سورة الفجر

Imam Rida (peace be upon him): Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, is not described by coming and going, and Allah is exalted above movement from place to place. Rather, the meaning of this is: وَ جَاءَ أَمْرُ رَبِّکَ وَ المَلَکُ صَفّاً صَفّاً [And the command of your Lord comes and (also) the angels in ranks].

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): As for the words of the Exalted: وَ جَاءَ رَبُّکَ وَ الْملَکُ صَفًّا صَفًّا [And your Lord comes and (also) the angels in ranks], and "[on the Day of Resurrection it will be said to them]: All of you have returned to Us alone, just as We created you the first time!" (Anʿam/94), and, do [the followers of Satan's command, after all these clear signs and programs,] expect that Allah and the angels should come to them in the shadows of clouds? (Baqarah/210), and "do they expect anything but that the angels [of death] should come to them, or that your Lord [Himself] should come to them, or that some of the signs of your Lord [and signs of the Resurrection should come]?" (Anʿam/158) — all of this is true, just as Allah the Mighty and Majestic said. His coming is not like the coming of created beings, and I have taught you that many a verse of the Book of Allah has an interpretation (taʾwil) different from its revelation (tanzil), and it is not like the speech of humans. Among these is the word of Ibrahim (peace be upon him): I am going to my Lord, He will guide me! (Saffat/99). The meaning of his going to his Lord is turning toward Him in worship, striving, and seeking nearness. Now you see that the interpretation of this speech is different from its revelation.

Ali ibn Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him): وَ جَاءَ رَبُّکَ وَالمَلَکُ صَفًّا صَفًّا [And your Lord comes and (also) the angels in ranks] — "al-malak" is a singular noun that carries a plural meaning.

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): وَ جاءَ رَبُّکَ وَ المَلَکُ صَفًّا صَفًّا [And your Lord comes and (also) the angels in ranks]; its meaning is all of the angels. And as for verses whose wording refers to the past but whose meaning is in the future — among these are the verses in which Allah the Exalted has spoken concerning the reports of the Resurrection, the raising, the resurrection, and the reckoning: the wording of the report is of things that have already occurred, but its meaning is that it will occur in the future.

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): And al-Qaʾim (may Allah hasten his noble relief) will say: "Eat pleasantly for what you sent forth in days gone by!" The Muslims on that day will be people of soundness in religion, and permission will be granted to them to speak, and on that day is the interpretation of this verse: وَ جاءَ رَبُّکَ وَ المَلَکُ صَفًّا صَفًّا [And your Lord comes and (also) the angels in ranks].