The Meaning of 'Ayatu l-Kursiyy

والصَّلَاةُ والسَّلاَمُ عَلَى سَيّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ أَشْرَفِ اْلمُرْسَلِيْنَ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ الطَّيّبِيْنَ الطَّاهِرِيْن

As-Suyutiyy said in Ad-Durru l-ma’thur and in Jami’^ l-hadith: “Ibnu Abi Shaybah, Abu Ya^la, Ibnu l-Mundhir, and Ibnu ^Asakir narrated on the authority of ^Abdu r-Rahman Ibnu ^Awf that whenever he entered his house, he would recite the verse of the Throne in its corners.”

بِسْمِ اللَّـهِ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ 

I start my recitation with the Name of Allah (the One Who deserves to be worshipped), Who is Ar-Rahman (the One Who is very merciful to Muslims and non-Muslims in this life), and Who is Ar-Rahim (the One Who is very merciful to Muslims only in the Hereafter).

اللهُ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ

Allah is the One Who is the Only God. He is the One Who is attributed with an eternal and everlasting Life (which is without soul, body, blood, bones or need for food). He is the One Who manages and takes care of the world and does not need any one and every one needs Him.

لاَ تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلاَ نَوْمٌ

He is not seized with somnolence or sleep.

لَّهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الأَرْضِ

To Him belongs what is in the heavens and Earth.

مَن ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِنْدَهُ إِلاَّ بِإِذْنِهِ

No one will intercede, on the Day of Judgment, except with His permission.

يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ

He knows all about His creation.

وَلاَ يُحِيطُونَ بِشَىْءٍ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِ إِلاَّ بِمَا شَاء

They do not know except that which Allah allowed them to know.

وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ

His Kursiyy extends farther than the heavens and Earth

 وَلاَ يَؤُودُهُ حِفْظُهُمَا

and He is not exhausted from preserving them.

وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ

He is the One Who has the highest status (and does not need a place) and Who rightly has the attributes of exaltedness, glory, greatness, and purity from all imperfection.