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Chapter 37

The Ranged Onesal-Ṣaffāt ( الصافات )

182 verses • revealed at Meccan

»The surah that opens with the oath of the Divine One swearing by the angels arrayed before Him in devotional ranks, The Ranged Ones—thereafter, by other angels propelling the clouds, dispelling evil, and reciting God’s praise. It takes its name from verse 1, which refers to a gropu of angels as “those ranged (ṣāffāt) in ranks”. The central point of this surah is the unity of God (verse 4 and verse 180 ff.) and the refutation of the pagan belief that the angels were daughters of God and worthy of worship. The angels themselves are quoted to refute this (verse 164 ff.). The prophethood of Muḥammad, is affirmed, as is the Hereafter. There are two supporting sections: the scenes in the Hereafter (verse 19 ff.) and the stories of earlier prophets (verse 75 ff.).«

The surah is also known as Devotional Ranks, Drawn Up In Ranks, Ranged in Order, Ranged in Rows, The Rangers, The Ranks, Those Ranged in Ranks, Those in Ranks, Who Stand Arrayed in Rows

بِسمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحمٰنِ الرَّحيمِ

Ali Unal: IN THE NAME OF GOD, THE ALL-MERCIFUL, THE ALL-COMPASSIONATE

1
وَالصّافّاتِ صَفًّا

Ali Unal

This sūrah of 182 verses was revealed in the last stage of the middle Makkan period when God’s Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings, and His Companions were heavily persecuted. It derives its name from the first verse. It begins by mentioning some of the angels that are responsible for certain duties and goes on to mention the jinn, rejecting the pagan assertion that they are the daughters of God. The sūrah then emphasizes the afterlife and the Last Judgment. Afterwards, certain episodes of the lives of some Messengers are mentioned and victory for the believers is promised.
By those (the angels) who align themselves in ranks;