Surah Al-Ghaafir: Verse 7 - الذين يحملون العرش ومن حوله... - English

In verse 7, it was said: الَّذِينَ يَحْمِلُونَ الْعَرْ‌شَ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهُ (Those who are bearing the Throne and those who are around it). The present count of angels who bear the Throne (arsh) is four and, on the day of Qiyamah (the Day of Judgment), they will be eight, and only Allah knows the number of angels around the ` arsh. Some Hadith narrations give the number of their rows that reaches several hundred thousand. They are called: کرّوبِی (karrubi, [ Heb. Kerubh or kerub ], plural: [ Eng. Cherubin, or Cherubim, Heb. Cherubim ]). They are angels close to Allah. In this verse, it has been said that all these angels close to Allah pray for all believers, particularly those who repent from their sins and follow the Shari'ah of the Holy Prophet ﷺ . Either Allah Ta’ ala has appointed them to perform this task, or their nature is such that they keep praying for the good servants of Allah. Therefore, Sayyidna Mutarrif Ibn ` Abdullah Ibn Shikhkhir said that out of all servants of Allah, the angels of Allah are the foremost among those who wish well for believers. Firstly, they pray for them. They implore Allah to forgive them, to save them from the punishment of Jahannam and to admit them to the everlasting gardens of Jannah. Along with it, they also pray for: وَمَن صَلَحَ مِنْ آبَائِهِمْ وَأَزْوَاجِهِمْ وَذُرِّ‌يَّاتِهِمْ those as well who did good from among their fathers and wives and children. - 40:8), that is, also admit anyone from among their fathers and forefathers, and their wives, and their children - who meet the criterion of goodness that makes them deserving of forgiveness, a criterion that requires that they should have departed from the mortal world while adhering to their 'iman or faith - yes, admit them too with the same believers into the Jannah.

This tells us that one's 'iman or faith is the basic condition of salvation (najah). After 'iman come other good deeds. The relatives of Muslim believers - fathers, grandfathers or wives and children - even if they are ranked lower than them, such is the munificence of Allah Ta’ ala that He would, in deference to them, also let the relatives of a lesser rank be along with them in Jannah, so that their happiness becomes total and complete as it has been said in another verse of the Qur'an appearing elsewhere:... (We will join their children with them - At-Tur, 52:21).

Said Ibn Jubayr has said, 'When a believer goes to Jannah, he will ask about his father, son, brother and others, and would want to know where they are. He will be told that their deeds were not like yours (therefore, they will not be there). He will say, 'whatever good I did (was not for me alone), in fact, it was for me and them both.' Then, the command will come, 'admit them too into the Jannah.' (Ibn Kathir)

After having reported this Hadith narration in Tafsir Mazhari, the author said, 'this 'mawquf (a Hadith mawquf or restricted tradition from a Companion who does not connect it to the Holy Prophet ﷺ) has the same authority and force as 'marfu" (a Hadith marfu` is a tradition attributed to the Holy Prophet ﷺ) and is explicit on the point that 'doing good' that is held as a pre-condition for having this privilege means 'Iman' or adhering to the true faith.

The Bearers of the Throne praise Allah and pray for forgiveness for the Believers

Allah tells us that the angels who are close to Him, the bearers of the Throne, and the angels who are around Him -- all glorify the praises of their Lord. They combine glorification (Tasbih) which implies that He is free of any shortcomings, with praise (Tahmid) which is an affirmation of praise.

(and believe in Him,) means, they humbly submit themselves before Him.

(and ask forgiveness for those who believe) means, for those among the people of earth who believe in the Unseen. Allah commanded that His angels who are close to Him should pray for the believers in their absence, so it is a part of the angels' nature that they say Amin when a believer prays for his brother in his absence. In Sahih Muslim it says:

(When a Muslim prays for his brother in his absence, the angel says, `Amin, and may you have something similar to it'.)" Shahr bin Hawshab said, "The bearers of the Throne are eight; four of them say, `Glory and praise be to You, O Allah, to You be praise for Your forebearance after Your knowledge. ' Four of them say, `Glory and praise be to You, O Allah, to You be praise for Your forgiveness after Your power.' When they pray for forgiveness for those who believe, they say:

(Our Lord! You comprehend all things in mercy and knowledge,) meaning, `Your mercy encompasses their sins and Your knowledge encompasses all their deeds, words and action.'

(so forgive those who repent and follow Your way.)" That is, `forgive the sinners when they repent to You and turn to You and give up their former ways, following Your commands to do good and abstain from evil.'

(and save them from the torment of the blazing Fire!) means, `snatch them away from the punishment of Hell, which is a painful, agonizing punishment.'

(Our Lord! And make them enter the `Adn (Eternal) Gardens which you have promised them -- and to the righteous among their fathers, their wives, and their offspring!) meaning, `bring them together so that they may find delight in one another in neighboring dwellings. ' This is like the Ayah:

(And those who believe and whose offspring follow them in faith, -- to them shall We join their offspring, and We shall not decrease the reward of their deeds in anything)(52:21). This means, `that all of them will be made equal in status. In this way they may delight in one another's company; the one who is in the higher status will not lose anything. On the contrary We will raise the one whose deeds are of a lower status so that they will become equal, as a favor and a blessing from Us.' Sa`id bin Jubayr said that when the believer enters Paradise, he will ask where his father, son and brother are. It will be said to him, `they did not reach the same level of good deeds as you did'. He will say, `but I did it for my sake and for theirs.' Then they will be brought to join him in that higher degree. Then Sa`id bin Jubayr recited this Ayah:

(Our Lord! And make them enter the `Adn (Eternal) Gardens which you have promised them -- and to the righteous among their fathers, their wives, and their offspring! Verily, You are the Almighty, the All-Wise.) Mutarrif bin `Abdullah bin Ash-Shikhkhir said, "The most sincere of the servants of Allah towards the believers are the angels." Then he recited this Ayah:

(Our Lord! And make them enter the `Adn (Eternal) Paradises which you have promised them) He then said, "The most treacherous of the servants of Allah towards the believers are the Shayatin."

(You are the Almighty, the All-Wise.) means, `the One Whom none can resist or overwhelm; what You will happens and what You do not will does not happen; You are Wise in all that You say and do, in all that You legislate and decree.'

(And save them from the sins,) means, the actions and the consequences.

(and whomsoever You save from the sins that Day,) means, the Day of Resurrection,

(him verily, You have taken into mercy.) means, `You have protected him and saved him from punishment.'

(And that is the supreme success. )