بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
As-Saffat 37:22
Those who set the Ranks · Juz 23 · Page 446
۞ ٱحۡشُرُواْ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ وَأَزۡوَٰجَهُمۡ وَمَا كَانُواْ يَعۡبُدُونَ ٢٢
[The angels will be ordered], "Gather those who committed wrong, their kinds,1 and what they used to worship
1 translator’s note
- Those similar to them in evil deeds. Another possible meaning is "their wives." ↩
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Commentary on 37:22
In verse 22, it was said: احْشُرُوا الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا وَأَزْوَاجَهُمْ (Muster all those who were unjust, and their fellows). Here, the text has used the word:(أَزْوَاجَ azwaj) for cohorts, fellow travelers, or people of the same persuasion - a word literally meaning 'pair'. Then, this word is very commonly used in the sense of spouses. That is why some commentators have said that it means wives of the Mushriks who were also Mushriks. But, in the sight of most commentators, the word: أَزْوَاجَ (azwaj) at this place means nothing but people of the same persuasion, and it also finds support in a saying of Sayyidna ` Umar. Imam al-Baihaqi, ` Abd-ur-Razzaq and others have reported this saying of Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ under their explanation of this verse. They have said that the word: أَزْوَاجَهُمْ (azwajuhum) in the text means 'other people like them.' Thus, (while mustering the unjust), huddled together there will be the people of the same interest, fornicators with other fornicators and drunkards with other drunkards. (Ruh-ul-Ma’ ani and Mazhari)
In addition to that, by saying: وَمَا كَانُوا يَعْبُدُونَ (and whatever they used to worship - 37:22), it was expressly laid out that, along with the Mushriks, all those false objects and entities like idols and shaitans they used to worship and equate with Allah as His associates in the life of the world will all be mustered together - so that, at that time, the helplessness of these false objects of worship could be demonstrated publicly.
Page 446
سورة الصافات
As-Saffat
Those who set the Ranks · Meccan · 182 ayahs
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
37:1
وَٱلصَّٰٓفَّٰتِ صَفّٗا ١
By those [angels] lined up in rows
37:2
فَٱلزَّٰجِرَٰتِ زَجۡرٗا ٢
And those who drive [the clouds]
37:3
فَٱلتَّٰلِيَٰتِ ذِكۡرًا ٣
And those who recite the message,1
1 translator’s note
- To the prophets or among themselves. Allāh (subḥānahu wa taʿālā) swears by these three kinds of angels to the fact mentioned in the following verse. ↩
37:4
إِنَّ إِلَٰهَكُمۡ لَوَٰحِدٞ ٤
Indeed, your God is One,
37:5
رَّبُّ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَمَا بَيۡنَهُمَا وَرَبُّ ٱلۡمَشَٰرِقِ ٥
Lord of the heavens and the earth and that between them and Lord of the sunrises.1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., each point or place of sunrise. ↩
37:6
إِنَّا زَيَّنَّا ٱلسَّمَآءَ ٱلدُّنۡيَا بِزِينَةٍ ٱلۡكَوَاكِبِ ٦
Indeed, We have adorned the nearest heaven with an adornment of stars
37:7
وَحِفۡظٗا مِّن كُلِّ شَيۡطَٰنٖ مَّارِدٖ ٧
And as protection against every rebellious devil
37:8
لَّا يَسَّمَّعُونَ إِلَى ٱلۡمَلَإِ ٱلۡأَعۡلَىٰ وَيُقۡذَفُونَ مِن كُلِّ جَانِبٖ ٨
[So] they may not listen to the exalted assembly [of angels] and are pelted from every side,1
1 translator’s note
- By flaming meteors. ↩
37:9
دُحُورٗاۖ وَلَهُمۡ عَذَابٞ وَاصِبٌ ٩
Repelled; and for them is a constant punishment,
37:10
إِلَّا مَنۡ خَطِفَ ٱلۡخَطۡفَةَ فَأَتۡبَعَهُۥ شِهَابٞ ثَاقِبٞ ١٠
Except one who snatches [some words] by theft, but they are pursued by a burning flame, piercing [in brightness].
37:11
فَٱسۡتَفۡتِهِمۡ أَهُمۡ أَشَدُّ خَلۡقًا أَم مَّنۡ خَلَقۡنَآۚ إِنَّا خَلَقۡنَٰهُم مِّن طِينٖ لَّازِبِۭ ١١
Then inquire of them, [O Muḥammad], "Are they a stronger [or more difficult] creation or those [others] We have created?" Indeed, We created them [i.e., men] from sticky clay.
37:12
بَلۡ عَجِبۡتَ وَيَسۡخَرُونَ ١٢
But you wonder, while they mock,
37:13
وَإِذَا ذُكِّرُواْ لَا يَذۡكُرُونَ ١٣
And when they are reminded, they remember not.
37:14
وَإِذَا رَأَوۡاْ ءَايَةٗ يَسۡتَسۡخِرُونَ ١٤
And when they see a sign, they ridicule.
37:15
وَقَالُوٓاْ إِنۡ هَٰذَآ إِلَّا سِحۡرٞ مُّبِينٌ ١٥
And say, "This is not but obvious magic.
37:16
أَءِذَا مِتۡنَا وَكُنَّا تُرَابٗا وَعِظَٰمًا أَءِنَّا لَمَبۡعُوثُونَ ١٦
When we have died and become dust and bones, are we indeed to be resurrected?
37:17
أَوَءَابَآؤُنَا ٱلۡأَوَّلُونَ ١٧
And our forefathers [as well]?"
37:18
قُلۡ نَعَمۡ وَأَنتُمۡ دَٰخِرُونَ ١٨
Say, "Yes, and you will be [rendered] contemptible."
37:19
فَإِنَّمَا هِيَ زَجۡرَةٞ وَٰحِدَةٞ فَإِذَا هُمۡ يَنظُرُونَ ١٩
It will be only one shout, and at once they will be observing.
37:20
وَقَالُواْ يَٰوَيۡلَنَا هَٰذَا يَوۡمُ ٱلدِّينِ ٢٠
They will say, "O woe to us! This is the Day of Recompense."
37:21
هَٰذَا يَوۡمُ ٱلۡفَصۡلِ ٱلَّذِي كُنتُم بِهِۦ تُكَذِّبُونَ ٢١
[They will be told], "This is the Day of Judgement which you used to deny."
37:22
۞ ٱحۡشُرُواْ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ وَأَزۡوَٰجَهُمۡ وَمَا كَانُواْ يَعۡبُدُونَ ٢٢
[The angels will be ordered], "Gather those who committed wrong, their kinds,1 and what they used to worship
1 translator’s note
- Those similar to them in evil deeds. Another possible meaning is "their wives." ↩
37:23
مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ فَٱهۡدُوهُمۡ إِلَىٰ صِرَٰطِ ٱلۡجَحِيمِ ٢٣
Other than Allāh, and guide them to the path of Hellfire
37:24
وَقِفُوهُمۡۖ إِنَّهُم مَّسۡـُٔولُونَ ٢٤
And stop them; indeed, they are to be questioned."