Glorify Allah or the Prophet? What is the correct translation?

[IjazAhmad]

Salamun alaika!



Sahih International
That you [people] may believe in Allah and His Messenger and honor him and respect the Prophet and exalt Allah morning and afternoon.

Muhsin Khan
In order that you (O mankind) may believe in Allah and His Messenger (SAW), and that you assist and honour him (SAW), and (that you) glorify (Allah's) praises morning and afternoon.

Pickthall
That ye (mankind) may believe in Allah and His messenger, and may honour Him, and may revere Him, and may glorify Him at early dawn and at the close of day.

Yusuf Ali
In order that ye (O men) may believe in Allah and His Messenger, that ye may assist and honour Him, and celebrate His praise morning and evening.

Shakir
That you may believe in Allah and His Messenger and may aid him and revere him; and (that) you may declare His glory, morning and evening.

Dr. Ghali
That you may believe in Allah and His Messenger, and (readily) rally to Him, and reverence Him, and extol Him before sunrise and before sunset.

(48:9)

I'm confused...

Regards,
Ijaz

[Joseph Islam]

As-salamu alaykum

I would be inclined to read the Arabic of verse 48:9 as:

"That you may believe in God and His Messenger and may honour him and respect him (the Prophet) and glorify / exalt Him (God) morning and evening (watusabbiḥūhu buk'ratan wa-aṣīlan)”

From a theological / Quranic perspective, the subject pronoun 'hu’ in the phrase 'watusabbiḥūHU’ can only refer to 'God'. This phrase has arguably only been used to signify glorification to God throughout the Quran and given the well attested indisputable themes of the Quran, which only make it permissible to seek help directly from and commit to glorification of God, it would be unwarranted and almost nonsensical to imply or read it otherwise.

033.041-42
"O you who believe! Remember God with much remembrance. And glorify Him morning and evening (wasabbiḥūhu buk'ratan wa-aṣīlan)

076.025
"And remember the name of thy Lord morning and evening (buk'ratan wa-aṣīlan)"

I hope this serves to alleviate your sense of confusion, God willing.

Regards,
Joseph