سُوْرَةُ فَاطِرٍ
Surah Faatir (35) — Ayah 1
ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ فَاطِرِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ جَاعِلِ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ رُسُلًا أُو۟لِىٓ أَجْنِحَةٍ مَّثْنَىٰ وَثُلَـٰثَ وَرُبَـٰعَ ۚ يَزِيدُ فِى ٱلْخَلْقِ مَا يَشَآءُ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ ﴿1﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
All the praises and thanks be to Allâh, the (only) Originator [or the (Only) Creator] of the heavens and the earth, Who made the angels messengers with wings, two or three or four. He increases in creation what He wills. Verily, Allâh is Able to do all things.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
ٱلْحَمْدُ
al-ḥamdu
All praises
لِلَّهِ
lillahi
(be) to Allah
فَاطِرِ
fāṭiri
Originator
ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ
l-samāwāti
(of) the heavens
وَٱلْأَرْضِ
wal-arḍi
and the earth
جَاعِلِ
jāʿili
(Who) makes
ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ
l-malāikati
the Angels
رُسُلًا
rusulan
messengers
أُو۟لِىٓ
ulī
having wings
أَجْنِحَةٍۢ
ajniḥatin
having wings
مَّثْنَىٰ
mathnā
two
وَثُلَـٰثَ
wathulātha
or three
وَرُبَـٰعَ ۚ
warubāʿa
or four
يَزِيدُ
yazīdu
He increases
فِى
fī
in
ٱلْخَلْقِ
l-khalqi
the creation
مَا
mā
what
يَشَآءُ ۚ
yashāu
He wills
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
(is) on
كُلِّ
kulli
every
شَىْءٍۢ
shayin
thing
قَدِيرٌۭ
qadīrun
All-Powerful
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
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.
All praise is for Allah, the Originator [1] of the heavens and the earth, who made the angels messengers [2] with wings—two, three, or four. He increases in creation whatever He wills [4], for He is surely Able to do all things.
[1]
The Meaning of ﴿فَطَرَ﴾:
In the Noble Quran, six synonymous words are used in the sense of creating. And there is some difference in the meaning of each word. The meaning of ﴿فطر﴾ is to create something, and then to carve and shape it into a beautiful form. That is, Allah Almighty not only created the heavens or the earth, meaning the universe, but also carved and shaped it into the best form and appearance.
[2]
Messenger Angels:
Angels have several types of duties. One of these duties is also delivering messages. One well-known type of message delivery is that the angel Jibreel brings Allah’s message and descends upon the heart of the Prophet. Other forms are that among the angels appointed for the management of the affairs of the universe, there are also some angels who reach them carrying Allah’s command and fulfill the duty of delivering messages.
[3]
The Wings of Angels and Their Speed:
What are the wings of angels like? Allah knows best. In our minds, only the wings of birds can come to mind. Allah Almighty has granted birds wings to fly in the air, and from this, it is also understood that the more swiftly an angel needs to reach his duty, the more wings he is given; at least two wings, then some angels have three wings, and some have four. From this verse, it is also understood that angels are, in fact, the servants and obedient slaves of Allah Almighty. They do only what Allah commands them and only as much as they are commanded. By their own will and choice, they can neither decrease nor increase Allah’s command in the slightest, nor can they go beyond it. Thus, this verse refutes the belief of all polytheists who, considering them as powerful or even as partners in Allah’s power and authority, worship them.
[4] In terms of the context of the subject, the meaning of this sentence would be that some angels may have more than four wings. As Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas’ud ؓ states that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said that I once saw Jibreel ؑ in his original form. He had six hundred wings, and the entire expanse of the east and west appeared filled with him. [بخاری۔ کتاب التفسیر۔ تفسیر سورۃ نجم]
If this sentence is taken in a general sense, then it will be used in a very broad meaning. For example, He continues to increase the progeny of mankind as much as He wills. He continues to bring new species of animals and plants into existence. He continues to create new planets in the universe and is expanding the universe at every moment.
[1]
The Meaning of ﴿فَطَرَ﴾:
In the Noble Quran, six synonymous words are used in the sense of creating. And there is some difference in the meaning of each word. The meaning of ﴿فطر﴾ is to create something, and then to carve and shape it into a beautiful form. That is, Allah Almighty not only created the heavens or the earth, meaning the universe, but also carved and shaped it into the best form and appearance.
[2]
Messenger Angels:
Angels have several types of duties. One of these duties is also delivering messages. One well-known type of message delivery is that the angel Jibreel brings Allah’s message and descends upon the heart of the Prophet. Other forms are that among the angels appointed for the management of the affairs of the universe, there are also some angels who reach them carrying Allah’s command and fulfill the duty of delivering messages.
[3]
The Wings of Angels and Their Speed:
What are the wings of angels like? Allah knows best. In our minds, only the wings of birds can come to mind. Allah Almighty has granted birds wings to fly in the air, and from this, it is also understood that the more swiftly an angel needs to reach his duty, the more wings he is given; at least two wings, then some angels have three wings, and some have four. From this verse, it is also understood that angels are, in fact, the servants and obedient slaves of Allah Almighty. They do only what Allah commands them and only as much as they are commanded. By their own will and choice, they can neither decrease nor increase Allah’s command in the slightest, nor can they go beyond it. Thus, this verse refutes the belief of all polytheists who, considering them as powerful or even as partners in Allah’s power and authority, worship them.
[4] In terms of the context of the subject, the meaning of this sentence would be that some angels may have more than four wings. As Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas’ud ؓ states that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said that I once saw Jibreel ؑ in his original form. He had six hundred wings, and the entire expanse of the east and west appeared filled with him. [بخاری۔ کتاب التفسیر۔ تفسیر سورۃ نجم]
If this sentence is taken in a general sense, then it will be used in a very broad meaning. For example, He continues to increase the progeny of mankind as much as He wills. He continues to bring new species of animals and plants into existence. He continues to create new planets in the universe and is expanding the universe at every moment.
