The word سبحان الله (subhanAllah) has been used many times in the Quran and Sunnah
It is often translated as “glory be to Allah” but that’s actually not a very good translation.
The root of the word سبحان is سبح, which means “to swim on the surface.” So subhan actually means that Allah is above or removed from the incorrect statements that people make about Allah.
So a better translation would be “how free of any imperfection is Allah.” This is the context in which it is used in the Qur’an[1].
You’ll see that it’s frequently used when someone makes an allegation about Allah (e.g. that Allah has a son, or that Allah has partners).
So when one says it, one should be thinking “how perfect is Allah” or more specifically “how free of any imperfection is Allah.”
سبحان الله
For example, the Quran says:
سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ عَمَّا يَص
Glorified is Allah! (He is Free) from what they attribute unto Him! [37:159]
And in the Quran it also says:
أَمْ لَهُمْ إِلَٰهٌ غَيْرُ اللَّهِ ۚ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ
Or have they an ilah (a god) other than Allah? Glorified be Allah from all that they ascribe as partners (to Him) [52:43]
وَذَا النُّونِ إِذْ ذَهَبَ مُغَاضِبًا فَظَنَّ أَنْ لَنْ نَقْدِرَ عَلَيْهِ فَنَادَىٰ فِي الظُّلُمَاتِ أَنْ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنْتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ
And (remember) Dhan-Nun (Jonah), when he went off in anger, and imagined that We shall not punish him (i.e. the calamites which had befallen him)! But he cried through the darkness (saying): La ilaha illa Anta [none has the right to be worshipped but You (O Allah)], Glorified (and Exalted) are You [above all that (evil) they associate with You]. Truly, I have been of the wrong-doers.” [21:87]
وَإِذْ قَالَ اللَّهُ يَا عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ أَأَنْتَ قُلْتَ لِلنَّاسِ اتَّخِذُونِي وَأُمِّيَ إِلَٰهَيْنِ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ ۖ قَالَ سُبْحَانَكَ مَا يَكُونُ لِي أَنْ أَقُولَ مَا لَيْسَ لِي بِحَقٍّ ۚ إِنْ كُنْتُ قُلْتُهُ فَقَدْ عَلِمْتَهُ ۚ تَعْلَمُ مَا فِي نَفْسِي وَلَا أَعْلَمُ مَا فِي نَفْسِكَ ۚ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ عَلَّامُ الْغُيُوبِ
And (remember) when Allah will say (on the Day of Resurrection): “O ‘Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary)! Did you say unto men: ‘Worship me and my mother as two gods besides Allah?’ ” He will say: “Glory be to You! It was not for me to say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, You would surely have known it. You know what is in my inner-self though I do not know what is in Yours, truly, You, only You, are the All-Knower of all that is hidden and unseen. [5:116]
We can also find it’s usage in the sunnah
سبحان الله وبحمده سبحان الله العظيم
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, “There are two statements that are light for the tongue to remember, heavy in the Scales and are dear to the Merciful: `Subhan-Allahi wa bihamdihi, Subhan-Allahil-Azhim [Glory be to Allah and His is the praise, (and) Allah, the Greatest is free from imperfection)’.”
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
سبحان الله وبحمده
Abu Dharr (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said to me, “Shall I tell you the expression that is most loved by Allah?” It is `Subhan-Allahi wa bihamdihi’ (Allah is free from imperfection and His is the praise)’.”
[Muslim]
When one studies all these instances in the Qur’an, it will become apparent that سبحان الله (subhanAllah) has been used in the discussion removal of a false accusation or claim of imperfection from Allah, however to my knowledge, only once in the Qur’an has سبحان الله (subhanAllah) been used in conjunction with another matter, and that is non other than when Allah removes the false slander [2] (الإفك) against our mother Aisha رضي الله عنها. The beautiful verses in Surah Al-Noor (النور) where the story of the slander is discussed are verily ones to ponder and reflect for these verses provide just one example where the Qur’an elevates the status of women by way of defending the chastity of Aisha رضي الله عنها and rebuking those, who until this day wish to speak ill of her.
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ جَاءُوا بِالْإِفْكِ عُصْبَةٌ مِنْكُمْ ۚ لَا تَحْسَبُوهُ شَرًّا لَكُمْ ۖ بَلْ هُوَ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ ۚ لِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مِنْهُمْ مَا اكْتَسَبَ مِنَ الْإِثْمِ ۚ وَالَّذِي تَوَلَّىٰ كِبْرَهُ مِنْهُمْ لَهُ عَذَابٌ عَظِيم
Verily! Those who brought forth the slander (against ‘Aishah, the wife of the Prophet SAW) are a group among you. Consider it not a bad thing for you. Nay, it is good for you. Unto every man among them will be paid that which he had earned of the sin, and as for him among them who had the greater share therein, his will be a great torment. [24:11]
لَوْلَا إِذْ سَمِعْتُمُوهُ ظَنَّ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتُ بِأَنْفُسِهِمْ خَيْرًا وَقَالُوا هَٰذَا إِفْكٌ مُبِين
Why then, did not the believers, men and women, when you heard it (the slander) think good of their own people and say: “This (charge) is an obvious lie?” [24:12]
لَوْلَا جَاءُوا عَلَيْهِ بِأَرْبَعَةِ شُهَدَاءَ ۚ فَإِذْ لَمْ يَأْتُوا بِالشُّهَدَاءِ فَأُولَٰئِكَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ هُمُ الْكَاذِبُون
Why did they not produce four witnesses? Since they (the slanderers) have not produced witnesses! Then with Allah they are the liars. [24:13]
وَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ لَمَسَّكُمْ فِي مَا أَفَضْتُمْ فِيهِ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ
Had it not been for the Grace of Allah and His Mercy unto you in this world and in the Hereafter, a great torment would have touched you for that whereof you had spoken. [24:14]
إِذْ تَلَقَّوْنَهُ بِأَلْسِنَتِكُمْ وَتَقُولُونَ بِأَفْوَاهِكُمْ مَا لَيْسَ لَكُمْ بِهِ عِلْمٌ وَتَحْسَبُونَهُ هَيِّنًا وَهُوَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ عَظِيمٌ
When you were propagating it with your tongues, and uttering with your mouths that whereof you had no knowledge, you counted it a little thing, while with Allah it was very great. [24:15]
وَلَوْلَا إِذْ سَمِعْتُمُوهُ قُلْتُمْ مَا يَكُونُ لَنَا أَنْ نَتَكَلَّمَ بِهَٰذَا سُبْحَانَكَ هَٰذَا بُهْتَانٌ عَظِيمٌ
And why did you not, when you heard it, say? “It is not right for us to speak of this. Glory be to You (O Allah) this is a great lie.” [24:16]
Footnotes:
[1] Here’s a list of times the phrase subhanAllah appears in the Qur’an: سبحانالله – Qur’an Search – The Noble Qur’an – القرآنالكريم.[2] Story of the slander against Aisha
Pearls of knowledge 