42. Sura Al-Jathiyah

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

تَكَادُ السَّمَاوَاتُ يَتَفَطَّرْنَ مِن فَوْقِهِنَّ...

42:5. The heavens are almost rent asunder from above them (by His Glory):

C4530. How can we conceive of sublimity and greatness in a higher degree than this, that the highest heavens are almost ready to burst asunder by His Glory, which is higher than all?

...وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ يُسَبِّحُونَ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّهِمْ وَيَسْتَغْفِرُونَ لِمَن فِي الْأَرْضِ...

and the angels celebrate the Praises of their Lord, and pray for forgiveness for (all) beings on earth:

C4531. The angels are the noblest and purest beings of whom we can conceive. They reflect on the one side Allah's Glory and Praise, and on the other, two other attributes of Allah, that look towards His erring creatures, viz.,

• Forgiveness and

• Mercy.

The two sets of attributes are complementary. They thus proclaim in their own being and in their prayers the Greatness and unbounded Goodness of Allah.

...أَلَا إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ ﴿٥﴾

Behold! Verily Allah is He, the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Asad’s Version:

42:5

The uppermost heavens are well-nigh rent asunder [for awe of Him]; and the angels extol their Sustainer's limitless glory and praise, and ask forgiveness for all who are on earth. 5 Oh, verily, God alone is truly-forgiving, a dispenser of grace !