Grammar
Part of SpeechVerbal Noun / Absolute Object (Maṣdar / Maf‘ūl Muṭlaq)
Root (Arabic)س ب ح
Root Transliterations-b-ḥ
Tajweed & Pronunciation
Phonetic SpellingSub-ḥān
Common MistakePronouncing the deep Ḥā (ح) as a light English 'H', or rushing over the Bā Sukūn (بْ) without a crisp *Qalqalah* bounce.
Learning Notes
Micro TafsirIn Quranic Arabic, *Subḥān* is the ultimate declaration of *Tanzīh*—absolving Allah from any flaw, deficiency, partnership, or resemblance to His creation. Whenever human minds might attribute limitations to the Divine, *Subḥān* instantly corrects it with pure transcendence.
Memory HookAssociate *Subḥān* with the ubiquitous phrase *Subḥānallāh* ('Glory be to Allah') or *Subḥānaka* ('Glory be to You').
Contextual Verse
Al-Isra (17:1)
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي أَسْرَىٰ بِعَبْدِهِ لَيْلًا مِّنَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ الْأَقْصَى الَّذِي بَارَكْنَا حَوْلَهُ لِنُرِيَهُ مِنْ آيَاتِنَا إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ
Exalted is He who took His Servant by night from al-Masjid al-Haram to al-Masjid al-Aqsa, whose surroundings We have blessed, to show him of Our signs. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Seeing.