Tafseer of Those drawn up in Ranks · As-Saaffaat · 37:166
And indeed, we are those who exalt Allah."
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
( وَإِنَّا لَنَحْنُ الْمُسَبِّحُونَ ) [And verily, it is we who glorify Him] before Him — by this are meant those who perform the prayer before Him.
And in accordance with what we have said about this, the narration has come from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and thus likewise have the scholars of exegesis spoken.
* Mention of who said that:
Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī ibn al-Ḥasan ibn Shafīq al-Marwazī related to me, saying: Abū Muʿādh al-Faḍl ibn Khālid related to us, saying: ʿUbayd ibn Sulaymān related to us, saying: I heard al-Ḍaḥḥāk ibn Muzāḥim say concerning His saying ( وَإِنَّا لَنَحْنُ الصَّافُّونَ وَإِنَّا لَنَحْنُ الْمُسَبِّحُونَ ) [And verily, it is we who stand in rows, and verily, it is we who glorify Him]: Masrūq ibn al-Ajdaʿ transmitted from ʿĀʾisha that she said: the Prophet of Allah ﷺ said: "There is in the lowest heaven no spot the size of a foot but upon it is an angel prostrating or standing." That is the saying of Allah: وَمَا مِنَّا إِلا لَهُ مَقَامٌ مَعْلُومٌ * وَإِنَّا لَنَحْنُ الصَّافُّونَ * وَإِنَّا لَنَحْنُ الْمُسَبِّحُونَ [And there is none among us but he has a known station * And verily, it is we who stand in rows * And verily, it is we who glorify Him].
Abū al-Sāʾib related to me, saying: Abū Muʿāwiya related to us, on the authority of al-Aʿmash, on the authority of Muslim, on the authority of Masrūq, who said: ʿAbd Allāh [ibn Masʿūd] said: verily, among the heavens there is a heaven in which there is no spot the size of a handspan but upon it is the forehead of an angel or his foot, while he is standing. He said: then he recited: ( وَإِنَّا لَنَحْنُ الصَّافُّونَ وَإِنَّا لَنَحْنُ الْمُسَبِّحُونَ ).
Ibn Bashshār related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Raḥmān related to us, saying: Sufyān related to us, on the authority of al-Aʿmash, on the authority of Abū al-Ḍuḥā, on the authority of Masrūq, on the authority of ʿAbd Allāh, who said: verily, among the heavens there is a heaven in which there is no spot but in it is an angel prostrating, or his two feet, while he is standing. Then he recited: ( وَإِنَّا لَنَحْنُ الصَّافُّونَ وَإِنَّا لَنَحْنُ الْمُسَبِّحُونَ ).
Yaʿqūb ibn Ibrāhīm related to me, saying: Ibn ʿUlayya related to us, saying: al-Jurayrī informed us, on the authority of Abū Naḍra, who said: when the prayer was being arranged, ʿUmar would turn his face toward the people and say: O people, stand straight (in the row), for Allah desires for you only the guidance of the angels ( وَإِنَّا لَنَحْنُ الصَّافُّونَ وَإِنَّا لَنَحْنُ الْمُسَبِّحُونَ ); stand straight, come forward, O so-and-so, go back, O so-and-so. And when they stood straight, he came forward and pronounced the takbīr.
Mūsā ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān related to me, saying: Abū Usāma related to me, saying: al-Jurayrī Saʿīd ibn Iyās Abū Masʿūd related to me, saying: Abū Naḍra related to me, saying: when the prayer was being arranged, ʿUmar would turn his face toward the people and then say: arrange your rows and stand straight, for Allah desires for you only the guidance of the angels; He says: ( وَإِنَّا لَنَحْنُ الصَّافُّونَ وَإِنَّا لَنَحْنُ الْمُسَبِّحُونَ ). Then he mentioned something similar.
Muḥammad ibn Saʿd related to me, saying: my father related to me, saying: my uncle related to me, saying: my father related to me, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning His saying ( وَإِنَّا لَنَحْنُ الصَّافُّونَ ), he said: by it are meant the angels; ( وَإِنَّا لَنَحْنُ الْمُسَبِّحُونَ ), he said: the angels stand in rows and glorify Allah, mighty and exalted is He.
Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to me, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, saying: ʿĪsā related to us; and al-Ḥārith related to me, saying: al-Ḥasan related to us, saying: Waraqāʾ related to us, both on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid ( وَإِنَّا لَنَحْنُ الصَّافُّونَ ), he said: the angels.
Ibn Bashshār related to us, saying: Sulaymān related to us, saying: Abū Hilāl related to us, on the authority of Qatāda ( وَإِنَّا لَنَحْنُ الصَّافُّونَ ), he said: the angels.
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His saying ( وَإِنَّا لَنَحْنُ الصَّافُّونَ ), he said: rows in the heaven ( وَإِنَّا لَنَحْنُ الْمُسَبِّحُونَ ): that is, those who perform the prayer; this is the saying of the angels, in which they take pride in their place in worship.
Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Aḥmad ibn al-Mufaḍḍal related to us, saying: Asbāṭ related to us, on the authority of al-Suddī, concerning His saying ( وَإِنَّا لَنَحْنُ الصَّافُّونَ ), he said: for the prayer.
Muḥammad related to us, saying: Aḥmad related to us, saying: Asbāṭ related to us, on the authority of al-Suddī, who said: and al-Suddī mentioned, on the authority of ʿAbd Allāh, who said: there is in the heaven no spot the size of a handspan but upon it is the forehead of an angel or his two feet, prostrating or standing or bowing. Then he recited this verse ( وَإِنَّا لَنَحْنُ الصَّافُّونَ وَإِنَّا لَنَحْنُ الْمُسَبِّحُونَ ).
Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said, concerning His saying ( وَإِنَّا لَنَحْنُ الصَّافُّونَ ), he said: the angels; all of this applies to them.