Exalted above what they join (شرك × علو)
تَعَٰلَىٰ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ
taʿālā ʿammā yushrikūn — exalted is He above what they join (with Him)
In ten of the thirteen verses given, the root ش ر ك (joining partners with God) is answered in the same verse by تعالى, 'He is exalted above', so that the act of joining is directly set against God's height. The remaining three verses show the root ع ل و in other forms — an imperative 'come up' and an adjective 'the Most High' — alongside ش ر ك.
The dominant pattern in the verses given is a fixed clause: تعالى followed by عمّا and a verb of the ش ر ك root. In (6:100), (7:190), (10:18), (16:1), (16:3), (23:92), (27:63), (28:68), (30:40) and (39:67) the clause closes the verse's statement — about the assigning of partners in 6:100, 7:190, 10:18, 27:63 and 30:40, and about God's matter, creation, knowledge, choice and greatness in 16:1, 16:3, 23:92, 28:68 and 39:67, and in each of these the ع ل و word is the verb تعالى, third masculine singular perfect; in nine of these the ش ر ك word is the imperfect يُشْرِكُونَ, while 6:100 carries the noun شُرَكَاء and closes تعالى عما يصفون. The grammar itself stages the contrast: the plural, ongoing act of joining (imperfect) is answered by a singular, completed assertion of exaltation (perfect). In (6:100), (7:190) and (30:40) the same verse also carries a noun from the ش ر ك root (شُرَكَاء, 'partners'), so the verse names the partners and then declares God above what they join with Him — though 6:100 closes 'above what they describe' (عما يصفون). Several of these verses pair the clause with a سُبْحَٰنَ doxology — سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ in (6:100), (10:18), (16:1), (30:40) and (39:67), and سُبْحَٰنَ ٱللَّهِ in (28:68) — placing the exaltation formula in a doxological frame. Two verses use ع ل و differently: in (3:64) and (6:151) the word is the imperative تعالوا, 'come up/come', addressed to the hearers, and the ش ر ك word is a negated subjunctive or jussive (لا نشرك, لا تشركوا) — here the root appears in an invitation to a shared statement, not in the exaltation clause. In (40:12) the ع ل و word is the adjective العلىّ, 'the Most High', in a judgment scene where the hearers affirm what is joined with Him.
Where it occurs
- 3:64 The imperative تعالوا opens an invitation to a common statement that includes لا نشرك به شيئا; the two roots appear in a call, not in the exaltation clause.
- 6:100 After شركاء ('partners') is assigned to God, تعالى عما يصفون declares Him exalted above what they describe.
- 6:151 The imperative تعالوا introduces a recitation whose first charge is ألا تشركوا به شيئا.
- 7:190 They assign شركاء in what God granted them; فتعالى الله عما يشركون answers with exaltation above the joining.
- 10:18 After intercessors are claimed apart from God, تعالى عما يشركون closes the verse.
- 16:1 The exaltation clause تعالى عما يشركون follows the announcement of God's matter.
- 16:3 Creation of the heavens and the earth is followed by تعالى عما يشركون.
- 23:92 God as knower of the hidden and witnessed is followed by فتعالى عما يشركون.
- 27:63 After the rhetorical question 'Is there a god along with Allah?', تعالى الله عما يشركون answers.
- 28:68 After God's creating and choosing is stated against their choice, تعالى عما يشركون closes the verse.
- 30:40 The verse asks whether any of their شركاء does what God does, then closes with تعالى عما يشركون.
- 39:67 After the failure to measure God truly and the image of the earth in His grasp, تعالى عما يشركون closes the verse.
- 40:12 The passive يُشرك به ('something is joined with Him') is contrasted with calling on God alone, and the judgment belongs to الله العلىّ الكبير.
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