Sūrah Aṣ-Ṣāffāt Those Who Set the Ranks

الصافات

182 verses, Makkī. Angels ranged in ranks, those who drive the clouds, and those who recite the reminder all sworn as witnesses to tawḥīd. The description of Paradise and Hell. Ibrāhīm's ﷺ willingness to sacrifice his son the greatest test of a father. Yūnus ﷺ swallowed by the whale.

Surah Overview

DetailInformationClassificationSignificance

SurahالصافاتAṣ-Ṣāffāt Those Who Set the RanksAngels in formation oaths of tawḥīd

TypeMakkī182 versesJuzʾ 23

Central StoryIbrāhīm's ﷺ sacrifice of his son (37:99–113)The greatest test of love for AllahThe origin of Eid al-Aḍḥā

Refrain"And peace be upon the messengers" repeated after each story37:79, 37:109, 37:120, 37:130, 37:181Divine salutation on the prophets

Key Themes from Ibn Kathīr

The sacrifice of Ismāʿīl ﷺ (37:99–113): Ibrāhīm ﷺ saw in a dream that he was slaughtering his son. He told his son "O my son, indeed I have seen in a dream that I slaughter you so see what you think." He said: "O my father, do as you are commanded. You will find me, if Allah wills, among the patient." When he laid him down and drew the knife "O Ibrāhīm, you have fulfilled the vision." We ransomed him with a great sacrifice. Ibn Kathīr records the scholarly debate: was it Ismāʿīl or Isḥāq ﷺ? He prefers Ismāʿīl.

فَلَمَّا أَسْلَمَا وَتَلَّهُ لِلْجَبِينِ ۝ وَنَادَيْنَاهُ أَن يَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ ۝ قَدْ صَدَّقْتَ الرُّؤْيَا Fa-lammā aslamā wa tallahu li-l-jabīn · wa nādaynāhu an yā Ibrāhīm · qad ṣaddaqta r-ruʾyā And when they had both submitted and he laid him down upon his forehead We called to him: "O Abraham, you have fulfilled the vision." (37:103–105) The moment of ultimate surrender and divine acceptance.

فَنَادَاهُ مِن بَطْنِ الْحُوتِ أَنِّي كُنتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ Fa-nādāhu min baṭni l-ḥūti annī kuntu min aẓ-ẓālimīn And he called out within the darknesses: "There is no deity except You exalted are You. Indeed I have been of the wrongdoers." (21:87, referenced here in 37:143–144) The duʿāʾ that freed Yūnus ﷺ from the whale.

The guarded heaven (37:6–10): Allah adorned the lowest heaven with the adornment of stars and as protection against every rebellious devil. The devils cannot listen to the exalted assembly they are pelted from every side. Ibn Kathīr: the shooting stars are not natural phenomena they are missiles directed at eavesdropping jinn.
The food of Hell Zaqqūm (37:62–68): Is that a better hospitality, or the tree of Zaqqūm? Indeed We have made it a trial for the wrongdoers it grows from the bottom of the Hellfire, its shoots like the heads of devils. Ibn Kathīr: a tree that grows in fire a miracle of punishment defying natural logic.
The honour of the prophets is preserved (37:79, 37:109, 37:120, 37:130, 37:181): "Peace be upon Nūḥ / Ibrāhīm / Mūsā and Hārūn / Ilyās / all the messengers" repeated five times. Ibn Kathīr: divine salutation the highest honour conferred on the prophets after the hardship of their missions.
Yūnus ﷺ and the whale (37:139–148): He left in anger and thought We had no power over him. The whale swallowed him. Had he not been of those who glorify Allah he would have remained in its belly until the Day they are resurrected. The dhikr of Yūnus ﷺ was what saved him.
The jinn are not the partners of Allah (37:158–159): The polytheists made the jinn partners of Allah the jinn themselves will testify against this on the Day of Judgement. The false claims of the polytheists will be contradicted by their own invented partners.

Surah Overview

Key Themes from Ibn Kathīr

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