سُوْرَةُ الْفَجْرِ

Surah Al-Fajr (89) — Ayah 22

The Dawn · Meccan · Juz 30 · Page 593

وَجَآءَ رَبُّكَ وَٱلْمَلَكُ صَفًّا صَفًّا ﴿22﴾
And your Lord comes with the angels in rows.
وَجَآءَ wajāa And comes
رَبُّكَ rabbuka your Lord
وَٱلْمَلَكُ wal-malaku and the Angels
صَفًّۭا ṣaffan rank
صَفًّۭا ṣaffan (upon) rank

Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.

(Ayah 22) ➊ { وَ جَآءَ رَبُّكَ وَ الْمَلَكُ صَفًّا صَفًّا:} And with the second blowing, all people will be resurrected and standing in that barren plain, waiting. At that time, the Lord, in a manner befitting His majesty, will descend. Along with Him, the angels will come in ranks, the earth will shine with the light of its Lord, and the records of deeds will be presented. The prophets and witnesses will be brought forth, and judgments will be made among the people with truth, and they will not be wronged. See the commentary of Surah Az-Zumar (69).

➋ At this point, Allah Himself has clearly mentioned His coming on that day in explicit words. Some people have denied this and have derived strange meanings for Allah’s coming. For example, some have said that the command of the Lord will come, some have said this is only a figurative expression, meaning only that at that time the awe of Allah will prevail just as it does when kings arrive. Some elders have altered the translation and written in the margin: “The original words are {’’ وَ جَآءَ رَبُّكَ ‘‘} whose literal translation is ‘and your Lord will come,’ but obviously, the question of Allah moving from one place to another does not arise.” The real reason for the mistake of these elders is that they considered Allah to be like themselves, that when a human moves from one place to another, it is necessary for him to leave the first place, whereas Allah’s descending to the sky of the world or coming to the earth does not mean that He is no longer on the Throne. Even now, wonders are being manifested in Allah’s creation, such as electricity, which, while remaining in its place, can reach far through remote control without wires; the attribute of the Creator is far superior to that of the creation. Then, the problem is not only that they denied the attribute of Allah’s coming, but also considered Him weaker than His creation, that the creation can come and go wherever it wishes, but the Creator cannot even come to the plain of resurrection for judgment. The duty of a believer is that when Allah Himself has said that He will come on the Day of Resurrection, he should have faith in it and leave it to Allah as to how He will come. Surely, He will come in a manner befitting His majesty, and understanding its details is beyond the capacity of the powerless creation.

Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.

22. 1. It is said that when the angels descend from the sky on the Day of Resurrection, there will be a separate row of angels from each heaven, thus there will be seven rows. They will surround the earth.

Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.

22. And your Lord will come [16] with the angels, rank upon rank,

[16] This verse is also a test for rationalists, and they interpret it in various ways. The difficulty they face is: since Allah is present everywhere, from where will He come? However, the words of the verse are so clear that there seems to be no room for interpretation. Our duty should only be to accept whatever Allah says exactly as it is. We also know that the Being of Allah is above the seven heavens, upon the Throne. How He will come from there is not our responsibility to know; He will come as befits His majesty. And He will come in such a state that the angels, lined up in rows, will be with Him. This will be the day when you people will be questioned about your deeds.