4 - الْقُدُّوسُ

[ummtaalib]

الْقُدُّوسُ

 

Translation

الْقُدُّوسُ is translated in English as The Holiest and The Most Pure.

 

Definition

It means Allah ta’ala is that Being Who is free from all defects, traits and weaknesses – understood as the Holy One – and Pure from any similar example and pure from children. Ibn Katheer (رحمه الله) says pure from any shortcomings, that Dhaat Who has perfect traits.

 

 

In the Qur’an

This name is mentioned only twice in the Qur’an.

 

 

هُوَ اللَّهُ الَّذِي لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْمَلِكُ الْقُدُّوسُ السَّلَامُ الْمُؤْمِنُ الْمُهَيْمِنُ الْعَزِيزُ الْجَبَّارُ الْمُتَكَبِّرُ ۚ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ

He is Allah, than whom there is no other God, the Sovereign Lord the Holy One, Peace, the Keeper of Faith, the Guardian, the Majestic, the Compeller, the Superb. Glorified be Allah from all that they ascribe as partner (unto Him).

[Qur’an 59:23]

 

 

This is a powerful verse with many Asmaaul Husnaa mentioned within it including الْقُدُّوسregarding which it is mentioned in a Hadith;

 

“Whoever when he wakes in the morning says three times:

اعوذ بالله السميع العليم من الشيطان الرجيم
“I seek refuge in Allah the All-Hearing and All-Knowing against the accursed satan”

 

and then recites the three verses from the last part of Surah al Hashr, will be assigned seventy thousand angels to pray for him until the evening, and should he die that day, he would have died a martyr”

[Ibn Ahmad, Darimi, Tirmidhi]

 

The verses are :

هُوَ اللَّهُ الَّذِي لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ عَالِمُ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ ۖ هُوَ الرَّحْمَٰنُ الرَّحِيمُ

هُوَ اللَّهُ الَّذِي لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْمَلِكُ الْقُدُّوسُ السَّلَامُ الْمُؤْمِنُ الْمُهَيْمِنُ الْعَزِيزُ الْجَبَّارُ الْمُتَكَبِّرُ ۚ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ

هُوَ اللَّهُ الْخَالِقُ الْبَارِئُ الْمُصَوِّرُ ۖ لَهُ الْأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَىٰ ۚ يُسَبِّحُ لَهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ۖ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ

[Surah Hashr: 22-24]

 

The second verse is:

 

يُسَبِّحُ لِلَّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ الْمَلِكِ الْقُدُّوسِ الْعَزِيزِ الْحَكِيمِ

All that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth glorifieth Allah, the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One, the Mighty, the Wise [Qur’an 62:1]

 

The verse mentions that everything in the heavens and the earth does Tasbeeh of Allah ta’ala and as mentioned in Surah Bani Isra’eel, we do not understand;

 

تُسَبِّحُ لَهُ السَّمَاوَاتُ السَّبْعُ وَالْأَرْضُ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ ۚ وَإِنْ مِنْ شَيْءٍ إِلَّا يُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِهِ وَلَٰكِنْ لَا تَفْقَهُونَ تَسْبِيحَهُمْ ۗ إِنَّهُ كَانَ حَلِيمًا غَفُورًا

The seven heavens, the earth and all beings therein declare His glory. There is not a single thing but glorifies Him with His praise, but you do not understand their hymns of His glory. The fact is that He is very Forbearing, Forgiving. [17.44]

 

 

Allah ta’ala is الْقُدُّوسُ and whatever He puts His Tajalli on (Special/Attentive Rahmat), also becomes Quddoos (Holy). Whatever Allah ta’ala has sworn by in the Qur’an or has referred to as “Muqaddas” has the status of being holy. It can be time i.e. Allah ta’ala swears by time, Laylatul Qadr, the month of Ramadhaan etc. or it can be places i.e.  Allah ta’ala refers to the Valley of Tuwaa where Musa AS was blessed as “Muqaddas” and the Baytullah.  

 

 

In Du’a

This name is used in some major Du’a. ‘Aishah RA has reported:

 

The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam used to recite in his bowing and prostration:

 

سبوح قدوس رب الملائكة والروح

“Subbuhun Quddoosun, Rabbul-malaa’ikati war-rooh

“You are the Most Glorious. The Most Holy. You the Rabb of the angels and of Jibra’eel” [Muslim]

 

This is also mentioned in the Du’a recited during the Taraaweeh Salaah.

 

 

It is Sunnah to read سُبْحَانَ الْمَلِكِ الْقُدُّوْسِ  three times after Witr Ṣalaah. This was the general habit of the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam who would raise and prolong his voice the third time as reported in several authentic narrations. [Musnad Aḥmad Sunan Abū Dāwūd Sunan al-Nasāʾī ]

 

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