Tafseer of The Emissaries · Al-Mursalaat · 77:4
And those [angels] who bring criterion
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.
And His word: ( فَالْفَارِقَاتِ فَرْقًا ) "and by those who distinguish sharply." The exegetes differed concerning its meaning. Some said: what is meant by this are the angels who distinguish between truth and falsehood.
* Mention of who said that:
Abū Kurayb related to us, saying: Jābir ibn Nūḥ related to us, on the authority of Ismāʿīl, on the authority of Abū Ṣāliḥ: ( فَالْفَارِقَاتِ فَرْقًا ) "and by those who distinguish sharply," he said: the angels.
He said: Wakīʿ related to us, on the authority of Ismāʿīl, on the authority of Abū Ṣāliḥ: ( فَالْفَارِقَاتِ فَرْقًا ) "and by those who distinguish sharply," he said: the angels.
He said: Wakīʿ related to us, on the authority of Ismāʿīl, 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: ( فَالْفَارِقَاتِ فَرْقًا ) "and by those who distinguish sharply," he said: the angels.
Others said: no, what is meant by this is the Qurʾān.
* Mention of who said that:
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda: ( فَالْفَارِقَاتِ فَرْقًا ) "and by those who distinguish sharply," he means the Qurʾān, in which Allah has distinguished between truth and falsehood.
And the correct view concerning that is that one says: our Lord, exalted is His praise, has sworn by the distinguishers, and they are those who make a separation between truth and falsehood, and He did not single out some of them above others thereby. This is therefore an oath by every distinguisher between truth and falsehood, whether it be an angel, the Qurʾān, or something else.
