37:164
(Those ranged in ranks say): “Not one of us but has a place appointed;
Qur’an, Sūrah al-Ṣāffāt (37:1–4), begins with a series of oaths that introduce the central theological principle of tawḥīd, the affirmation that God is one (37:4). The verses mention three groups described as “those who stand in rows,” “those who restrain firmly,” and “those who recite the remembrance (dhikr).” Because the text itself does not explicitly identify these groups, classical Qurʾānic commentators have offered several interpretations.
Some exegetes interpret these descriptions as referring to believers or warriors who arrange themselves in disciplined ranks, resist forces of falsehood, and remain engaged in remembrance of God even during struggle. Others suggest that the verses refer to worshippers who stand in orderly rows during congregational prayer, protecting themselves from distracting thoughts through focused recitation and remembrance.
However, the interpretation most widely accepted among many commentators identifies these groups as angels. In this reading, the verses describe angels as beings who stand in orderly ranks, faithfully carry out divine commands, and continuously glorify God. This understanding is supported by another verse in the same chapter: “Indeed, we are those who stand in rows” (Qurʾān 37:165). Early scholars such as Ibn Abbas, Hasan al-Basri, and Qatadah ibn Di’ama explained that angels remain aligned in ranks awaiting the commands of their Lord, while other scholars associate these formations particularly with their acts of worship and glorification.
Within this interpretive framework, the oaths serve a rhetorical and theological function. By highlighting the obedience and disciplined ranks of the angels, the verses emphasize their status as servants of God and reject claims that attribute divine kinship to them. Instead of being regarded as “daughters of God,” the angels are presented as devoted servants whose obedience and submission reinforce the Qurʾānic affirmation of divine oneness.
References:
Shafi, Muhammad (2008). Maariful Quran. (Vol .7 surah 37 verses 1).