Al Ali – The Highest

THE HIGHEST,  THE SUBLIME

The highest and most sublime one.

“That is because Allah is the (only) Reality, and because whatever else they invoke besides Him is Falsehood; and because Allah, HE IS THE MOST HIGH, Most Great. Seest thou not that the ships sail through the Ocean by the grace of Allah?

That He may show you of His Signs? Verily in this are Signs for all who constantly persevere and give thanks. When a wave covers them like the canopy (of clouds), they call to Allah, offering Him sincere devotion, but when He has delivered them safely to land, there are among them those that halt between (right and wrong). But none reject Our Signs except only a perfidious ungrateful (wretch)! (31:30-32)” The  Holy Qur’an

 “… judgment belongs to Allah, the High, the Great” (Quran, 40:12), and, “… the Great, the Most High” (Quran, 13:9).

From the root ‘a-l-w which has the following classical Arabic connotations:

to be high, elevated, lofty
to be exalted, to rise up, to ascend
to be higher, to exceed, surpass
to overcome, overwhelm
to advance, promote, rise above
to mount, be overtop, eminent

According to Al-Asma’ wal sifat, where a qudsi tradition is quoted, the Messenger of Allah heard during the Night of Isra (the night journey to Jerusalem) a praising in the high heavens saying: Subhan al-`Aliyy al-A`la, Subnahu wa Ta`ala, that is, “Glory to the Most High, Glory to Him and Exaltation.” Iyas ibn Salmah has quoted his father saying that he had heard the Messenger of Allah starting every supplication by saying, “Subhana al-A`la al-Wahhab,” “Glory to the Most High, the ever- Giving.”