Subhan Allah!!! Glorifying Him

Ask any non-arabic speaking muslim, what does Subhan Allah mean? They would mostly say it means Glory to Allah. What does that mean?? It's just praising Allah.

Yes it is Glory to Allah and definitely praising Allah but what kind of praise??

People do not understand how strong a word Subhan Allah is !!! They say it everyday and it's so commonly used that they forget it's greatness.


The root meaning of the word Subhan (from Sabbaha) has a deeper meaning, a few are as follows:

First:

to have something spread out in front of you as far as the eye can see

Or

Second:

swimming or floating over something.

Let's take the first one, have you read in the Holy Quran:

Glorified be thy Lord, the Lord of Majesty, from that which they attribute unto Him

It means Allah is above all the false partners that the world calls equal to "God" whether it is the the Sun God or the false accusations to His prophets ( may Allah be pleased with them all) or His angels as equal to His power. They and many other partners are mere creations. Thus Allah as the creater is high and exalted, risen above them all !!

His grandeour and might and glory is something spread out in front of you as far as your eye can see yet He is truly unreachable and His actual strength, might, power and knowledge is much much higher and greater and much more exalted then anything else you can imagine as a partner to Him or even remotely comparable to Him. That is Subhan Allah. He is glorified because he is much above the small animals, or sun or Moon or prophets or angels or water they call as "GOD". It really just sounds silly to associate anything with the Almighty because HE is the Almighty!!

Subhan Allah.

Now take the second meaning:

Subhan Allah means to be swimming or floating over something...

Allah has power over all things on earth and beyond. He is worthy to be glorified because He is floating over this world and the next. He is overlooking the insect on earth and the angel in heaven!! Subhan Allah. Who can have such power?
When something floats.. How does it move?? Swiftly! Allah's power and authority allows Him such swiftness. He can reward whom He pleases and punish whom He pleases.
He is hovering over everything He created. You cannot see HIM but HE is definitely looking at you! That is the greatness and the need for Subhan Allah!!

Subhan Allah!!
Next time you say it when you understand the might of Allah, the power of Allah which is much higher than anything people associate with Him because he is overlooking the mountains, the seas, the oceans, insects, humans, beings and things we can't see (angels and jinns) , all the heavens and everything known and unknown to us.