Ayatul Kursi is situated in Surah Al-Baqarah, Verse 255, in the Quran. This verse holds immense importance to the followers of the Islamic faith. This is the famous Throne Verse, which is dear to the hearts of Muslims everywhere.
Ayatul Kursi – The Verse of the Throne
This is the verse in Arabic:
اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ ۚ لَا تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ ۚ لَّهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ ۗ مَن ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِ ۚ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِ إِلَّا بِمَا شَاءَ ۚ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ ۖ وَلَا يَئُودُهُ حِفْظُهُمَا ۚ وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ
English Translation:
” Allah! There is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is before them and what will be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great. “
Now, we go to the word-by-word elucidation of this verse:
- Pure Monotheism:
The verse enters immediately with the affirmation of what constitutes the most fundamental belief in Islamic monotheism: the oneness of Allah. “Allah! There is no deity except Him.” This uniquely emphasizes the central bedrock of Islamic faith: the universality and absoluteness of there being no deity save Allah, the one true Lord and Master of the cosmos, the Creator and Sole Sustainer of all creatures.
The verse continues with the mention of two of Allah’s basic attributes, namely, He who is “the Ever-Living” and “the Sustainer of existence.” This means that He is timeless in His existence and His essence provides sustenance in itself to everything. At the same time as human beings being mortal, Allah is eternal in time and gives life and nourishment to all living things.
- Divine Vigilance:
The verse brings out that He is always watching and never overtaken by drowsiness or sleep. This simply points to His awareness and watchfulness over the creation. Unlike human beings who need rest, Allah is ever awake and attentive to everything in the universe.
- Divine Ownership:
The verse asserts that whatever is in the heavens and the earth belongs to Allah alone. This assertion of possession underlines His ownership of high and low, from the celestial bodies down to the earthly life.
- Intercession by Allah:
The verse is filled with one rhetorical question, “Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission?” which shows the utmost authority of Allah and His decisions. In Islam, the act of intercession could only be performed with the consent of Allah; He is the only Judge, and is to decide on all affairs.
- Divine Knowledge:
Allah’s knowledge is portrayed to be all-inclusive; He knows the present, the past, and the future. His knowledge is holistic and faultless, and from this knowledge, He decides and makes judgments.
- Expansive Dominion:
This verse likens Allah’s “Kursi” or “Throne” as extending over the heavens and the earth. This imagery represents His dominion and rulership over the wide universe. His dominion is without limit, and His guardianship is unconditional.
- Infinite Preservation:
It is said that preservation by Allah of the heavens and the earth tires him not. Thus He sustains his whole creation without fatigue with ease. This point re-states the fact that the power of Allah is bound by nothing, including fatigue, and protecting and supporting his creation is with no burden of fatigue.
- The Most High, The Most Great:
Accordingly, this verse ends with an evocation of Allah as “the Most High” and “the Most Great,” respectively. This is a very reaffirming reminder of His transcendence and unmatched greatness. Indeed, it reassures His exalted status above everything else.
Ayatul Kursi is a verse through which Muslims recite in large quantity spiritually and for protection. It is usually recited before sleeping to find Allah’s protection throughout the night. It acts like a reminder of the absolute sovereignty of Allah, of knowledge, and the authority He exercises. Comforting themselves and strong, believing that Allah is Ever-Living, the Sustainer of existence, and His knowledge and powers are unlimited as they keep reciting it.
In a nutshell, Ayatul Kursi is that deep verse of the Holy Quran that within its fold contains all the necessary conceptions found in Islamic theology. The unity of Allah comes with His divine qualities, authority, and perfect knowledge and vigilance. It is one of spiritual comfort and a memento to manifest the greatness of the Creator and Sustainer of the universe.
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