Surah As-Saaffaat: Verse 2 - فالزاجرات زجرا... - English

And so are strong in repelling (evil), (2)

2. The second attribute of the angels has been described as: فَالزَّاجِرَ‌اتِ زَجْرً‌ا (fazzajirati zajran: those who prevent firmly). This word has been derived from زَجر (zajr) which means to hold in check, block, prevent or restrain, also to drive back, repel or reprimand. Maulana Thanavi (رح) has translated it in the sense of those who place an impregnable check - which comprehends every possible sense of the word. Now, what is that against which the angels place their check? In view of the context of the Holy Qur'an, most commentators have answered it by saying that the enforcing of check at this place means the act of angels through which they stop the shaitans from reaching the higher levels, and a detailed description of which is going to appear a little later in the Qur'an itself.

(2)