Subhana Rabbiyal Ala Meaning, Arabic and Hadith

Subhana rabbiyal ala is a dua while prostration (sujud). It is zikr declaring Allah to be free from all imperfections, and acknowledging His Supremacy and Highness. Here’s the zikr in Arabic, English and Hadith Text.

Subhana Rabbiyal A la In Arabic

Here is how to write Subhana Rabbiyal A la in Arabic text.

سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الأَعْلَى

Subhana Rabbiyal Ala Meaning In English

Subhana Rabbiyal A’la means Glory be to my Lord, the Most High. It means glorifying the One Who is exalted in His Essence. The meaning of tasbeeh (glorifying Allah) is declaring Allah, may He be exalted, to be far above any shortcoming or fault.

So when you say “Subhan Allah (Glory be to Allah)”, what it means is: I declare You, O Lord, to be far above and free of any shortcoming or fault.

It is unlawful for one to recite the Qur’an during the bowing or prostration position. The bowing position is meant for glorification.

And you should make a lot of invocations so that they may be granted. Aboo Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Prophet SAW said,

“A slave becomes nearest to his Lord when he is in prostration. So increase supplications while prostrating.”

This is because when a person prostrates, he brings the noblest part of his body parts to where he places his feet, a place he steps on with the feet.

Similarly, he places the uppermost part of his body on the same level as the lowest part of his body; that is, his face is the highest part of his body and his feet is the lowest part of his body.

So he places them on the same level in humility, reverence and submission to Allah, the Mighty and Sublime. That is why a slave is closest to his Lord when he is in prostration.

The Prophet SAW instructed that a lot of supplication should be made during prostration. This state and this statement combine humility to Allah. Accordingly, a person says in his prostration:

Subhaana Rabbi Al-A’alaa (meaning: Glory be to my Lord, the Most High) indicating that He, the Mighty and Sublime, is the Most High and Most Exalted in His essence and attributes and that man is lowly and inferior to the Majesty of Allah, the most High, and His greatness.

Keep in mind the fact that you are in front of Allah Ta’ala and that you have submitted yourself totally to him Alone because of which you have placed the most respected part of your body (your face) on the ground in prostration for Allah Ta’ala who is the highest and most supreme.

Allah Ta’ala is al-A’alaa – the most elevated and high, i.e. Allah Ta’ala in His loftiness, Majesty and grandeur is far beyond the highest point that anyone may think.

Allah Ta’ala together with all his qualities is beyond comprehension. It is impossible for anyone trying to describe the loftiness of Allah Ta’ala to do justice in his description.

In Sajda, ponder, you are the closest that a person can ever get unto Allah Ta’ala as mentioned by Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) in a Hadith.

In another Hadith, the Prophet (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) is reported to have said that every time one prostrates in Sajda to Allah Ta’ala, then Allah elevates his status in Jannah and wipes out a sin from his record.

RELATED POSTS:

• Subhana Rabbiyal Azeem Meaning
• Subbuhun Quddusun Rabbul-Mala’ikati War-ruh Meaning
• Subhana Zil Jabarut Wal Malakuti Meaning

Text of the Hadeeth

On the authority of Hudhaifah (رضي الله عنه), who said: I performed prayer with the Prophet (ﷺ) one night and he (ﷺ) opened his recitation with (the chapter entitled) al-Baqarah [The second chapter of the Qur’an].

I said (to myself): perhaps he (ﷺ) will bow in Rukoo’ after one hundred (verses); then, he continued, so I said (to myself): perhaps, he will perform the whole prayer with it (i.e. Soorah al-Baqarah). Then, he (ﷺ) continued, so I said: Perhaps he will perform one Rak’ah with it (i.e. Soorah al-Baqarah).

Then, he (ﷺ) began to recite (the chapter entitled) an-Nisa [The forth chapter of the Qur’an], so he read it (in its entirety). Then, he (ﷺ) began to recite (the chapter entitled) Ali Imran [The third chapter of the Qur’an], so he read it (in its entirety). And he was reciting it Mutarassilan (leisurely).

Whenever he came across a verse containing Tasbeeh, he would declare Allah to be free from Imperfections (i.e. saying: SubhanAllah); and whenever he came across a request, he would make that request (from Allah); and whenever he came across something to seek refuge from, he would seek refuge (with Allah) from it.

After all of this he (ﷺ) bowed in Rukoo’ and began saying: ‘Subhana Rabbiyal-Adheem’ [I declare my Rabb, the Supreme, to be free from all imperfections]. So, his bowing in Rukoo’ was similar (in length) to his standing in Qiyam.

Then, he (ﷺ) said: ‘Sami’Allahu li-man Hamidah(u)’ [Allah responds to one who praises Him]. Then, he stood for a long standing, nearly as long as his bowing in Rukoo’.

Then, he (ﷺ) prostrated in Sajdah and said: ‘Subhana Rabbiyal-A’la’ [I declare my Rabb, the Most High, to be free from all imperfections]. So, his prostration in Sajdah was nearly as long as his standing in Qiyam.

[Reported by Imam Muslim in his ‘Saheeh’ (collection of Hadeeth), no. 772]

2. Hadith

It was narrated that Hudhaifah said: “I prayed with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and he bowed and said when bowing: ‘Subhana Rabbial-azim (Glory be to my Lord Almighty).’ And when prostrating: ‘Subhana Rabbial-‘Ala (Glory be to my Lord Most High).’”

Source: Sunan an-Nasa’i 1046

3. Hadith

Hudhaifah narrated that: he performed Salat with the Prophet, and that while he was bowing he would say: (Subhana Rabbiyal Azim); “Glorious is my Lord the Magnificent” and while prostrating: (Subhana Rabbiyal A’la) ‘Glorious is my Lord the Most High.’

And he would not recite an Ayah mentioning mercy, except that he would stop and ask (for mercy), and he would not recite an Ayah mentioning punishment, except that he would stop and seek refuge (with Allah from it).

Source: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 262

Explanation of the Hadeeth

This Hadeeth contains the legislation for a Muslim saying: ‘Subhana Rabbiyal-A’la’ [I declare my Rabb, the Most High, to be free from all imperfections] during his prostration in Sajdah.

Ibn ul-Qayyim says – concerning as-Sujood (prostration): In it is legislated praise of Allah that is befitting of Him, and that is the worshiper’s saying: ‘Subhana Rabbiyal-A’la’ [I declare my Rabb, the Most High, to be Free From All Imperfections].

And the description of ar-Rabb (Allah) with being Lofty, Exalted and Sublime– while in this position is extremely appropriate for one who is engaged in the act of prostrating, who has descended to the lowest position upon his face.

So, he mentioned the Exalted, Lofty status of his Rabb (Allah) while being in the position of having fallen (to the ground) and this is like his mentioning the Supremacy (of Allah) while he (the worshiper) is in a state of humility in the bowing position

and he (as well) declares his Rabb (Allah) to be free from whatever is not befitting of Him, from those things which contradict His Supremacy, Majesty and Greatness and His Loftiness and Sublimity. [Source: Kitab as-Salah, by Ibnu-l-Qayyim (Rahimahullah), pg. 181]

What should be understood from this statement is that these words are the best of what can be recited in this position, due to the command of the Prophet (ﷺ) to recite these words; while there are certainly other supplications confirmed in the Sunnah which are optional and can also be recited here.

[Excerpt taken from the book ‘Explanation of Supplications & Words of Remembrance in the Prayer of the Prophet Taken from ‘Fiqh al-Ad’iyah wal-Adhkār’ Shaykh Abdur-Razzaq ibn Abdul-Muhsin al-Badr]