Arabic vocabulary
سَبَّحَpraise in Arabic
سَبَّحَ is how you say “praise” in Arabic. Hear it pronounced and see it used in real example sentences from classical texts below.
Root س ب ح (s-b-ḥ)verb (form II)Pronounced sabbaḥa
Meaning of praise in Arabic
- to declare God free from every imperfection — the core sense of tasbīḥ — absolute glorification of God
- to praise, extol, glorify (God) by name — as in saying subḥāna llāh
The verb takes God directly as object (sabbaḥa llāha) or is introduced with a redundant lām (sabbaḥa lillāhi, as opens several Qur'anic sūras); its meaning is to declare God utterly free of imperfection and to magnify and praise Him by His names. The related word subḥāna functions as a substantive standing in for its verbal noun, giving the exclamation subḥāna llāh, 'glory be to God.'
Words from the same root
- سَبَحَto swim
- سِبَاحَةٌswimming
- سَابِحٌa swimmer, one who glides along
- تَسْبِيحٌglorifying and praising God
- سُبْحَانَglory be to (God)
Common questions
- How do you say "praise" in Arabic?
- سَبَّحَ (sabbaḥa) — to glorify God and declare Him free from every imperfection.
- What does سُبْحَانَ ٱللّٰه mean?
- "Glory be to God" — from the same root, an exclamation declaring God free from all imperfection.
Definitions synthesised from Lane's Arabic-English Lexicon (E. W. Lane, 1863–1893).
Example sentences
يهللون الله ويسبحونه ويقدسونه ويحمدون الله
They declare Allah's oneness, glorify Him, sanctify Him, and praise Allah.
وَيُسَبِّحُونَهُ — and glorify Him. wa- = 'and'; present-tense verb 'glorify, praise', 'they' form; the ending '-hu' adds 'Him' — 'and they glorify Him'.
From: Angels at al-Aqsa →قال يقولون يسبحونك، ويكبرونك، ويحمدونك، ويمجدونك،
He says: They say: They glorify You, declare Your greatness, praise You, and exalt You.
يُسَبِّحُونَكَ — They glorify You. A Form II verb 'glorify', sound masculine plural, with '-ka' = 'You' as object — 'they glorify You'. The doubled middle marks the devotional verb; the attached 'You' is God. It opens a list of four praises.
From: Where Angels Gather →سَبِّح اِسمَ رَبِّكَ الأعلى، الّذِي خَلَقَ فَسَوّى
Related words
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