كِرامٍ بَرَرَةٍ

Noble and pious.

EXEGESIS

Kirām (noble) is the plural of karīm, the descriptive noun of the verb karuma, which means to be noble, honourable, or highly valued. Karīm is one whose status and nobility calls upon him to bring good and benefit for others.^{‎[1]Tibyan, 10/272.}
It is here describing the status and venerability of the angels, like in the verses, Rather, they are [His] honoured (mukramūn) servants (21:26), and Indeed, there are over you watchers, noble (kirām) writers (82:10-11).

Bararah (pious) is the plural of bārr, the active participle of barra, which means having good conduct towards others. Its verbal noun birr may imply different meanings depending on the individuals, circumstances, and contexts. From God towards His servants, birr means kindness, grace, and overlooking their sins. From the servant towards the Creator, birr means obedience, compliance with His commands, and fulfilling the duties of servitude. From servants towards each other, it implies acts of goodness and charity.^{‎[2]Tahqiq, 1/269.}

The core meaning of the root barra is one of vastness and being spread out. Plains are called barr for this reason, and since the kindness of a good person spreads out extensively to others, he is called bārr.^{‎[3]Raghib, p. 114, b-r-r; Nemuneh, 26/136.}
Alternatively, the verbal noun birr can also be used in a similar sense as the active participle, similar to ʿādil and ʿadl.

Abrār is another plural for birr. It is not a problem in Arabic for a word to have more than one plural. Ālūsī relates that the plural abrār is for a smaller group, whilst bararah is for a larger group (again, not unique in Arabic). Abrār, it is said, is used to describe pious humans,^{‎[4]See 3:193, 76:5, 82:13, 83:18, and 83:22.}
while bararah is used for the good angels because they outnumber good people.^{‎[5]Alusi, 15/245.}

EXPOSITION

Verses 13-14 described divine revelation with three qualities, pointing to its source, its station, and its content. Now the angels who are entrusted with delivering that revelation are characterised with three qualities that describe their connection to revelation, their station, and their actions. But who are these angels? The Quran identifies Gabriel as the angel entrusted with delivering revelation, describing him as the trustworthy spirit (26:193) and a noble messenger, powerful and eminent with the Lord of the Throne (81:19-20). Given this, who are the angels described in this verse?

What we understand from this verse and other similar verses is that the angel Gabriel is the archangel primarily responsible for this task, but he is aided by other angels.^{‎[6]Mizan, 20/202.}
This is comparable to how the Quran describes the Angel of Death, ʿIzrāʾīl. On one hand, it states: You will be taken away by the Angel of Death, who has been charged with you (32:11), whilst we are also told how this task is done by a multitude of angels: When death approaches anyone of you, Our messengers take him away (6:61). This is because the Angel of Death is the one tasked with overseeing this function, so it is all attributed to him, even though he does not personally take each soul. A worldly analogy would be saying ‘the president arrested his political opponents’. Even though he did not personally arrest them, it is attributed to him, because it is done under his command and by his authority.

We should also note the connection of this and the previous verses to the surah’s theme of man’s potential for growth. That potential is unlocked by connection to the divine, facilitated by God through the revelation that He sends. God describes in the previous verses His scriptures as being purified. Anyone who connects to them with sincerity can reach purification. Similarly, the angels are referred to as envoys (safarah) rather than messengers (rusul) because their role extends beyond mere transmission, since they facilitate purification and the unlocking of human potential. The term safarah, as per its root, conveys meanings of ‘disclosure,’ ‘exposition,’ and ‘bringing forth what is hidden’.

Finally, it is worth pondering why the Quran describes these scriptures of revelation as being In the hands of the angels. Neither do the angels have physical hands, nor are the scriptures physical pages and books that should be carried. The meaning is obviously a symbolic one. Hands connotes immediacy and paying careful personal attention, similar to God describing His creation of Adam (a) as having been done with My [own] two hands (38:75). Since these are honoured scriptures, it is only fitting that they be dealt with the respect, care, and honour they deserve.

INSIGHTS FROM HADITH

1. From Fuḍayl ibn Yasār, that Imam al-Ṣādiq (a) said: ‘The one who memorises the Quran and acts upon it will be with the envoys, noble and pious (al-safarah al-kirām al-bararah).’^{‎[7]Kafi, 2/603; Amali.S, p. 115; Wasail, 6/176, h. 7667; Tabrisi, 10/665. The same has been reported from the Prophet through ʿĀʾishah (see Darimi, 2/444; Bukhari, 6/80; Muslim, 2/195; Abu Dawud, 1/327, h. 1454; Qurtubi, 19/217). See also Ahmad, 6/48, 94.}
   

Note: This means that anyone who develops a true understanding of the Quran and lives by its teachings, has aligned himself with the angels of highest rank who are entrusted with divine revelation and has brought himself closer to God.

REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE

Rāghib argues that bararah is the plural of barr, whilst abrār is the plural of bārr, and that the former is more emphatic, and because of this it is used only for the angels.^{‎[8]Raghib, p. 114, b-r-r.}
Ālūsī criticises this, saying that bararah and abrār can both be plurals of barr. He further points out that it is questionable that angels are more deserving of being described with the attribute of birr.^{‎[9]Alusi, 15/245.}
Indeed, we know that human beings who choose piety are of higher status than angels, exactly because their piety is a matter of choice.

INSIGHTS FROM OTHER TRADITIONS

1. ‘Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?’^{‎[10]Hebrews 1:14.}
   

Note: This identifies angels as ‘ministering spirits’. The implicit dignity and holiness of their role echo the sentiment of kirāmin bararah (noble and pious).

2. ‘The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news.”’^{‎[11]Luke 1:19.}
   

[1] Tibyan, 10/272.
[2] Tahqiq, 1/269.
[3] Raghib, p. 114, b-r-r; Nemuneh, 26/136.
[4] See 3:193, 76:5, 82:13, 83:18, and 83:22.
[5] Alusi, 15/245.
[6] Mizan, 20/202.
[7] Kafi, 2/603; Amali.S, p. 115; Wasail, 6/176, h. 7667; Tabrisi, 10/665. The same has been reported from the Prophet through ʿĀʾishah (see Darimi, 2/444; Bukhari, 6/80; Muslim, 2/195; Abu Dawud, 1/327, h. 1454; Qurtubi, 19/217). See also Ahmad, 6/48, 94.
[8] Raghib, p. 114, b-r-r.
[9] Alusi, 15/245.
[10] Hebrews 1:14.
[11] Luke 1:19.