Ayatal Kursi

It was narrated from Ibn ‘Umar that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab went out one day to some people who had prepared a meal. He said, “Who among you can tell me which is the greatest ayah in the Quran?” Ibn Mas’ud said, “You are asking one who knows. I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say, ‘The greatest ayah in the Quran is ‘Allah! La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists…’ [al-Baqarah 2:255 – interpretation of the meaning].”

Ayatal Kursi

ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلْحَىُّ ٱلْقَيُّومُ ۚ لَا تَأْخُذُهُۥ سِنَةٌۭ وَلَا نَوْمٌۭ ۚ لَّهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ مَن ذَا ٱلَّذِى يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُۥٓ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِۦ ۚ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَىْءٍۢ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِۦٓ إِلَّا بِمَا شَآءَ ۚ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ ۖ وَلَا يَـُٔودُهُۥ حِفْظُهُمَا ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَلِىُّ ٱلْعَظِيمُ ٢٥٥

Allahu laaa ilaaha illaa huwal haiyul qai-yoom; laa taakhuzuhoo sinatunw wa laa nawm; lahoo maa fissamaawaati wa maa fil ard; man zallazee yashfa'u indahooo illaa be iznih; ya'lamu maa baina aideehim wa maa khalfahum; wa laa yuheetoona beshai 'immin 'ilmihee illa be maa shaaaa; wasi'a kursiyyuhus samaa waati wal arda wa la ya'ooduho hifzuhumaa; wa huwal aliyyul 'azeem

Allâh! Lâ ilâha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), Al-Hayyul-Qayyum (the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists). Neither slumber nor sleep overtakes Him. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is he that can intercede with Him except with His Permission? He knows what happens to them (His creatures) in this world, and what will happen to them in the Hereafter. And they will never compass anything of His Knowledge except that which He wills. His Kursî 1 extends over the heavens and the earth, and He feels no fatigue in guarding and preserving them. And He is the Most High, the Most Great. [This Verse 2:255 is called Ayat-ul-Kursî ]

Quran 2:255

Ayatul Kursi: The Greatest verse in the Quran

Imam Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) said in his Tafsir of Ayatul Kursi from Surat al-Baqarah:

“This is Ayatul Kursi, which has a high status. It was reported in a sahih hadith from the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) that it is the greatest ayah in the Book of Allah… It was narrated from Ubayy, i.e., Ubayy ibn Ka’b that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) asked him which ayah in the Book of Allah was the greatest. He said, “Allah and His Messenger know best.” He repeated it several times, then he said, “Ayatul Kursi.” The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Congratulations upon your knowledge O Abu’l-Mundhir. By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, it has a tongue and two lips, and it glorifies the Sovereign (i.e., Allah) at the foot of the Throne.” This was also narrated by Muslim, without the phrase “By the One in Whose Hand is my soul…”.

Ayatul Kursi contains the greatest name of Allah

Concerning the fact that it includes the greatest name of Allah, Imam Ahmad said: “It was narrated that Asma bint Yazid ibn al-Sakan said: ‘I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say about these two ayahs (interpretation of the meanings) -- “Allah! La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists…” [al-Baqarah 2:255] and “Alif-Lam-Mim. [These letters are one of the miracles of the Quran, and none but Allah (Alone) knows their meanings.] Allah! La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), Al-Hayyul-Qayyum (the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists)” [Al ‘Imran 3:1-2] – that they contain the greatest name of Allah.’” This was also narrated by Abu Dawud from Musaddid and by al-Tirmidhi from ‘Ali ibn Khashram, and by Ibn Majah from Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah, all three of them narrating from ‘Isa ibn Yunus from ‘Ubayd-Allah ibn Abi Ziyad . Al-Tirmidhi said: it is sahih hasan.

It was narrated in a marfu’ report that Abu Umamah said: “The greatest name of Allah, which if He is called by it, He responds, is in three (surahs): Surat al-Baqarah, Al ‘Imran and Ta-Ha.” Hisham, i.e., Ibn ‘Ammar, the khatib of Damascus, said: “In al-Baqarah, it is ‘Allah! La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exist’ [al-Baqarah 2:255 – interpretation of the meaning]. In Al ‘Imran it is ‘Alif-Lam-Mim. [These letters are one of the miracles of the Quran, and none but Allah (Alone) knows their meanings.] Allah! La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), Al-Hayyul-Qayyum (the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists)’ [Al ‘Imran 3:1-2 – interpretation of the meaning]. And in Ta-Ha it is ‘And (all) faces shall be humbled before (Allah), Al-Hayyul-Qayyum (the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists)’ [Ta-Ha 20:111].”