This Surah was revealed in Makkah before the migration to Al-Madinah. The proof of this is what Al-Bukhari recorded from Al-Bara' bin `Azib, that he said, "The first people to come to us (in Al-Madinah) from the Companions of the Prophet were Mus`ab bin `Umayr and Ibn Umm Maktum, who taught us the Qur'an; then `Ammar, Bilal and Sa`d came. Then `Umar bin Al-Khattab came with a group of twenty people, after which the Prophet came. I have not seen the people of Al-Madinah happier with anything more than their happiness with his coming (to Al-Madinah). This was reached to such an extent that I saw the children and little ones saying, `This is the Messenger of Allah who has come.' Thus, he came, but he did not come until after I had already recited (i.e., learned how to recite)
﴿سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الاّعْلَى ﴾
(Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High.) (87:1) as well as other Surahs similar to it.'' It has been confirmed in the Two Sahihs that the Messenger of Allah said to Mu`adh,
«هَلَّا صَلَّيْتَ بِــ
﴿سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الاّعْلَى ﴾
﴿وَالشَّمْسِ وَضُحَـهَا ﴾
﴿وَالَّيْلِ إِذَا يَغْشَى ﴾»
(Why didn't you recite "Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High,''; "By the sun and its brightness,'' and "By the night when it envelopes.'') Imam Ahmad recorded from An-Nu`man bin Bashir that the Messenger of Allah recited
﴿سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الاّعْلَى ﴾
و
﴿هَلْ أَتَاكَ حَدِيثُ الْغَـشِيَةِ ﴾
Surat Al-A`la (chapter 87) and Surat Al-Ghashiyh (chapter 88) in the two `Id prayers. If the `Id prayer fell on Friday, he would recite them in both prayers (`Id and Salat Al-Jumu`ah). Muslim also recorded this in his Sahih, as well as Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah. The wording of Muslim and the Sunan compilers says, "He used to recite
﴿سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الاّعْلَى ﴾
و
﴿هَلْ أَتَاكَ حَدِيثُ الْغَـشِيَةِ ﴾
Surat Al-A`la (chapter 87) and Surat Al-Ghashiyh (chapter 88) for the two `Ids and Jumu`ah. If they occurred on the same day, he would recite them in both of them.'' In his Musnad, Imam Ahmad recorded on the authority of Ubayy bin Ka`b, Abdullah bin `Abbas, `Abdur-Rahman bin Abza, and the Mother of the believers, `A'ishah, that the Messenger of Allah used to recite
﴿سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الاّعْلَى ﴾
و
﴿قُلْ يأَيُّهَا الْكَـفِرُونَ ﴾
و
﴿قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ ﴾
(Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High.) and (Say: `O you who disbelieve.') and (Say: `He is Allah, the One.') `A'ishah added in her version that he would also recite the Mu`awwidhatayn (Al-Falaq and An-Nas).
﴿بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيم
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
﴿سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبّكَ الاَعْلَى- الَّذِى خَلَقَ فَسَوَّى- وَالَّذِى قَدَّرَ فَهَدَى- وَالَّذِى أَخْرَجَ الْمَرْعَى- فَجَعَلَهُ غُثَآء أَحْوَى- سَنُقْرِئُكَ فَلاَ تَنسَى- إِلاَّ مَا شَآء اللَّهُ إِنَّهُ يَعْلَمُ الْجَهْرَ وَمَا يَخْفَى- وَنُيَسّرُكَ لِلْيُسْرَى- فَذَكّرْ إِن نَّفَعَتِ الذّكْرَى- سَيَذَّكَّرُ مَن يَخْشَى- وَيَتَجَنَّبُهَا الاْشْقَى- الَّذِى يَصْلَى النَّارَ الْكُبْرَى- ثُمَّ لاَ يَمُوتُ فِيهَا وَلاَ يَحْيَا-﴾
(1. Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High.) (2. Who has created, and then proportioned it.) (3. And Who has measured; and then guided.) (4. And Who brings out the pasturage,) (5. And then makes it dark stubble.) (6. We shall make you recite, so you shall not forget,) (7. Except what Allah may will He knows what is apparent and what is hidden.) (8. And We shall make easy for you the easy.) (9. Therefore remind in case the reminder profits.) (10. The reminder will be received by him who fears,) (11. But it will be avoided by the wretched,) (12. Who will enter the great Fire.) (13. There he will neither die nor live.)