al Qasas: 88)
I can describe myself and you as “living.” However, our lives along with those of other humans, animals, plants and everything will be over. Meanwhile, Allah (swt) is the Ever-Living who never ceases to exists, and this attribute is different when it’s about Him. We can say that someone is knowledgeable and someone is mighty; Allah is Mighty but:
{لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌۚ}
(There is nothing like unto Him…) (Ash-Shura: 11)
(… الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومَ…) (…the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence …): He is not merely Ever-Living and life giving, but also a sustainer of all existence. “Qayyoum,” which means “sustainer” is an intensifier of “Qaem” (in Arabic syntax) which means “custodian,” and the question here is: Can the attributes of Allah (swt) be intensified or lessened? The answer is no. However, we use such attributes in different senses, saying Allah (swt) is the sustainer (as an intensifier) and a custodian of the affairs of the heavens, Earth and His creatures. That’s the peak of faith as stated in the “Kursi” verse, as the first element of belief assures two points:
– First, He is Ever-Living and never ceases to exist, and
– Second, He is the custodian of everything and the sustainer and supervisor of their process and affairs.
(… لَا تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ …) (…Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep …): Drowsiness is the initial stage of sleepiness, and as Allah (swt), our God, neither sleeps nor feels drowsy, we are secure and can sleep well. Allah (swt) is never affected by sleep or even sleepiness.
Why Allah (swt) keeps you safe when you recite the “Kursi” verse? Because this verse starts with: (Allah – there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep.). Faith, then , tranquility and serenity flow to your heart the moment you hear the beginning of the “Kursi” verse. Would you fear death when Allah (swt) is Ever-Living and never ceases to exist? Do you fear the present, the future or someone? You shouldn’t. Allah (swt) is the custodian of His creatures’ affair; you forget, feel drowsy and sleep but never does He.
(… لَّهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ …) (…To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth …): He is not only Ever-Living, Sustainer and never overtaken by drowsiness or sleep but also to Him belongs everything in heavens and on earth. (To Him): Indicates that this is His own, His property, and He can do whatever He wants.
(… مَن ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِ …) (…Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission?…): Intercession is permitted by Him, and it means that someone shoulders someone else’s problems and sins along with him, and this is done only when Allah (swt) permits it.
(… يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ …) (…He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them,…): He knows what’s before them: what’s happening presently before them and what’ll be after them: what’s kept secret to them. Allah (swt) is aware of all secrets and the unknown. He also knows what’s happening and what will happen; and the past, present and the future.
(… وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِ …) (…and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge …): Encompassing is at one hand, and knowledge is at the other hand ; however, no one can ever encompass Allah’s (swt) knowledge.
(… إِلَّا بِمَا شَاءَ …) (…except for what He wills …): Miracles take place when Allah (swt) wills. All theorems like Newton’s, Pythagoras’, space, atom … etc. had been already there, and Allah (swt) willed that they were only discovered by someone. Gravity, for example, has always been there, and Newton had only discovered not invented it.
(… وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ …) (…His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth …): The greatest verse of the Holy Quran has been named after the “Kursi.” What does the word “Kursi” refer to? It refers to power, stability of power along with immortality. What would scare you in earth and heavens if Allah’s (swt) Kursi, Allah’s (swt) power, extends over earth and heavens.
(… وَلَا يَئُودُهُ حِفْظُهُمَا …) (…and their preservation tires Him not …): what’s the meaning here? The preservation of earth and heavens never exhausts, bothers, tires or overburdens Him.
All Muslims know this verse by heart and have it on the walls of their homes and offices and even in their cars. They have it everywhere, all people have an unquestionable belief in the greatness, benefit and effect of this verse. However, among the reasons making it the best and the greatest verse in Quran is that it’s the only verse encompassing more than sixteen attributes of Allah (swt), according to some scholars or even twenty-one attributes, according to other scholars. Allah (swt) says:
{ وَلِلَّهِ الْأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَىٰ فَادْعُوهُ بِهَا}
(And to Allah belong the best names, so invoke Him by them) (Al-A’raf: 180)
We cling to this verse for our safety, especially when it’s recited before going to bed, as the “Compassionate” and the “Merciful” attributes along with Allah’s names are included in the Kursi verse. What are the best names in this verse? Let’s count some of them:
1- {Allah}
2- {there is no deity except Him,} the pronoun refers to Allah.
3- {the Ever-Living,}
4- {the Sustainer of [all] existence.}
5- {Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep.} the pronoun refers to Allah.
6- {To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth.} the pronoun refers to Allah.
7- {Who is it that can intercede with Him} the pronoun refers to Allah.
8- {except by His permission?} the possessive adjective refers to Allah.
9- {He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them,} the pronoun “He” refers to Allah.
10- {and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge} the possessive adjective refers to Allah.
11- {except for what He wills.} the pronoun refers to Allah.
12- {His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth,} the possessive adjective refers to Allah.
13- {and their preservation tires Him not.} the pronoun refers to Allah.
14- {And He is}
15- {the Most High,}
16- {the Most Great.}
Have you checked how many names of Allah (swt) are included in this verse? Sixteen of them have been listed from this great verse. it’s read in Sahih al-Bukhari that Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated that the Prophet sent a company under the command of a man who used to lead his companions in the prayers and finish his recitation with Surah Al-Ikhlas, then, when they returned, they mentioned that to the Prophet (saws), he told them:
“Ask him why he does so.”
They asked him and he said: “I do so because it mentions the qualities of the Beneficent and I love to recite it (in my prayer).” The Prophet (saws) said (to them):
“Tell him that Allah loves him.”
Likewise, the Kursi verse comprises of many attributes of Allah (swt), and that’s why it’s the greatest verse of the Holy Quran. These are some, but not all, of the secrets of the Kursi verse. The perfection of Allah’s sayings has to do with His attributes. The Quran is the sayings of Allah (swt), which is, in turn, among His attributes. Thus, we can’t comprehend the heavenly perfections through the Holy Quran, as only this much of the secrets of such a great verse have been uncovered before us.
[1] Hadith no. 8678, P. 133, Vol. 9, Al Mojam Al Kabir, Attabarani.
[2] Hadith no. 7548, P. 114, Vol. 8, Al Mojam Al Kabir, Attabarani.
[3] Hadith no. 2187, Representation (Business by Proxy) Book, Sahih Al-Bukhari