يَشهَدُهُ المُقَرَّبونَ

Witnessed by the close ones.

EXPOSITION

In addition to the aforementioned groups, another, third group is introduced and named: al-muqarrabūn. They seem to have a higher exalted rank than the pious (abrār) because they preview the decreed rewards or the book of deeds of the pious.^{‎[1]Mizan, 20/235.}

REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE

Makārim Shīrāzī tries to explain the difference between al-abrār and al-muqarrabūn. He states that al-abrār are the people with pure souls who believe in and adhere to the right and truthful doctrines and never perform but the acts of goodness, whereas al-muqarrabūn are those who have a high status and close proximity to God. Therefore, he infers that all muqarrabūn are abrār but not all abrār are among the muqarrabūn.^{‎[2]Amthal, 20/39.} Ṭabrisī, Rāzī, Qurṭubī, and Ālūsī^{‎[3]Tabrisi, 10/692; Razi, 31/90; Qurtubi, 20/264; Alusi, 15/281.} opine that al-muqarrabūn refers to angels.

[1] Mizan, 20/235.
[2] Amthal, 20/39.
[3] Tabrisi, 10/692; Razi, 31/90; Qurtubi, 20/264; Alusi, 15/281.