Surah al-An‘am

Meccan. It consists of 165 verses. It was sent down in Mecca all at once (1), at night, accompanied by seventy thousand angels who filled all that lay between the two horizons. Their voices resounded with glorification, praise, and exaltation of Allah. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Glory be to my Lord, the Magnificent! Glory be to my Lord, the Magnificent!” and fell down in prostration (2).

It is also reported in a hadith traced back to the Prophet: “Whoever recites Surah al-An‘am, those seventy thousand angels invoke blessings upon him by night and by day” (3).

Al-Kalbi narrated from Abu Salih, from Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him: Surah al-An‘am was sent down in Mecca, except for His saying, “They did not appraise Allah with true appraisal,” through the end of three verses, and His saying, “Say: Come, I will recite,” through His saying, “so that you may become mindful of Allah.” These six verses were sent down in Medina (4).

“Praise be to Allah, who created the heavens and the earth and made the darknesses and the light. Yet those who disbelieve set up equals with their Lord.” (1)

“Praise be to Allah, who created the heavens and the earth.” Ka‘b al-Ahbar said: This verse is the first verse in the Torah, while the final verse in the Torah is His saying, “Praise be to Allah, who has not taken a son,” to the end of the verse (al-Isra 111).

Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said: Allah began creation with praise, saying, “Praise be to Allah, who created the heavens and the earth,” and He concluded it with praise, saying, “And judgment will be passed between them in truth”—that is, between all creatures—“and it will be said, ‘Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.’” (al-Zumar 75)