Grammar
Part of SpeechAdjective / Intensive Participle (Ṣifah Mushabbahah)
Root (Arabic)ع ظ م
Root Transliteration‘-ẓ-m
Tajweed & Pronunciation
Phonetic Spelling‘A-ẓīm
Common MistakePronouncing the deep pharyngeal ‘Ayn (ع) as a soft Hamzah ('Azim'), or flattening the emphatic, voiced Ḍād/Ẓā' family letter Ẓā' (ظ) into a regular Zāy (ز).
Learning Notes
Micro TafsirIn the Quran, *Al-‘Aẓīm* represents grandeur that cannot be measured or contained. Whether used to describe Allah's supreme throne (*Al-‘Arsh al-‘Aẓīm*), His immense forgiveness, or a 'tremendous event' (*Naba'un ‘Aẓīm*), it calls the human heart to awe and reverence.
Memory HookAssociate *‘Aẓīm* with the dhikr taught by the Prophet ﷺ during bowing: *Subḥāna Rabbī al-‘Aẓīm* ('Glory be to my Lord, the Supreme').
Contextual Verse
Al-Baqarah (2:255)
اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ لَا تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ لَّهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ مَن ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِ إِلَّا بِمَا شَاءَ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ وَلَا يَئُودُهُ حِفْظُهُمَا وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ
Allah - there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.