Ayat al-Kursi 2:255 - Structure(s) (Semitic rhetoric)

[Iyyaka]

Salam,

Verse 2-255: This is perhaps the most famous verse in the Quran among muslims.
Tradition gives it the name of "ayat al-kursi". We will see below that I prefer to give it another name...more complete in relation to the themes evoked in this verse.
This verse deserves its reputation as it is a concentrate of treasures. We're just going to touch on a few. Thus, we will approach this jewel from the angle of its structure according to the principles of Semitic rhetoric (more about this tool on this forum by searching the key words "semitic rhetoric").
I hope that you will appreciate the beauty of the Quranic discourse based on symmetry/binarity, recall and harmony. (For your information, we can find a video of Nouman Ali Khan related to our subject) - This symmetry is at work throughout the Quran, and it must be taken into account for any exegetical approach that is based on and by the text itself.
It is the tool that allows me to highlight the intra-texual context, near or distant, of my exegetical approach (https://free-minds.org/forum/index.php?topic=9610915.0)

   --- 1° STRUCTURE ---

This verse is divided into 3 parts or themes: A-X-A' - according to the notation used in Semitic rhetoric:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-A- theme: OMNIPRESENT
God, there is no god except He, the Absolute-Living, the Absolute-Standing (always in activity).
No slumber or sleep overtakes Him.
To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth.
   - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
   -X- theme: OMNISCIENT
   Who can intercede/plea with Him except with His permission?
   He knows what is in their hands (acquired) and their future (after death - posterity).
   They do not have any of His knowledge except for what He consents.
   - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-A'- theme: OMNIPOTENT
His Throne encompasses all of the heavens and the earth
and their preservation costs Him no difficulty.
He is the Most High/Sublime, the Great/Immense.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

   --- 2° STRUCTURE ---

If we unroll these 3 themes then we obtain the following detailed structure: A-B-C-D /X/ D'-C'-B'-A':

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A- God, there is no god except He, the Absolute-Living, the Absolute-Standing (always in activity).
   
   B- No slumber or sleep overtakes Him;
     
      C- to Him belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth.
         
         D- Who can intercede/plea with Him except with His permission?
           
            X- He knows what is in their hands (acquired) and their future (after death - posterity),
         
         D'- they do not have any of His knowledge except for what He consents.
     
      C'- His Throne encompasses all of the heavens and the earth
   
   B'- and their preservation costs Him no difficulty.

A'- He is the Most High/Sublime, the Great/Immense.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Conclusion :
1) This is the ayat of Al-OMNI..
2) The divine names by PAIR are explained before (B'- inductive approach) or after (B - deductive approach) having been cited
3) The connection of the segments by the color speak for themselves - To meditate.

[Mazhar]

Good work.

[Iyyaka]

Good work.

Thanks.

I realize i made a mistake in this sentence (in bold below) - sorry :
"2) The divine names by PAIR are explained before (B'- inductive approach) or after (B - deductive approach) having been cited"
The good one :
"2) The divine names by PAIR are explained before (A'- inductive approach) or after (A - deductive approach) having been cited"
More remarks on this sentence :
- This sentence refers to the first structure wich is in 3 parts (A-X-A').
- Deductive approach = First the quran gives 2 proper-name-function of God and After it explains us the meaning. (It is the case in the part A)
- Inductive approach  = First the quran gives 2 meanings and After it concludes logically with 2 proper-name-function of God. (It is the case in the part A')

Each time we find 2 proper-name-function of God, it is in relationship with words after or before. (at the end of a verse it seems to be always before ). It is always interesting to meditate on these 2 proper-name-function of God to be sure of a good undertsanding of the textual context in which they are included.

God knows best.

[Mazhar]

ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَـٟهَ إِلَّا هُوَ

Realize and recognize it about Allah the Exalted—None at all in miscellany of iela'aha: godheads - deities that are uncritically admired, adorned and worshiped is alive or organizes, administers or sustains others except He the Exalted —

اللہ تعالیٰ کے متعلق یہ حقیقت جان لو—ان تمام کے تمام میں جنہیں معبود تصور کیا جاتا ہے کوئی ذی حیات نہیں،سوائے ان (اللہ تعالیٰ) کے۔


ٱلْحَىُّ ٱلْقَيُّومُۚ

He (Allah the Exalted) is the ever Living; the Absolute; never ever to die; the Sustainer and the Organizer of all that exists; the Sovereign Administrator — [Refer 25:58]

اللہ تعالیٰ کامل حیات ہیں،اوروہ تمام نظام کو سنبھالنے اورقائم رکھنے والے مقتدر اعلیٰ ہیں۔

لَا تَأْخُذُهُۥ سِنَةٚ وَلَا نَوْمٚۚ

Neither doziness-drowsiness nor sleep ever overtakes Him the Exalted [to render unmindful of His created universes and of you people any moment] —

اونگھ اور نہ ہی نیند  کبھی بھی ان پرغالب آ سکتی ہے۔

لَّهُۥ مَا فِـى ٱلسَّمَٟوَٟتِ وَمَا فِـى ٱلۡأَرْضِۗ

Whatever exists in the Skies and whatever exists in the Earth are subservient-dependent-subjects for Him the Exalted.

جو کچھ آسمانوں میں موجود ہے اور جو کچھ زمین میں موجود ہے وہ تمام ان جناب کے لئے نگیں ہیں۔

مَن ذَا ٱلَّذِى يَشْفَعُ عِنْدَهُ ۥٓ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِۦۚ

Who is he the competent - legally qualified—there is none who could recommend - plead for anyone before His Presence. The exception is for the one who has the prior permission of Him the Exalted. [after acquainting the chosen and elevated Messengers with the facts on record].

کون ہے جو ان کے حضور سفارش و وکالت کر سکے گا۔۔کوئی نہیں کر سکے گا۔۔استثنا صرف اسے حاصل ہے جس کے لئے ان جناب کا اذن ہے۔


يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْـنَ أَيْدِيـهِـمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُـمْۖ

He the Exalted knows that which exists in front of them  -past and that which would be in their future time-space —

وہ جناب ہر اس بات کا مکمل علم رکھتے ہیں جو ان کےحال اورماضی میں ہے اور جو ان کے مستقبل میں پنہاں ہے ۔

وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَىْءٛ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِۦٓ إِلَّا بِمَا شَآءَۚ

But they can not comprehensively grasp any physical or abstract entity loaded with partial information of the Knowledge of Him the Exalted. Exception is only to that information which He the Exalted desired to share - acquaint them with.

اور وہ ان کے منبع علم میں سے کسی شئے اور معاملے سے متعلق معلومات کا احاطہ نہیں کر سکتے۔ماسوائے اس کے جو انہوں نے دینا چاہا تھا۔

وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ ٱلسَّمَٟوَٟتِ وَٱلۡأَرْضَۖ

His sovereignty - dominance is expanded beyond the bounds of the Skies and the Earth (Apparent Realm).

ان کا اقتدار آسمانوں اور زمین سے وسیع تر ہے۔

وَلَا يَـٔ​ُودُهُۥ حِفْظُهُـمَاۚ

Mind it; the care-taking of these two Realms does not weary Him the Exalted.

ان دونوں کی حفاضت اور نگہبانی کبھی بھی ان کے لئےموجب تھکاوٹ اور گراں نہیں  ہوتی۔

وَهُوَ ٱلْعَلِـىُّ ٱلْعَظِيـمُ .٢٥٥

Remain vigilant; He is the One and only Exalted Supreme, the Greatest - the Almighty. [2:255]

آگاہ رہو؛وہ جناب  اپنے آپ میں لازوال عالی مقام ہیں؛ابدی عظیم ترین ہیں

[Iyyaka]

I share with you further meditations by a french author about the CENTRAL PIECE OF TEXT "D-X-D'" (with my translation and my own structuration of the text - look at the first post) :
"
These two pieces of text (A-B-C // C'-B'-A') which assert the absolute sovereignty of God over everything, frame a central piece of text (D-X-D'), on the relationships of God with man.

The extreme segments (D and D') attest to a given limit to human capacities (in intercession, that is to say in access to divine power / will [D], and in access to science divine [D']), by divine will ("by his permission" [D] / "what He consents" [D']).
This double affirmation of the dominion of the divine will over man, frames the central segment of the whole verse, which affirms the total knowledge that God has of man.

   -D- Who can intercede/plea with Him except by His permission?                                          POWER

         -X- He knows what is in their hands (acquired) and their future (after death - posterity), KNOWLEGDE

   -D'- they do not have any of His knowledge except for what He consents.                             WILL

The central location of this segment (X) indicates which is the "tip" of the entire verse. It is from the center that we must indeed understand the entire verse. Yet, the verse 2:255 affirms the total knowledge that God has of man and human affairs, as well as the mastery of His will over man (in the two segments that frame the central segment).
This total mastery of divine science and will over man is only a consequence of his absolute sovereignty over everything ("the heavens and the earth"), affirmed in the two extreme pieces of text.
"

May God help all of those who are suffering in the world (because of external or internal threats) as well as their families.
This particular verse must incline us towards more humility with regard to our human power.

[jkhan]

Peace brother..

Just for info..

May I know why you call it as Aya Kursi?

[Iyyaka]

Peace brother..
Just for info..
May I know why you call it as Aya Kursi?

Peace brother,
It is the traditionnal name of this verse in reference to the word "kur'siyyuhu" that appears in it = http://corpus.quran.com/wordmorphology.jsp?location=(2:255:42)
And i indicated in my first post why i prefer the name "ayat al-omni"..