Abu Ja`far bin Jarir
said, "The meaning of
[الْحَمْدُ للَّهِ]
(Al-Hamdu Lillah) (all praise and thanks be to Allah) is: all thanks are
due purely to Allah, alone, not any of the objects that are being worshipped
instead of Him, nor any of His creation. These thanks are due to Allah's
innumerable favors and bounties, that only He knows the amount of. Allah's
bounties include creating the tools that help the creation worship Him, the
physical bodies with which they are able to implement His commands, the
sustenance that He provides them in this life, and the comfortable life He has
granted them, without anything or anyone compelling Him to do so. Allah also
warned His creation and alerted them about the means and methods with which
they can earn eternal dwelling in the residence of everlasting happiness. All
thanks and praise are due to Allah for these favors from beginning to end.''
Further, Ibn Jarir commented on the Ayah,
[الْحَمْدُ للَّهِ]
(Al-Hamdu Lillah), that it means, "A praise that Allah praised
Himself with, indicating to His servants that they too should praise Him, as if
Allah had said, `Say: All thanks and praise is due to Allah.' It was said that
the statement,
[الْحَمْدُ للَّهِ]
(All praise and thanks be to Allah), entails praising Allah by
mentioning His most beautiful Names and most honorable Attributes. When one
proclaims, `All thanks are due to Allah,' he will be thanking Him for His
favors and bounties.''
