Al-Muta'ali

The Supremely Exalted, The Most High

Al-Muta'ali

The Most Exalted, The High Exalted, The One who is clear from the attributes of the creation.

Allah is Al-Muta’ali, The One who is most high and exalted above all creation. He is far beyond any imagination, thought, and the human mind is to narrow to understand his true greatness.

Mentions From The Quran & Hadith

From the root ‘a-l-w which has the following classical Arabic connotations: to be high, elevated, lofty to be exalted, to rise up, to ascend to be higher to exceed, surpass to overcome, overwhelm to advance, promote, rise above to mount, be overtop, eminent

And [saying], “Be not haughty with Allah. Indeed, I have come to you with clear authority. (Quran 44:19)

[He is] Knower of the unseen and the witnessed, the Grand, the Exalted. (Quran 13:9)

They fear their Lord above them, and they do what they are commanded. (Quran 16:50)

Exalted is He and high above what they say by great sublimity. (Quran 17:43)

Al-Muta’ali (The Sublime) Details

Name:

Al-Muta’ali

Al-Muta’ali in Arabic:

ٱلْمُتَعَالِي

Al-Muta’ali Arabic root:

(ع ل و)

Al-Muta’ali meaning in English:

The Supremely Exalted, The All Exalted

Al-Muta’ali meaning in Urdu:

سب سے بلند و برتر

Appearance in the Quran:

1

Tasbeeh:

For a good personality and commanding position, one can recite it 551 times daily.

Asma ul Husna with similar meaning:

  • Al-Muqtadir- The Omnipotent
  • Al-Waasi- the All-encompassing
  • Al-Kabeer- the greatest, the most grand

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Definition/Meaning of Al-Muta’ali

The name Al-Muta’ali means The Most Exalted, The Supreme. This name stems from the root of ayn-laam-waaw, which has various forms mentioned in the Holy Quran. Scholars have interpreted multiple meanings of this name. However, the most commonly accepted meaning of Al-Muta'ali is the highest or exalted. The second interpretation of this name is to rise above, advance, and overcome. The second interpretation of this name is to rise above, advance, and overcome. The least meaning inferred from the name Al-Muta’ali is the quality of being eminent

Al-Muta’ali has fourteen different derivations, each with several meanings, such as the elevated and the highest. One of the forms of this name, la’ali, is translated as the tyrant. On the other hand, the word ‘Alee’ means prominent. All of these meanings provide a deeper insight into the meaning of Al-Muta’ali. It explains that there is no limit to the supremacy of Allah, and He is the only one who is exalted. It also means that He exceeds all of the creations of the universe. Nothing can compete with him in comprehension, and His glory cannot be understood by the mind of a human being. He is the greatest in His glory and exceeds everything that He has made, even in His attributes.

In the Quran, Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) mentions Himself as “Knower of the unseen and the witnessed, the Grand, the Exalted” (Quran 13:9).

Al Muta’ali’s root word is uluww, which means height and lofted. Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) is the only one who exceeds his greatness and remains unmatched in it. There is no one parallel to his supremeness in even the minutest of capacities, and its magnitude remains beyond comprehension and measures of calculation of his creation.

The name Al-Muta’ali as a name can be explored through a transition of two other names. These three forms of Allah's Grandeur are Al-Aliyy meaning The High, Al-Ala, the highest, and Al-Muta’ali, the highest.  Each of these three names shows that in every form and every dimension, it is Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) who is the Highest and most supreme. 

Significance of Al-Muta’ali

According to the first Pillar of Islam, which is Tauheed, without which we are not a part of the religion that we believe in in Oneness of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) and that Prophet Muhammad is His last Prophet. When one acknowledges this, it is an acknowledgment of the fact that there is no partner or associate to Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) in His Sovereignty and that He is the Most- Sublime.

No one stands in any association with Him in His omnipotence, divinity, and neither name or attributes.  There is no one worthy of worship and one only has the determination to worship Allah Almighty and no other. Both the acts of worship one has on the inside, meaning through zikr and outward in terms of action, it is for Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) and in His worship and no other. Our allegiance is towards One Creator, Al-Muta’ali, The Highest and the Omnipotent.

 Our actions or deeds are all defined in worship to Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) and to surrender to His Grandest presence that extends to this universe and even multiverse. When one believes blindly in Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) and beautifies his life through constant remembrance and surrendering to the love of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى), it makes one realize that in the vastness of this universe and their creator, an individual is only a speck of life who remains powerless if Allah’s mercy does not envelop them.

Names of Allah with the Same Meaning as Al-Muta’ali

Similar to the name Al-Muta’ali in meaning are a few other names in the Asma ul Husna. Among the 99 names of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى), three names have a similar meaning to that of Al-Muta’ali. The 70th name of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) is Al-Muqtadir which means the Omnipotent. Similarly, the 37th name of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) is Al-Kabeer which means the Greatest or the Most Grand.

The 45th name of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) is Al-Waasi which means All-Embracing, All-Encompassing. All of the meanings match those of Al-Muta’ali as all of these reflect on the supremacy of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) and point towards his highest presence. Moreover, these names also indicate the fact that there is none who can match his presence.

More mentions from the Quran and Hadith about Al-Muta’ali

There are several instances in both the Quran and Sunnah whereby the attributes of Al-Muta’ali are clearly mentioned. These are an indication that Allah’s (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) presence extends beyond the physical and metaphysical universe. His dominion remains unmatched and it is in Him who we seek our sustenance and countenance. One such verse that speaks of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) as the ultimate truth and how one calls out to him because he is the Almighty in itself is the acknowledgment that Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) is the most High is the following verse from Surah Hajj:

"That is because Allah is the Truth, and that which they call upon other than Him is falsehood, and because Allah is the Most High, the Grand” (Quran 22:62).

Another verse that explains Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) as Al-Muta’ali- the most sublime and whose power extends beyond everything He has created is the verse from Surah Ash-shura:

“To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth, and He is the Most High, the Most Great" (Quran 42:4).

Another verse that speaks of Allah’s oneness and how Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) is beyond anything that may ever be associated with Him is the 63rd verse from Surah Al-Naml. This verse speaks about Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) as the One and Only who has the power and the dominion to change the shape and course of our lives on this earth and even in the life after.  Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) is the Most Exalted and the Only One who deserves to be worshipped and there is nothing in this world or the universe that even captures an ounce of his Highest presence. The verse mentions this as follows:

“Is He [not best] who guides you through the darknesses of the land and sea and who sends the winds as good tidings before His mercy? Is there a deity with Allah? High is Allah above whatever they associate with Him" (Quran 27:63).