فَالسّابِقاتِ سَبقًا

By those who take the lead, racing.

EXEGESIS

Sabq is the coming ahead after taking the lead over others.^{‎[1]Lisan, 10/151.}

Keeping solely to the linguistic meaning, verse 4 can refer to any one of: 1. The angels that rush to take the souls of the believers to heaven and the souls of the disbelievers to hellfire.^{‎[2]Razi, 31/29.} 2. The angels, by virtue of preceding the children of Adam in goodness and faith.^{‎[3]Tabrisi, 10/652, narrated from Mujāhid.} 3. The souls of the believers that race to the angels of death in yearning to meet their Lord.^{‎[4]Tabrisi, 10/652, narrated from Ibn Masʿūd.} 4. The stars that race with each other.^{‎[5]Tabrisi, 10/652, narrated from Qatādah and Jubbāʾī.} 5. The horses of the soldiers racing each other in battle.^{‎[6]Tabrisi, 10/652, narrated from ʿAṭāʾ and Abū Muslim.}

[1] Lisan, 10/151.
[2] Razi, 31/29.
[3] Tabrisi, 10/652, narrated from Mujāhid.
[4] Tabrisi, 10/652, narrated from Ibn Masʿūd.
[5] Tabrisi, 10/652, narrated from Qatādah and Jubbāʾī.
[6] Tabrisi, 10/652, narrated from ʿAṭāʾ and Abū Muslim.