Ilmy Notes From Surah As-Saffaat, The Ranks

Course notes from the Living With The Quran at Al-Markaz in England. Read the surah As-Saffaat, Those Lined In Ranks, chapter 37, 182 verses.  

Surah Themes 

• Saffaat: refers to the angels who stand in rows, in ranks. 
• Allah immediately takes 3 oaths (Qasam). 
• A mid-range chapter with beautiful fluency and sweetness in recitation. 
• Gardens and thrones; the ‘First’ death. 
• Zaqqoom (tree) and boiling water in Hell. 
• Prophets in Islam: Nuh, Ibrahim, Ismail, Ishaaq, Lut, Yunus.

SECTION 1: Names of Resurrection Day 

• Ayah 1: 

1. The first oath - Angels lined up in rows on Judgement Day (Saffaat). 
2. The second oath - Angels in charge of the atmospheric changes. 
3. The third oath - Angels who recite Allah’s Message. 

• Ayah 4: Allah is ONE. 
• Ayah 6: Allah is the One Who decorated the sky with stars. ⭐
• Ayah 7: The stars are used to protect against devils (Shayateen). 
• Ayah 8: Stars stop Shayateen from listening to angels. 
• Ayah 15: People think resurrection is magic. 
• Ayah 16-18: They doubt, ‘will we and our fathers be resurrected?’ YES 
• Ayah 20: Day of Recompense [Yawm ud-deen]. 
• Ayah 21: Day of Judgement [Yawm ul-Fasl]. 

SECTION 2: Arguments in Hellfire 

• Ayah 22-23: Disbelievers are gathered and guided towards the path to Hell.
• Ayah 24: Allah says to angels - Stop them, who? The Kuffaar. They need questioning. 
• Ayah 24: In Allah’s court they are asked, why don’t you help each other? 
• Ayah 26: They drop their heads in shame. 
• Ayah 27-28: They blame each other: why didn’t you help? They called one another in life, but now the reply… 
• Ayah 29: It’s not our fault. You came to us for empty promises, says the gang leader. 
• Ayah 30: “We had no authority over you” (but they were all wrong). 
• Ayah 33: So they all share the punishment. 
• Ayah 36: They did not want to leave their gods for “a mad poet” 
• Ayah 37: Prophet Muhammad has come with truth and confirmed previous messengers. 

JANNAH 

• Ayah 40-50: Who are the chosen servants of Allah?
• They have a determined reward (41). 
• Delectable fruits; they are honoured (42). 
• Living in gardens of pleasure (43). 
• On thrones (44). 
• Drinking wine that is delicious, not intoxicating (45-47). 
• Modest women with beautiful eyes (48). 

• Ayah 51-53: A conversation, “what happened to the companion who told me about Judgement Day”. 
• Ayah 55: “He is in Hell!” 
• Ayah 56-57: You almost ruined me. I was at the edge, but Allah saved me. The one who was saved was successful, he was steadfast on the straight path. 

LESSON: Work hard to achieve success and the true goal - Jannah. 

• Ayah 59: The First Death 
• Ayah 60: THIS HEAVEN IS THE ULTIMATE SUCCESS... 
• Ayah 61: SO WORK! 

SECTION 3: From Ayah 64 PEACE ON THE PROPHETS 

• Ayah 62: Which is better, Paradise or punishment of Hell? (Az-Zaqqoom) 
• This is tree is from “bottom of Hellfire” (64). 
• Food of Hellfire - with fruit like “heads of devils” (65). 
• The Hellish people drink dirty “scalding water” that doesn't stay in the stomach (68).
• Ayah 75-76: Prophet Nuh called Allah to protect his people, he and his family were saved from drowning. 
• Ayah 79: Peace be upon Noah in the worlds.
• Ayah 83: Story of Prophet Ibrahim `alayhis-salam who had a “sound heart” (Qalb Saleem) 
• Attacks the idols that don’t eat/talk/help. 
• His people intended to burn him in a giant fire (97).
• Ibrahim makes dua for pious child (100) “My Lord, grant me [a child] from among the righteous." 
• Ayah 102-106: Ibrahim `alayhis-salam dreams his son, Ismail is slaughtered as a sacrifice to Allah. He tells his son this HUGE matter and his son beautifully obeys. 

Parenting lessons Talk to children about everything. If they are good with they will listen. Allah has kept this Qurbani (sacrifice) Sunnah to date. “Ibrahim fulfilled the vision”.

• Ayah 109: Peace be on Ibrahim. 
• Ayah 112: Ibrahim is also blessed with another son called Ishaaq. 
• Ayah 114: Allah had favoured Musa and Haroon and supported and saved them. 
• Ayah 120: Peace be upon Musa and Haroon. 
• Ayah 123-125: Ilyaas was a messenger. He told people to not worship their god “Ba`lan”. 
• Ayah 130: Peace be upon Ilyas.
• Ayah 133-36: Lut was a messenger. His family were saved but his people were destroyed for sodomy, crime, social harm and perversions. 

SECTION 4:  Story of Prophet Yunus. 

• Ayah 139-48: Yunus was a messenger. 
• Yunus `alayhis-salam left his village and gave up on his people (40). He was travelling in a ship with the people. There were too many of them so they had to throw someone out.
• Ayah 141: His name came up 3x on a draw of arrow "lots". 
• Ayah 142: Then he was thrown into the sea and a whale-like fish creature swallowed him whole. 
• Ayah 143: Allah says IF Prophet Yunus hadn’t done Tasbih of Allah, he would have remained in the belly up to Judgement Day. Lesson: Call on Allah! 
• Ayah 145: The fish threw up Prophet Yunus onto a bank/ shore. 
• Ayah 147: Allah sent a nation back to Yunus. 
• Ayah 149: Blasphemy! “Does Allah have daughters and YOU have sons?!” 
• Ayah 150: Angels don’t have a gender. 
• Ayah 152: People say “Allah has children” – this is a lie. 
• Ayah 158: People say Allah has lineage to Jinn. Even the Jinn know this brings punishment as they have been punished too. 

SECTION 5 

• Ayah 168: Disbelievers say “If we had previous messages,we would be Allah’s chosen servants too” 
• Ayah 174: Message to Prophet Muhammad:- leave them. They will be punished. 
• Ayah 181: Peace be upon messengers.

A final Duaa in Ayaaat 180-182: We read this at the end of our supplications and classes. 

Subhaana Rabbika Rabbil `izzati `ammaa yasifoon. 

 Wa salaamun `alal mursaleen. 

Walhamdu lillahi rabbil `aalameen. 

“Exalted is your Lord, the Lord of might, above what they describe. 

And peace upon the messengers. And praise to Allah , Lord of the worlds.” (180-182)