SURAH 37 — Aṣ-Ṣāffāt — الصافات — “The Ranks (of Angels)”

• Revelation Order: 56
• Event Anchor: Mid-to-late Meccan theological dispute over angels and resurrection (c. 616–620 CE)

Explanation:
Aṣ-Ṣāffāt begins with oaths by ranks of angels, confronting Meccan beliefs that angels were daughters of God or intermediaries worthy of veneration. The surah retells stories of prophets—including Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Elias—to illustrate the fate of those who rejected truth. Its forceful assertions against shirk (associating partners with God) correspond to an era when arguments with Quraysh had crystallized around core theological issues. The surah’s blend of vivid eschatology, angelology, and historical narrative situates it in the mid-to-late Meccan struggle for doctrinal clarity.

Verse	Verse #	Meccan v Medinan	General Index
By those [angels] lined up in rows	1	Meccan	3789
And those who drive [the clouds]	2	Meccan	3790
And those who recite the message,	3	Meccan	3791
Indeed, your God is One,	4	Meccan	3792
Lord of the heavens and the earth and that between them and Lord of the sunrises.	5	Meccan	3793
Indeed, We have adorned the nearest heaven with an adornment of stars	6	Meccan	3794
And as protection against every rebellious devil	7	Meccan	3795
[So] they may not listen to the exalted assembly [of angels] and are pelted from every side,	8	Meccan	3796
Repelled; and for them is a constant punishment,	9	Meccan	3797
Except one who snatches [some words] by theft, but they are pursued by a burning flame, piercing [in brightness].	10	Meccan	3798
Then inquire of them, [O Muhammad], “Are they a stronger [or more difficult] creation or those [others] We have created?” Indeed, We created men from sticky clay.	11	Meccan	3799
But you wonder, while they mock,	12	Meccan	3800
And when they are reminded, they remember not.	13	Meccan	3801
And when they see a sign, they ridicule	14	Meccan	3802
And say, “This is not but obvious magic.	15	Meccan	3803
When we have died and become dust and bones, are we indeed to be resurrected?	16	Meccan	3804
And our forefathers [as well]?”	17	Meccan	3805
Say, “Yes, and you will be [rendered] contemptible.”	18	Meccan	3806
It will be only one shout, and at once they will be observing.	19	Meccan	3807
They will say, “O woe to us! This is the Day of Recompense.”	20	Meccan	3808
[They will be told], “This is the Day of Judgement which you used to deny.”	21	Meccan	3809
[The angels will be ordered], “Gather those who committed wrong, their kinds, and what they used to worship	22	Meccan	3810
Other than Allah, and guide them to the path of Hellfire	23	Meccan	3811
And stop them; indeed, they are to be questioned.”	24	Meccan	3812
[They will be asked], “What is [wrong] with you? Why do you not help each other?”	25	Meccan	3813
But they, that Day, are in surrender.	26	Meccan	3814
And they will approach one another blaming each other.	27	Meccan	3815
They will say, “Indeed, you used to come at us from the right.”	28	Meccan	3816
The oppressors will say, “Rather, you [yourselves] were not believers,	29	Meccan	3817
And we had over you no authority, but you were a transgressing people.	30	Meccan	3818
So the word of our Lord has come into effect upon us; indeed, we will taste [punishment].	31	Meccan	3819
And we led you to deviation; indeed, we were deviators.”	32	Meccan	3820
So indeed they, that Day, will be sharing in the punishment.	33	Meccan	3821
Indeed, that is how We deal with the criminals.	34	Meccan	3822
Indeed they, when it was said to them, “There is no deity but Allah,” were arrogant	35	Meccan	3823
And were saying, “Are we to leave our gods for a mad poet?”	36	Meccan	3824
Rather, the Prophet has come with the truth and confirmed the [previous] messengers.	37	Meccan	3825
Indeed, you [disbelievers] will be tasters of the painful punishment,	38	Meccan	3826
And you will not be recompensed except for what you used to do –	39	Meccan	3827
But not the chosen servants of Allah.	40	Meccan	3828
Those will have a provision determined –	41	Meccan	3829
Fruits; and they will be honored	42	Meccan	3830
In gardens of pleasure	43	Meccan	3831
On thrones facing one another.	44	Meccan	3832
There will be circulated among them a cup [of wine] from a flowing spring,	45	Meccan	3833
White and delicious to the drinkers;	46	Meccan	3834
No bad effect is there in it, nor from it will they be intoxicated.	47	Meccan	3835
And with them will be women limiting [their] glances, with large, [beautiful] eyes,	48	Meccan	3836
As if they were [delicate] eggs, well-protected.	49	Meccan	3837
And they will approach one another, inquiring of each other.	50	Meccan	3838
A speaker among them will say, “Indeed, I had a companion [on earth]	51	Meccan	3839
Who would say, ‘Are you indeed of those who believe	52	Meccan	3840
That when we have died and become dust and bones, we will indeed be recompensed?'”	53	Meccan	3841
He will say, “Would you [care to] look?”	54	Meccan	3842
And he will look and see him in the midst of the Hellfire.	55	Meccan	3843
He will say, “By Allah, you almost ruined me.	56	Meccan	3844
If not for the favor of my Lord, I would have been of those brought in [to Hell].	57	Meccan	3845
Then, are we not to die	58	Meccan	3846
Except for our first death, and we will not be punished?”	59	Meccan	3847
Indeed, this is the great attainment.	60	Meccan	3848
For the like of this let the workers [on earth] work.	61	Meccan	3849
Is Paradise a better accommodation or the tree of zaqqum?	62	Meccan	3850
Indeed, We have made it a torment for the wrongdoers.	63	Meccan	3851
Indeed, it is a tree issuing from the bottom of the Hellfire,	64	Meccan	3852
Its emerging fruit as if it was heads of the devils.	65	Meccan	3853
And indeed, they will eat from it and fill with it their bellies.	66	Meccan	3854
Then indeed, they will have after it a mixture of scalding water.	67	Meccan	3855
Then indeed, their return will be to the Hellfire.	68	Meccan	3856
Indeed they found their fathers astray.	69	Meccan	3857
So they hastened [to follow] in their footsteps.	70	Meccan	3858
And there had already strayed before them most of the former peoples,	71	Meccan	3859
And We had already sent among them warners.	72	Meccan	3860
Then look how was the end of those who were warned –	73	Meccan	3861
But not the chosen servants of Allah.	74	Meccan	3862
And Noah had certainly called Us, and [We are] the best of responders.	75	Meccan	3863
And We saved him and his family from the great affliction.	76	Meccan	3864
And We made his descendants those remaining [on the earth]	77	Meccan	3865
And left for him [favorable mention] among later generations:	78	Meccan	3866
“Peace upon Noah among the worlds.”	79	Meccan	3867
Indeed, We thus reward the doers of good.	80	Meccan	3868
Indeed, he was of Our believing servants.	81	Meccan	3869
Then We drowned the disbelievers.	82	Meccan	3870
And indeed, among his kind was Abraham,	83	Meccan	3871
When he came to his Lord with a sound heart	84	Meccan	3872
[And] when he said to his father and his people, “What do you worship?	85	Meccan	3873
Is it falsehood [as] gods other than Allah you desire?	86	Meccan	3874
Then what is your thought about the Lord of the worlds?”	87	Meccan	3875
And he cast a look at the stars	88	Meccan	3876
And said, “Indeed, I am [about to be] ill.”	89	Meccan	3877
So they turned away from him, departing.	90	Meccan	3878
Then he turned to their gods and said, “Do you not eat?	91	Meccan	3879
What is [wrong] with you that you do not speak?”	92	Meccan	3880
And he turned upon them a blow with [his] right hand.	93	Meccan	3881
Then the people came toward him, hastening.	94	Meccan	3882
He said, “Do you worship that which you [yourselves] carve,	95	Meccan	3883
While Allah created you and that which you do?”	96	Meccan	3884
They said, “Construct for him a furnace and throw him into the burning fire.”	97	Meccan	3885
And they intended for him a plan, but We made them the most debased.	98	Meccan	3886
And [then] he said, “Indeed, I will go to [where I am ordered by] my Lord; He will guide me.	99	Meccan	3887
My Lord, grant me [a child] from among the righteous.”	100	Meccan	3888
So We gave him good tidings of a forbearing boy.	101	Meccan	3889
And when he reached with him [the age of] exertion, he said, “O my son, indeed I have seen in a dream that I [must] sacrifice you, so see what you think.” He said, “O my father, do as you are commanded. You will find me, if Allah wills, of the steadfast.”	102	Meccan	3890
And when they had both submitted and he put him down upon his forehead,	103	Meccan	3891
We called to him, “O Abraham,	104	Meccan	3892
You have fulfilled the vision.” Indeed, We thus reward the doers of good.	105	Meccan	3893
Indeed, this was the clear trial.	106	Meccan	3894
And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice,	107	Meccan	3895
And We left for him [favorable mention] among later generations:	108	Meccan	3896
“Peace upon Abraham.”	109	Meccan	3897
Indeed, We thus reward the doers of good.	110	Meccan	3898
Indeed, he was of Our believing servants.	111	Meccan	3899
And We gave him good tidings of Isaac, a prophet from among the righteous.	112	Meccan	3900
And We blessed him and Isaac. But among their descendants is the doer of good and the clearly unjust to himself.	113	Meccan	3901
And We did certainly confer favor upon Moses and Aaron.	114	Meccan	3902
And We saved them and their people from the great affliction,	115	Meccan	3903
And We supported them so it was they who overcame.	116	Meccan	3904
And We gave them the explicit Scripture,	117	Meccan	3905
And We guided them on the straight path.	118	Meccan	3906
And We left for them [favorable mention] among later generations:	119	Meccan	3907
“Peace upon Moses and Aaron.”	120	Meccan	3908
Indeed, We thus reward the doers of good.	121	Meccan	3909
Indeed, they were of Our believing servants.	122	Meccan	3910
And indeed, Elias was from among the messengers,	123	Meccan	3911
When he said to his people, “Will you not fear Allah?	124	Meccan	3912
Do you call upon Ba’l and leave the best of creators –	125	Meccan	3913
Allah, your Lord and the Lord of your first forefathers?”	126	Meccan	3914
And they denied him, so indeed, they will be brought [for punishment],	127	Meccan	3915
Except the chosen servants of Allah.	128	Meccan	3916
And We left for him [favorable mention] among later generations:	129	Meccan	3917
“Peace upon Elias.”	130	Meccan	3918
Indeed, We thus reward the doers of good.	131	Meccan	3919
Indeed, he was of Our believing servants.	132	Meccan	3920
And indeed, Lot was among the messengers.	133	Meccan	3921
[So mention] when We saved him and his family, all,	134	Meccan	3922
Except his wife among those who remained [with the evildoers].	135	Meccan	3923
Then We destroyed the others.	136	Meccan	3924
And indeed, you pass by them in the morning	137	Meccan	3925
And at night. Then will you not use reason?	138	Meccan	3926
And indeed, Jonah was among the messengers.	139	Meccan	3927
[Mention] when he ran away to the laden ship.	140	Meccan	3928
And he drew lots and was among the losers.	141	Meccan	3929
Then the fish swallowed him, while he was blameworthy.	142	Meccan	3930
And had he not been of those who exalt Allah,	143	Meccan	3931
He would have remained inside its belly until the Day they are resurrected.	144	Meccan	3932
But We threw him onto the open shore while he was ill.	145	Meccan	3933
And We caused to grow over him a gourd vine.	146	Meccan	3934
And We sent him to [his people of] a hundred thousand or more.	147	Meccan	3935
And they believed, so We gave them enjoyment [of life] for a time.	148	Meccan	3936
So inquire of them, [O Muhammad], “Does your Lord have daughters while they have sons?	149	Meccan	3937
Or did We create the angels as females while they were witnesses?”	150	Meccan	3938
Unquestionably, it is out of their [invented] falsehood that they say,	151	Meccan	3939
” Allah has begotten,” and indeed, they are liars.	152	Meccan	3940
Has He chosen daughters over sons?	153	Meccan	3941
What is [wrong] with you? How do you make judgement?	154	Meccan	3942
Then will you not be reminded?	155	Meccan	3943
Or do you have a clear authority?	156	Meccan	3944
Then produce your scripture, if you should be truthful.	157	Meccan	3945
And they have claimed between Him and the jinn a lineage, but the jinn have already known that they [who made such claims] will be brought to [punishment].	158	Meccan	3946
Exalted is Allah above what they describe,	159	Meccan	3947
Except the chosen servants of Allah [who do not share in that sin].	160	Meccan	3948
So indeed, you [disbelievers] and whatever you worship,	161	Meccan	3949
You cannot tempt [anyone] away from Him	162	Meccan	3950
Except he who is to [enter and] burn in the Hellfire.	163	Meccan	3951
[The angels say], “There is not among us any except that he has a known position.	164	Meccan	3952
And indeed, we are those who line up [for prayer].	165	Meccan	3953
And indeed, we are those who exalt Allah.”	166	Meccan	3954
And indeed, the disbelievers used to say,	167	Meccan	3955
“If we had a message from [those of] the former peoples,	168	Meccan	3956
We would have been the chosen servants of Allah.”	169	Meccan	3957
But they disbelieved in it, so they are going to know.	170	Meccan	3958
And Our word has already preceded for Our servants, the messengers,	171	Meccan	3959
[That] indeed, they would be those given victory	172	Meccan	3960
And [that] indeed, Our soldiers will be those who overcome.	173	Meccan	3961
So, [O Muhammad], leave them for a time.	174	Meccan	3962
And see [what will befall] them, for they are going to see.	175	Meccan	3963
Then for Our punishment are they impatient?	176	Meccan	3964
But when it descends in their territory, then evil is the morning of those who were warned.	177	Meccan	3965
And leave them for a time.	178	Meccan	3966
And see, for they are going to see.	179	Meccan	3967
Exalted is your Lord, the Lord of might, above what they describe.	180	Meccan	3968
And peace upon the messengers.	181	Meccan	3969
And praise to Allah, Lord of the worlds.	182	Meccan	3970