Towards Understanding the Quran
With kind permission of Islamic Foundation UK
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Tafsirs: Maarif | Dawat | Ishraq | Clear
Surah As-Saffat 37:160-166   Chapters ↕   Word for Word
Verses [Section]: 1-21[1], 22-74 [2], 75-113 [3], 114-138 [4], 139-182 [5]
اِلَّاExceptعِبَادَ(the) slavesاللّٰهِ(of) Allahالْمُخْلَصِیْنَ the chosen فَاِنَّكُمْSo indeed youوَ مَاand whatتَعْبُدُوْنَۙyou worship مَاۤNotاَنْتُمْyouعَلَیْهِfrom Himبِفٰتِنِیْنَۙcan tempt away (anyone) اِلَّاExceptمَنْwhoهُوَheصَالِ(is) to burnالْجَحِیْمِ (in) the Hellfire وَ مَاAnd notمِنَّاۤamong usاِلَّاexceptلَهٗfor himمَقَامٌ(is) a positionمَّعْلُوْمٌۙknown وَّ اِنَّاAnd indeed weلَنَحْنُsurely [we]الصَّآفُّوْنَۚstand in rows وَ اِنَّاAnd indeed weلَنَحْنُsurely [we]الْمُسَبِّحُوْنَ glorify (Allah)

Translation

(37:160) all of them except the chosen servants of Allah.

(37:161) So you and your deities

(37:162) shall not be able to tempt anyone away from Allah

(37:163) except him who shall roast in the Blazing Fire.90

(37:164) As for us, there is none but has an appointed station.91

(37:165) Verily we range ourselves in rows (as humble servants)

(37:166) and we are of those who glorify Allah.”

Commentary

90. This may alternatively be translated as follows: “So you and your worship shall not be able to tempt anyone away from God except

Taken in this sense, the angels will tell their devotees that they will be unable to tempt them to err by their act of worshipping them. In other words, the devotees could beguile only those who have been caught in the vortex of their doom. As for the angels, they will simply not oblige their devotees by falling into their trap.

91. Far from being God’s children, angels cannot dare to deviate even slightly from the roles assigned to each of them.