Those Who Set The Ranks, Drawn up in Ranks, The Rangers — Verse 1

The Virtues of Surat As-Saffat An-Nasa'i recorded that `Abdullah bin `Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to command us to make our prayers short and he used to recite As-Saffat when he lead us in prayer." This was recorded by An-Nasa'i only. بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. It was reported that `Abdullah bin Mas`ud, may Allah be pleased with him, said: وَالصَّـفَّـتِ صَفَّا "(By those ranged in ranks.) -- they are the angels; فَالزَجِرَتِ زَجْراً (By those who drive the clouds in a good way. ) they are the angels; فَالتَّـلِيَـتِ ذِكْراً (By those who bring the Dhikr.) they are the angels." This was also the view of Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, Masruq, Sa`id bin Jubayr, `Ikrimah, Mujahid, As-Suddi, Qatadah and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas. Qatadah said, "The angels form ranks in the heavens." Muslim recorded that Hudhayfah, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: «فُضِّلْنَا عَلَى النَّاسِ بِثَلَاثٍ: جُعِلَتْ صُفُوفُنَا كَصُفُوفِ الْمَلَائِكَةِ، وَجُعِلَتْ لَنَا الْأَرْضُ كُلُّهَا مَسْجِدًا، وَجُعِلَ لَنَا تُرَابُهَا طَهُورًا، إِذَا لَمْ نَجِدِ الْمَاء» (We have been favored over the rest of mankind in three ways: our ranks have been made like the ranks of the angels; the entire earth has been made a Masjid for us; and its soil has been made a means of purification for us if we cannot find water.)" Muslim, Abu Dawud, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah recorded that Jabir bin Samurah, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: «أَلَا تَصُفُّونَ كَمَا تَصُفُّ الْمَلَائِكَةُ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ؟» (Will you not form ranks as the angels form ranks in the presence of their Lord) We said, `How do the angels form ranks in the presence of their Lord' He said: «يُتِمُّونَ الصُّفُوفَ الْمُتَقَدِّمَةَ، وَيَتَرَاصُّونَ فِي الصَّف» (They complete the rows nearer the front and they consolidate the rows. )" As-Suddi and others said that the Ayah فَالزَجِرَتِ زَجْراً (By those who drive the clouds in a good way. ) means that they drive the clouds. فَالتَّـلِيَـتِ ذِكْراً (By those who bring the Dhikr.) As-Suddi said, "The angels bring the Scriptures and the Qur'an from Allah to mankind." The One True God is Allah إِنَّ إِلَـهَكُمْ لَوَاحِدٌ رَبُّ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ (Verily, your God is indeed One, Lord of the heavens and the earth,) This is the One by Whom the oath is sworn, stating that there is no God worthy of worship but He, Lord of the heavens and the earth, وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَآ (and all that is between them,) means, of created beings. وَرَبُّ الْمَشَـرِقِ (and Lord of every point of the sun's risings.) means, He is the Sovereign Who is controlling His creation by subjugating it and all that is in it of stars, planets and heavenly bodies which appear from the east and set in the west. Mentioning the east is sufficient and there is no need for the west to be mentioned too, because it is implied in what is said. This has also been stated clearly elsewhere, in the Ayat: فَلاَ أُقْسِمُ بِرَبِّ الْمَشَـرِقِ وَالْمَغَـرِبِ إِنَّا لَقَـدِرُونَ (So I swear by the Lord of all the points of sunrise and sunset in the east and the west that surely We are able.) (70:40) رَبُّ الْمَشْرِقَيْنِ وَرَبُّ الْمَغْرِبَيْنِ ((He is) the Lord of the two easts and the Lord of the two wests. ) (55:17) which refers to the rising and setting points of the sun and the moon in both winter and summer.

By those who are ranged in ranks — by the angels who range their souls in worship or their wings in the air awaiting their orders;

By the row-keepers in rows! The lords of realization have said various things about which rows of angels these are. One group has said that what is meant is all the rows of the angels adorning the celestial world, through which the seven heavens have become luminous. In each heaven there is one sort and in each class one description. Some are in the station of service with the watchword of veneration, some in the sta- tion of awe with the blanket of watchfulness, some in the state of striving while sniffing the scents of contemplation, some in delight at being attracted by passion for the Friend, some in the market of yearning while whispering secretly with the Friend, some in the dice of love while melting in separation. The chanting of their glorification has deafened the ears of the spheres, their glorify- ing and hallowing have perfumed the world of holiness, and their flashing words have illumined the courtyard of the Throne. All are sitting in the celestial sky in the gardens of approval, all have bound their belts for the Exalted Threshold within the veils of awe. There is no shortcoming in their worship, no fatigue in their obedience, no slackening in their service. They do not disobey God in what He commands them and they do as they are commanded [66:6]. Another group has said that what is meant by these rows is the angels of the Inhabited House specifically, who are in the fourth heaven. They are like the Adamites in this dusty center, who visit the house of the Kaabah every year for one day. The master of the empire, the lord of the Shariah, the foremost of the prophets, said, “On the night of proximity and honor, the night of nearness and familiarity, the night of the miʿrāj, when we were strolling in that towering garden, we reached the fourth heaven and we went to visit the Inhabited House. We saw several thousand of those given proximity next to the Inhabited House. They were all drunk and intoxicated from the wine of union. They were coming from the right and passing to the left, circumambulating and saying 'Here I am,' constantly passing to the left. You would say that their number was more than the stars and greater than the number of leaves on the trees.

By the row-keepers in rows! The lords of realization have said various things about which rows of angels these are. One group has said that what is meant is all the rows of the angels adorning the celestial world, through which the seven heavens have become luminous. In each heaven there is one sort and in each class one description. Some are in the station of service with the watchword of veneration, some in the sta- tion of awe with the blanket of watchfulness, some in the state of striving while sniffing the scents of contemplation, some in delight at being attracted by passion for the Friend, some in the market of yearning while whispering secretly with the Friend, some in the dice of love while melting in separation. The chanting of their glorification has deafened the ears of the spheres, their glorify- ing and hallowing have perfumed the world of holiness, and their flashing words have illumined the courtyard of the Throne. All are sitting in the celestial sky in the gardens of approval, all have bound their belts for the Exalted Threshold within the veils of awe. There is no shortcoming in their worship, no fatigue in their obedience, no slackening in their service. They do not disobey God in what He commands them and they do as they are commanded [66:6]. Another group has said that what is meant by these rows is the angels of the Inhabited House specifically, who are in the fourth heaven. They are like the Adamites in this dusty center, who visit the house of the Kaabah every year for one day. The master of the empire, the lord of the Shariah, the foremost of the prophets, said, “On the night of proximity and honor, the night of nearness and familiarity, the night of the miʿrāj, when we were strolling in that towering garden, we reached the fourth heaven and we went to visit the Inhabited House. We saw several thousand of those given proximity next to the Inhabited House. They were all drunk and intoxicated from the wine of union. They were coming from the right and passing to the left, circumambulating and saying 'Here I am,' constantly passing to the left. You would say that their number was more than the stars and greater than the number of leaves on the trees.

By the row-keepers in rows! The lords of realization have said various things about which rows of angels these are. One group has said that what is meant is all the rows of the angels adorning the celestial world, through which the seven heavens have become luminous. In each heaven there is one sort and in each class one description. Some are in the station of service with the watchword of veneration, some in the sta- tion of awe with the blanket of watchfulness, some in the state of striving while sniffing the scents of contemplation, some in delight at being attracted by passion for the Friend, some in the market of yearning while whispering secretly with the Friend, some in the dice of love while melting in separation. The chanting of their glorification has deafened the ears of the spheres, their glorify- ing and hallowing have perfumed the world of holiness, and their flashing words have illumined the courtyard of the Throne. All are sitting in the celestial sky in the gardens of approval, all have bound their belts for the Exalted Threshold within the veils of awe. There is no shortcoming in their worship, no fatigue in their obedience, no slackening in their service. They do not disobey God in what He commands them and they do as they are commanded [66:6]. Another group has said that what is meant by these rows is the angels of the Inhabited House specifically, who are in the fourth heaven. They are like the Adamites in this dusty center, who visit the house of the Kaabah every year for one day. The master of the empire, the lord of the Shariah, the foremost of the prophets, said, “On the night of proximity and honor, the night of nearness and familiarity, the night of the miʿrāj, when we were strolling in that towering garden, we reached the fourth heaven and we went to visit the Inhabited House. We saw several thousand of those given proximity next to the Inhabited House. They were all drunk and intoxicated from the wine of union. They were coming from the right and passing to the left, circumambulating and saying 'Here I am,' constantly passing to the left. You would say that their number was more than the stars and greater than the number of leaves on the trees.

By the row-keepers in rows! The lords of realization have said various things about which rows of angels these are. One group has said that what is meant is all the rows of the angels adorning the celestial world, through which the seven heavens have become luminous. In each heaven there is one sort and in each class one description. Some are in the station of service with the watchword of veneration, some in the sta- tion of awe with the blanket of watchfulness, some in the state of striving while sniffing the scents of contemplation, some in delight at being attracted by passion for the Friend, some in the market of yearning while whispering secretly with the Friend, some in the dice of love while melting in separation. The chanting of their glorification has deafened the ears of the spheres, their glorify- ing and hallowing have perfumed the world of holiness, and their flashing words have illumined the courtyard of the Throne. All are sitting in the celestial sky in the gardens of approval, all have bound their belts for the Exalted Threshold within the veils of awe. There is no shortcoming in their worship, no fatigue in their obedience, no slackening in their service. They do not disobey God in what He commands them and they do as they are commanded [66:6]. Another group has said that what is meant by these rows is the angels of the Inhabited House specifically, who are in the fourth heaven. They are like the Adamites in this dusty center, who visit the house of the Kaabah every year for one day. The master of the empire, the lord of the Shariah, the foremost of the prophets, said, “On the night of proximity and honor, the night of nearness and familiarity, the night of the miʿrāj, when we were strolling in that towering garden, we reached the fourth heaven and we went to visit the Inhabited House. We saw several thousand of those given proximity next to the Inhabited House. They were all drunk and intoxicated from the wine of union. They were coming from the right and passing to the left, circumambulating and saying 'Here I am,' constantly passing to the left. You would say that their number was more than the stars and greater than the number of leaves on the trees.

By the row-keepers in rows!The lords of realization have said various things about which rows of angels these are. One group has said that what is meant is all the rows of the angels adorning the celestial world, through which the seven heavens have become luminous. In each heaven there is one sort and in each class one description. Some are in the station of service with the watchword of veneration, some in the sta- tion of awe with the blanket of watchfulness, some in the state of striving while sniffing the scents of contemplation, some in delight at being attracted by passion for the Friend, some in the market of yearning while whispering secretly with the Friend, some in the dice of love while melting in separation. The chanting of their glorification has deafened the ears of the spheres, their glorify- ing and hallowing have perfumed the world of holiness, and their flashing words have illumined the courtyard of the Throne. All are sitting in the celestial sky in the gardens of approval, all have bound their belts for the Exalted Threshold within the veils of awe. There is no shortcoming in their worship, no fatigue in their obedience, no slackening in their service. They do not disobey God in what He commands them and they do as they are commanded [66:6].Another group has said that what is meant by these rows is the angels of the Inhabited House specifically, who are in the fourth heaven. They are like the Adamites in this dusty center, who visit the house of the Kaabah every year for one day. The master of the empire, the lord of the Shariah, the foremost of the prophets, said, �On the night of proximity and honor, the night of nearness and familiarity, the night of the miʿrāj, when we were strolling in that towering garden, we reached the fourth heaven and we went to visit the Inhabited House. We saw several thousand of those given proximity next to the Inhabited House. They were all drunk and intoxicated from the wine of union. They were coming from the right and passing to the left, circumambulating and saying 'Here I am,' constantly passing to the left. You would say that their number was more than the stars and greater than the number of leaves on the trees.

أقسم الله تعالى بالملائكة تصف في عبادتها صفوفًا متراصة، وبالملائكة تزجر السحاب وتسوقه بأمر الله، وبالملائكة تتلو ذكر الله وكلامه تعالى. إن معبودكم -أيها الناس- لواحد لا شريك له، فأخلصوا له العبادة والطاعة. ويقسم الله بما شاء مِن خلقه، أما المخلوق فلا يجوز له القسم إلا بالله، فالحلف بغير الله شرك.

سورة الصافات: قال النسائي: أخبرنا إسماعيل بن مسعود حدثنا خالد يعني ابن الحارث - عن أبي ذئب قال أخبرنا الحارث بن عبد الرحمن عن سالم بن عبدالله عن عبدالله بن عمر رضي الله عنهما قال: كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يأمرنا بالتخفيف ويؤمنا بالصافات تفرد به النسائي. بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم قال سفيان الثوري عن الأعمش عن أبي الضحى عن مسروق عن عبدالله بن مسعود رضي الله عنه أنه قال "والصافات صفا" وهي الملائكة.

الواو فى قوله - تعالى - : ( والصافات ) للقسم . وجوابه قوله : ( إِنَّ إلهكم لَوَاحِدٌ )و ( الصافات ) من الصف ، وهو أن تجعل الشئ على خط مستقيم . تقول : صففت القوم فاصطفوا ، إذا أقمتهم على خط مستقيم . سواء أكانوا فى الصلاة ، أم فى الحرب ، أم فى غير ذلك .

القول في تأويل قوله تعالى : وَالصَّافَّاتِ صَفًّا (1)قال أبو جعفر: أقسم الله تعالى ذكره بالصافات، والزاجرات، والتاليات ذكرا; فأما الصافات: فإنها الملائكة الصافات لربها في السماء وهي جمع صافَّة، فالصافات: جَمْعُ جَمْعٍ، وبذلك جاء تأويل أهل التأويل.* ذكر من قال ذلك:حدثني سلْم بن جنادة، قال: ثنا أبو معاوية، عن الأعمش، عن مسلم، قال: كان مسروق يقول في الصَّافَّات: هي الملائكة.حدثنا إسحاق بن أبي إسرائيل، قال: أخبرنا النضر بن شميل، قال: أخبرنا شُعْبة، عن سليمان، قال: سمعت أبا الضحى، عن مسروق، عن عبد الله، بمثله.حدثنا بشر، قال: ثنا يزيد، قال: ثنا سعيد، عن قتادة (وَالصَّافَّاتِ صَفًّا) قال: قسم أقسم الله بخلق، ثم خلق، ثم خلق، والصافات: الملائكة صُفوفا في السماء.حدثني محمد بن الحسين، قال: ثنا أحمد بن المفضل، قال: ثنا أسباط، عن السديّ، في قوله (وَالصَّافَّاتِ) قال: هم الملائكة.حدثني يونس، قال: أخبرنا ابن وهب، قال: قال ابن زيد، في قوله &; 21-8 &; (وَالصَّافَّاتِ صَفًّا) قال: هذا قسم أقسم الله به.

مكية ( والصافات صفا ) قال ابن عباس ، والحسن ، وقتادة : هم الملائكة في السماء يصفون كصفوف الخلق في الدنيا للصلاة .أخبرنا عمر بن عبد العزيز القاشاني ، أخبرنا أبو عمر القاسم بن جعفر الهاشمي ، أخبرنا أبو علي محمد بن أحمد اللؤلؤي ، حدثنا أبو داود سليمان بن الأشعث ، حدثنا عبد الله بن محمد النفيلي ، حدثنا زهير قال : سألت سليمان الأعمش عن حديث جابر بن سمرة في الصفوف المقدمة فحدثنا عن المسيب بن رافع عن تميم بن طرفة عن جابر بن سمرة قال : قال رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - : " ألا تصفون كما تصف الملائكة عند ربهم " ؟ قلنا : وكيف تصف الملائكة عند ربهم ؟ قال : " يتمون الصفوف المقدمة ويتراصون في الصف " .وقيل : هم الملائكة تصف أجنحتها في الهواء واقفة حتى يأمرها الله تعالى بما يريد .وقيل : هي الطيور ، دليله قوله تعالى : " والطير صافات " ( النور - 41 ) .

وَالصَّافَّاتِ صَفًّا (1) القسم لتأكيد الخبر مَزيدَ تأكيد لأنه مقتضى إنكارهم الوحدانية ، وهو قسم واحد والمقسم به نوع واحد مختَلف الأصناف ، وهو طوائف من الملائكة كما يقتضيه قوله : { فالتَّالِيَاتِ ذِكْراً } .وعطف «الصِّفات» بالفاء يقتضي أن تلك الصفات ثابتة لموصوف واحد باعتبار جهة ترجع إليها وحدته ، وهذا الموصوف هو هذه الطوائف من الملائكة فإن الشأن في عطف الأوصاف أن تكون جارية على موصوف واحد لأن الأصل في العطف بالفاء اتصال المتعاطفات بها لما في الفاء من معنى التعقيب ولذلك يعطفون بها أسماء الأماكن المتصللِ بعضها ببعض كقول امرىء القيس :بِسِقط اللِّوَى بين الدَّخول فَحَوْمَل ... فتُوضِحَ فالمقرةِ . . . البيتوكقول لبيد :بمشارق الجبليين أو بمحجر ... فتضمنتها فَردَه فمرخاهافصدائق إن أيْمَنت فمظنة ... . . . . . . . . . . . . البيتويعطفون بها صفاتتِ موصوف واحد كقول ابن زيَّابة :يا لهف زيَّابة للحارث ال ... صابح فالغَانم فالآيبيريد صفات للحارث ، ووصفه بها تهكماً به .فعن جماعة من السلف : أن هذه الصفات للملائكة . وعن قتادة أن «التاليات ذكراً» الجماعة الذين يتلون كتاب الله من المسلمين . وقسَمُ الله بمخلوقاته يُومىء إلى التنويه بشأن المقسم به من حيث هو دَالّ على عظيم قدرة الخالق أو كونه مشرّفاً عند الله تعالى .وتأنيث هذه الصفات باعتبار إجرَائها على معنى الطائفة والجماعة ليدل على أن المراد أصناف من الملائكة لا آحادٌ منهم .و { الصافات } جمع : صافة ، وهي الطائفة المصطفّ بعضها مع بعض . يقال : صف الأمير الجيش ، متعدياً إذا جعله صفاً واحداً أو صفوفاً ، فاصطفوا . ويقال : فَصَفُّوا ، أي صاروا مصطفِّين ، فهو قاصر . وهذا من المطاوع الذي جاء على وزن فعله مثل قول العجاج :قد جَبر الدينَ الإِله فجَبَر ... وتقدم قوله : { فاذكروا اسم اللَّه عليها صَوافّ } في سورة [ الحج : 36 ] ، وقوله : { والطير صافات } [ النور : 41 ] .ووصف الملائكة بهذا الوصف يجوز أن يكون على حقيقته فتكون الملائكة في العالم العلوي مصطفّة صفوفاً ، وهي صفوف متقدم بعضها على بعض باعتبار مراتب الملائكة في الفضل والقرب . ويجوز أن يكون كناية عن الاستعداد لامتثال ما يلقى إليهم من أمر الله تعالى قال تعالى ، حكاية عنهم في هذه السورة { وإنَّا لنحن الصَّافونَ وإنَّا لنحنُ المُسَبِحُونَ } [ الصافات : 165 ، 166 ] .والزجرُ : الحث في نهي أو أمر بحيث لا يُترك للمأمور تباطؤ في الإِتيان بالمطلوب ، والمراد به : تسخير الملائكة المخلوقاتتِ التي أمرهم الله بتسخيرها خلقاً أو فعلاً ، كتكوين العناصر ، وتصريف الرياح ، وإزجاء السحاب إلى الآفاق .و«التاليات ذكراً» المترددون لكلام الله تعالى الذي يتلقونه من جانب القدس لتبليغ بعضهم بعضاً أو لتبليغه إلى الرسل كما أشار إليه قوله تعالى : { حتى إذا فزع عن قلوبهم قالوا ماذا قال ربكم قالوا الحق وهو العلي الكبير } [ سبأ : 23 ] . وبيّنه قول النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم " إذا قضى الله الأمر في السماء ضَربت الملائكةُ بأجنحتها خُضْعَاناً لقوله كأنَّه سلسلة على صفوان فإذا فُزع عن قلوبهم قالوا ماذا قال ربكم؟ قالوا : الذي قال الحق "والمراد ب«التاليات» ما يتلونه من تسبيح وتقديس لله تعالى لأن ذلك التسبيح لما كان ملقناً من لدن الله تعالى كان كلامهم بها تلاوة . والتلاوة : القراءة ، وتقدمت في قوله تعالى : { واتبعوا ما تتلو الشياطين على ملك سليمان } في [ البقرة : 102 ] ، وقوله : { وإذا تليت عليهم آياته في } [ الأنفال : 2 ] .والذكر ما يتذكر به مِن القرآن ونحوه ، وتقدم في قوله : { وقالوا يا أيها الذي نُزّل عليه الذكر } في سورة [ الحجر : 6 ] .( وما تفيده الفاء من ترتيب معطوفها يجوز أن يكون ترتيباً في الفضل بأن يراد أن الزجر وتلاوة الذكر أفضل من الصَّف لأن الاصطفاف مقدمة لها ووسيلة والوسيلة دون المتوسَّل إليه ، وأن تلاوة الذكر أفضل من الزجر باعتبار ما فيها من إصلاح المخلوقات المزجورة بتبليغ الشرائع إن كانت التلاوة تلاوة الوحي الموحَى به للرسل ، أو بما تشتمل عليه التلاوة من تمجيد الله تعالى فإن الأعمال تتفاضل تارة بتفاضل متعلقاتها .وقد جعل الله الملائكة قِسْماً وسَطاً من أقسام الموجودات الثلاثة باعتبار التأثير والتأثر . فأعظم الأقسام المؤثر الذي لا يتأثر وهو واجب الوجود سبحانه ، وأدناها المتأثر الذي لا يُؤثر وهو سائر الأجسام ، والمتوسط الذي يؤثر ويتأثر وهذا هو قسم المجرَّدات من الملائكة والأرواح فهي قابلة للأثر عن عالم الكبرياء الإِلهية وهي تباشر التأثير في عالم الأجسام . وجِهةُ قابليتها الأثر من عالم الكبرياء مغايِرةٌ لجهة تأثيرها في عالم الأجسام

سورة الصافاتتفسير سورة الصافاتمكية في قول الجميعبسم الله الرحمن الرحيمقوله تعالى : والصافات صفا فالزاجرات زجرا فالتاليات ذكرا إن إلهكم لواحد رب السماوات والأرض وما بينهما ورب المشارققوله تعالى : والصافات صفا فالزاجرات زجرا فالتاليات ذكرا هذه قراءة أكثر القراء . وقرأ حمزة بالإدغام فيهن . وهذه القراءة التي نفر منها أحمد بن حنبل لما سمعها . النحاس : وهي بعيدة في العربية من ثلاث جهات : إحداهن : أن التاء ليست من مخرج الصاد ، ولا من مخرج الزاي ، ولا من مخرج الذال ، ولا من أخواتهن ، وإنما أختاها الطاء والدال ، وأخت الزاي الصاد والسين ، وأخت الذال الظاء والثاء . والجهة الثانية : أن التاء في كلمة وما بعدها في كلمة أخرى . والجهة الثالثة : أنك إذا أدغمت جمعت بين ساكنين من كلمتين ، وإنما يجوز الجمع بين ساكنين في مثل هذا إذا كانا في كلمة واحدة ، نحو دابة وشابة . ومجاز قراءة حمزة أن التاء قريبة المخرج من هذه الحروف . " والصافات " قسم ، الواو بدل من الباء . والمعنى برب الصافات و " الزاجرات " عطف عليه . إن إلهكم لواحد جواب القسم . وأجاز الكسائي فتح إن في القسم . والمراد ب " الصافات " وما بعدها إلى قوله : فالتاليات ذكرا الملائكة في قول ابن عباس وابن مسعود وعكرمة وسعيد بن جبير ومجاهد وقتادة . تصف في السماء كصفوف الخلق في الدنيا للصلاة . وقيل : تصف أجنحتها في الهواء واقفة فيه [ ص: 58 ] حتى يأمرها الله بما يريد . وهذا كما تقوم العبيد بين أيدي ملوكهم صفوفا . وقال الحسن : صفا لصفوفهم عند ربهم في صلاتهم . وقيل : هي الطير ، دليله قوله تعالى : أولم يروا إلى الطير فوقهم صافات والصف ترتيب الجمع على خط كالصف في الصلاة . والصافات جمع الجمع ، يقال : جماعة صافة ثم يجمع صافات . وقيل : الصافات جماعة الناس المؤمنين إذا قاموا صفا في الصلاة أو في الجهاد ، ذكره القشيري .

One of the secrets revealed through the Prophet is the existence of angels. Here, three special aspects of the angels have been mentioned. First, they are completely obedient to God. Without the slightest hesitation or objection, they carry out His orders. Then there is a group of angels which implements the punishments imposed by God on human beings, either in the shape of calamities or untoward incidents or in any other manner dictated by Him. The angels also bring God’s advice to man in the form of inspiration or intuition (ilham) and as revelation (wahi) to the prophets.

Commentary Subjects of-the Surah This Surah is Makki, that is, it was revealed in Makkah al-Mukarramah. Like other Makki Surahs, matters of faith have been taken up as its essential subject. In it, beliefs about Divine Oneness, the mission of messengers and the certain eventuality of the Hereafter have been fortified with proofs presented in various ways. As a corollary, a refutation of the beliefs of Mushriks as well as the scenes of Paradise and Hell also appear in the Surah. After providing rational support for beliefs that formed part of the call of the noble prophets (علیہم السلام) and after removing doubts and objections raised by disbelievers, the Surah describes how Allah Ta’ ala dealt with those who embraced these beliefs in the past and what was the fate of those who opted to take the road to denial and disbelief? Accordingly, in that wise, events relating to Sayyidna Nuh, Ibrahim, Musa, Harun, Ilyas, Lut and Yunus (علیہم السلام) have been mentioned, briefly at some places and in details at others. The Mushriks of Makkah used to call angels: Daughters of God. Towards the end, this belief has been refuted in details and an overall view of the Surah seems to indicate that the refutation of this particular kind of shirk (ascribing partners to the Divinity of Allah by declaring angels to be the daughters of God) has been kept in marked sight. Therefore, the Surah has been initiated with an oath taken in the name of angels combined with a declaration of the attributes of their servitude. وَاللہ سبحانہ و تعالیٰ اَعلَم (And Allah, who is Pure, knows best). Tauhid: The Oneness of Allah is the first subject The Surah has been initiated by a description of the belief in Tauhid, the Oneness of Allah and the real purpose of the first four verses is to state:إنَّ إِلَـٰهَكُمْ لَوَاحِدٌ (surely your God is but One - 37:4). But, before this is asserted, three oaths are sworn ahead of it. A simple literal translation of these oaths is given below: " (I swear) by those who stand in rows, [ 1] then by those who prevent firmly [ 2], then by those who recite the dhikr. Who are these people identified as "those who stand in rows," then, "those who prevent firmly" and then, "those who recite the dhikr?" There is no clarification in the words of the noble Qur'an about it. Therefore, different views have been expressed to explain it. Some respected commentators say that these refer to living warriors who come out to wage Jihad in the way of Allah and who stand in rows after rows, so that they prevent the aggression of the forces of the false, and even when they file in readiness for combat, even then, they remain engaged in dhikr, tasbih and the recitation of the Qur'an as well. Some others have said that they mean the performers of prayers who stand in rows in the Masjid and prevent Shaitanic thoughts denying access to them by means of a total concentration on dhikr and the recitation of the Qur'an (Tafsir Kabir and Qurtubi). Other than these, there are some explanations that do not bear much congruity with the actual words of the Qur'an. But, the Tafsir or explanation which found the widest acceptance with the majority of commentators was that the reference here is to angels, and given here are three attributes credited to them: 1. The first attribute is: الصَّافَّاتِ صَفًّا (those who stand in rows). This expression comes from the word: صَفّ (saff) and it means 'to align some group on a straight line' (Qurtubi). Thus, it means precisely as it has been translated above. That the angels stand in the formation of rows has also been mentioned later in this very Surah: وَإِنَّا لَنَحْنُ الصَّافُّونَ (and We, surely We are those who stand in rows - 37:165). When are these rows formed? In answer to that, some respected commentators - such as, Sayyidna lbn ` Abbas, Hasan al-Basri and Qatadah - have said that angels are always standing in their rows in space awaiting the command of their Lord, and when it comes, they carry it out (Mazhari). Some others particularize it with the time of worship, that is, when the angels are engaged in ` ibadah, dhikr and tasbih (worship, remembrance and glorification of Allah), they are in a row formation (Tafsir Kabir). Discipline is desirable in Islam From this verse, we learn that doing everything in an organized and disciplined manner and giving due consideration to order and skill in whatever we do is something expected of us and is certainly liked by Allah Ta’ ala;. It is obvious that the two objectives of the worship of Allah Ta’ ala and the implementation of His command might have as well been achieved if the angels, rather than form rows, could have assembled in the form of a disorganized mob. But, instead of being subjected to something so haphazard, they were given the taufiq or ability to make rows. Then, by mentioning this very attribute first out of their good attributes in this verse, it was pointed out that Allah Ta’ ala likes this style of propriety very much. The importance of making rows come straight and right in Salah So this is not for angels only. Human beings too have been induced to and bound with the need to make their rows straight and right during 'ibadah'. According to a narration of Sayyidna Jabir Ibn Samurah ؓ ، the Holy Prophet ﷺ said to him and those with him, "Why do you not align yourself in perfect rows (while offering Salah) as do the angels before their Lord?" The Sahabah asked, 'How do the angels form their rows before their Lord?' He said, "They complete the rows and stand compactly (that is, leave no gap in between the row)." (Tafsir Mazhari) So many ahadith stressing on the need to make rows complete and keep them straight in Salah have appeared that they could fill an independent treatise on the subject. Sayyidna Abu Mas'ud al-Badri ؓ says that the Holy Prophet ﷺ would touch our shoulders with his blessed hand during Salah and say, "Stand straight, do not step ahead or fall behind, otherwise, it will cause dissension to creep up in your hearts." (Jam' al-Fawa'id, with reference to Muslim and an-Nasa'i, p. 91, v.1)

And from his narration on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas that he said regarding the interpretation of Allah's saying (By those who set the ranks in battle order): '(By those who set the ranks in battle order) Allah swore by the angels who are, in heaven, aligned in rows like the rows of the believers in prayer.