وَالمَلَكُ عَلىٰ أَرجائِها ۚ وَيَحمِلُ عَرشَ رَبِّكَ فَوقَهُم يَومَئِذٍ ثَمانِيَةٌ
And the angels will be all over it, and bearing the Throne of your Lord above them on that day will be eight.
EXEGESIS
The conversation has now shifted in focus from what happens at the first blowing of the trumpet: the earth and mountains being levelled (verse 14), the imminent event setting in (verse 15), and the heavens being rent asunder (verse 16), to what happens after the second blowing of the trumpet (whose explicit mention is omitted in this surah), that also marks the start of the resurrection.
At the first trumpet-blowing, even the angels all die. So, the words And the angels will be all over it confirms they have now been resurrected and the stage is set for the Day of Judgement.
The angels are often referred to in Arabic as al-malāʾikah but here it is given as al-malak, a term that can be used both in the singular and plural. Most exegetes have said the term malak is more universal than malāʾikah when used in the plural, although the Quran lexicographer Rāghib believes the opposite, that malak, when used in the plural, refers to special malāʾikah that he calls ‘angels in charge’ (al-mutawallī min al-malāʾikah) of other angels or with specialised functions, such that ‘all malak are malāʾikah but not all malāʾikah are malak’. See also the Exegesis of 89:22.
And the words all over it in Arabic is given as arjāʾihā, derived from rajā, which means the side, edge, or boundary of something, such as the edge of a grave or water well.
But this should not give us an image of the heavens opening up and the angels being pushed aside from their places to the edges of the rent skies (as Rāzī suggests), but rather an image of angels standing in seemingly infinite rows, surrounding the heavens, awaiting the command of their Lord.
This would agree with verses such as when the earth is levelled to a plain and your Lord and the angels arrive in ranks (89:21-22). The angels being all over the heavens could also be a reference to their descent as given 25:25: The day when the sky with its clouds will split open, and the angels will be sent down [in a majestic] descent, which, metaphorically of course, simply refers to the manifestation of the angelic world to man. That is also why, though the angels surround the Throne even at present (40:7), it is mentioned specifically, as a unique event, for the Day of Judgement in this verse and in others as well: you will see the angels surrounding the Throne, celebrating the praise of their Lord (39:75).
EXPOSITION
The Throne (ʿarsh) of God is mentioned over twenty times in the Quran. Very often its mention is in the context of God creating the universe and then ‘settling’ on the Throne (7:54, 10:3, 13:2, 20:5, 25:59, 32:4, 57:4), but since most Muslims reject any anthropomorphic understanding of God, this ʿarsh is understood figuratively as a reference to His power and knowledge, or, if understood literally, the Throne represents His entire creation. God ‘settling’ on the Throne thus signifies the establishment of His dominion over all creation. Maʿrifat has explored the context of every verse that mentions ʿarsh and has argued that although both the ʿarsh and the kursī (seat) are similar expressions, in that they speak of, reveal, and disclose the momentousness of God’s power and the infinite vastness of His knowledge that encompasses all things, yet there is a subtle difference in that whereas the seat of God (mentioned only once in 2:255) represents all of creation as His kingdom (mulk), the Throne represents God’s decree and governing (tadbīr) of this creation. For more on this, see 2:255.
This then raises questions concerning the verses that speak of angels surrounding the Throne (39:75), Those who bear the Throne and those around it (40:7), and this verse: and bearing the Throne of your Lord above them on that day will be eight.
And there are primarily two questions: if God’s Throne is not a physical seat, then what does bearing the Throne or the angels surrounding it mean? And second, who then are those that bear it?
As for the first question, if the Throne is understood as all of God’s decrees for His creation and His dominion, governing, and management over His kingdom, then the angels surrounding the Throne (39:75) would be a reference to their role as intermediaries, through whom God regulates the affairs of His creation. And those who bear the Throne are those charged with manifesting God’s knowledge and power in terms of His governance of all of creation. These bearers hold a higher rank and the angels surrounding the Throne support them in executing God’s will, and hence those who bear the Throne are described as above them in this verse.
And as to the second question, it appears almost deliberate that those who bear the Throne are not identified in 40:7 or in this verse. This has allowed for multiple interpretations of who they may be, and specifically, who these eight may be. Exegetes have suggested eight angels, spirits, humans, and even eight thousand or eight rows of countless angels.
A widely quoted prophetic tradition also offers no clues, for it says: ‘There are four now and on the Day of Resurrection Allah will aid them with four more so that they will be eight.’ Once again, no subject is identified. The fact that their number is doubled on the Day of Judgement is perhaps to indicate the significance of that day when God’s infinite knowledge and power is amplified before His creation.
Most exegetes assume the bearers of the Throne to be angels based on a holistic reading of this verse along with 39:75 and 40:7.
As well, in the supplication of Imam al-Sajjād (a) concerning the bearers of the Throne, he mentions archangels:
‘O Allah, as for the bearers of Your Throne, who never flag in glorifying You and never become weary of calling You holy, never tire of worshipping You … Isrāfīl, the owner of the trumpet, fixed in his gaze, awaiting Your permission and the descent of Your command … Michael, possessor of standing with You … Gabriel, entrusted with Your revelation, obeyed by the inhabitants of the heavens, distinguished in Your presence, brought nigh to You.’
And likewise, in the supplication of Umm Dāwūd:
‘O Allah, bless Isrāfīl, the bearer of Your Throne and the owner of the trumpet awaiting Your command, fearful and apprehensive in Your awe.’
But those who bear it now are not necessarily those who shall bear it on the Day of Judgement, as discussed under the Review of Tafsīr Literature for this verse.
INSIGHTS FROM HADITH
- From the Prophet: ‘Today there are four. When the Day of Resurrection comes to pass, He [Allah] will aid them with four others so they will be eight.’
- From the Prophet: ‘It is borne today by four and on the Day of Resurrection [by] eight.’
- From Imam al-Riḍā (a): ‘And the ʿarsh is a name for [divine] knowledge and power. And in ʿarsh is contained all things. Then the Exalted attributed the bearing [of the ʿarsh] to other than Himself – in His words, those who bear the Throne … [40:7] – [meaning] a creation from His creatures. Because the Exalted subjugates the creation by the bearers of His Throne, who are the bearers of His knowledge, and [also by] a creation that glorifies [Him] around His ʿarsh, and they act according to His knowledge.’
Note: Maʿrifat has commented on the above tradition that he regards as authentic, and said: ‘What the Imam (a) means to say is that the governing of God is included and is triggered from [His] knowledge and power, and that is why the Imam (a) said: “… who are the bearers of His knowledge and … they act according to His knowledge,” meaning they carry out His decrees in the affairs of this universe.’
- Imam Ali (a) was asked by the Christian scholar Jāthalīq: ‘Tell me about Allah; does He bear the Throne or does the Throne bear Him?’ He replied: ‘Allah, the mighty and glorious, is the bearer of the Throne and the heavens and the earth and what they contain and all that is between them, and that is the meaning of Allah’s words: Indeed Allah holds the heavens and the earth lest they should fall apart, and if they were to fall apart there is none who can hold them except Him [35:41].’ To which Jāthalīq asked: ‘Then tell me concerning the verse … and bearing the Throne of your Lord above them on that day will be eight, how is that and you have said He bears the Throne and the heavens and the earth?’ So the Imam explained the Throne as divine knowledge and God as ‘the life of everything and the light of everything’ to which the man asked once again: ‘Then tell me about Allah, the mighty and glorious, where is He?’ So Imam Ali (a) replied: ‘He is here and there, and above and below, and He encompasses us and He is with us, for He says: There is no secret among three but He is their fourth [companion], nor among five but He is their sixth, nor less than that, nor more, but He is with them wherever they may be [58:7] … so those who bear the Throne are the learned (ʿulamāʾ), the ones whom Allah has made to bear His knowledge, and nothing escapes these four of what Allah has created in His kingdom, which Allah shows His chosen ones and which He showed His friend [Abraham] as He said: Thus did We show Abraham the dominions of the heavens and the earth, that he might be of those who possess certitude [6:75]. So how then can those who bear the Throne carry Allah when it is by His giving life that their hearts are alive, and by His light that they are guided to gain knowledge of Him?’
Note: There are several points in this tradition to disprove any anthropomorphic notion concerning God, and the idea that He possesses a physical Throne on which He is seated. First is the question itself: ‘Does Allah bear the Throne or does the Throne bear Him?’ This itself tells us that if the Throne were to bear God then it would not only indicate a limiting of God to a fixed location, but it would also impute a need for God to be seated, regardless of whether it was to bear His weight or the need to be seen glorious as a king. Ascribing God as being ‘on’ a thing is no different from ascribing Him as being ‘in’ a thing or a part of something in terms of its polytheistic implications. Second is the proof that Imam Ali (a) provides from the Quran that it is God who stops all that is in existence from collapsing and vanishing. He supports the existence of all things and nothing supports Him nor is He in need of such support. Third is the proof of Imam Ali (a) that God is ubiquitous in His presence and He is ‘here and there, above and below, surrounding us and with us’, that he also proves using the verse 58:7; and finally is the argument presented by the Imam that if God is the source of life and the light that gives guidance to all things existent, including those who bear the Throne, how could they bear Him at the same time when they cannot exist nor function unless He bears them.
- From Imam al-Ṣādiq (a), when he was asked concerning the verse The All-beneficent, settled on the Throne (20:5), he said: ‘[It means] He is equidistant from all things, and not a single thing is nearer to Him than another.’ And in another similar version, he added: ‘… nothing that is far can move further from Him and nothing close can move closer to Him. He is equidistant from all things.’
Note: These traditions are, once again, beautiful interpretations from the Prophet’s household to show, firstly, had God been seated on a throne then necessarily some of His creation would be closer to Him than others and some further away than others, which would be a limitation and an impossibility to ascribe to God. Secondly, the fact that spatial movement does not change His relationship to His creation proves His transcendence and His being untouched by physical space and movement. In particular, this last tradition quoted from Imam al-Ṣādiq (a) is very interesting: the word istiwāʾ (equidistant) comes from sawiya, to be equal, even, or level. Istiwāʾ therefore suggests being balanced, perfectly even, equivalent to, and on the same level as someone or something. Such a literal meaning is also found in the Quran in verses such as: they are not equal (yastawūn) with Allah (9:19). And hence, when used concerning a physical entity, and with the preposition ʿalā (on) as a suffix, it means to ascend, mount, or settle oneself onto that entity, for example, a horse or a physical seat. It suggests sitting firmly and evenly balanced on it. In this case, however, because neither does God sit on anything physical nor is the act of sitting conceivable for Him, the Imam interprets ʿarsh as all of creation; and the words, The All-beneficent, ʿalā al-ʿarsh istawā (20:5) as meaning ‘He is equidistant from (istawā min) all things’. This is a wonderful interpretation of the verse and also agrees with the words of Imam Ali (a) in the previous tradition, where he describes God as being ‘here and there, above and below, surrounding us and with us’. Rāghib has also said the same thing after quoting 20:5 and 2:29: ‘Its meaning is that everything is equidistant (istawā) to Him, such that nothing is closer to Him than another thing, since He, the exalted, is not like a physical body that exists in one place and not another.’ And even when istawā is used with a preposition like ilā (toward) such as in 2:29 and 41:11 (where istawā ilā (toward) the heavens is given), it does not mean He turned towards it in any physical sense, but rather He directed His decree (tadbīr) towards it.
REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE
With all the potential meanings for the eight Throne bearers, Qummī and al-Baḥrānī amongst others, reflecting Shia narrations, tell us the eight bearers of the Throne are the elite from mankind, four from the former and four from the latter. The former being Noah (a), Abraham (a), Moses (a) and Jesus (a), and the latter Muhammad (s), Ali (a), al-Hasan (a) and al-Husayn (a), and that the meaning of bearing the Throne is they will bear divine knowledge. This is with the understanding that God’s Throne refers to His dominion, power, and knowledge.
This tradition is appealing because if we understand God’s Throne to represent His knowledge, power, and dominion over all, then the bearers of His Throne would be those who represent this divine knowledge and carry out His orders. We know, for example, from the story of Prophet Adam (a), of his superior knowledge over the angels (2:31-33), and that makes it more plausible that on Judgement Day these eight would be from the human species rather than the angels. And the Throne representing God’s decrees and governance also means these eight who bear that authority would also be those most eminent in rank and authorised to intercede for others based on God’s will and knowledge.
As for what is found in traditions such as the supplication of Imam al-Sajjād (a) cited in the Exposition, those who carry the Throne now do not necessarily continue as its bearers after the trumpet’s blowing, the death of all angels, and their resurrection.
Traditions also speak of the perishing of ʿIzrāʾīl (the Angel of Death), Isrāfīl (the trumpet-blower), and all the archangels, and yet, when all swoon and die there is mention of an exception: And the trumpet will be blown, and whoever is in the heavens will swoon and whoever is on the earth, except whomever Allah wishes (39:68).
Ṣadūq explains why these specific prophets and Imams are mentioned as the bearers of God’s Throne (meaning His knowledge) on Judgement Day:
‘The ʿarsh, which means knowledge, is borne by four amongst the ancients and four amongst the later ones; the former ones are Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus, on all of whom be peace; and the later are Muhammad, Ali, al-Hasan, and al-Husayn, the blessings of Allah upon them. This is what has been handed down from the Imams by a reliable chain of authorities concerning the Throne and its bearers.
‘Now, the reason why these persons became the bearers of the ʿarsh, that is the knowledge [of Allah], is that the ancient prophets who lived before our Prophet Muhammad, namely, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus, brought four different faiths [as revivals of God’s one religion]. It was through these that the true knowledge passed on to others. Similarly, true knowledge was transmitted after Muhammad by Ali, al-Hasan, and al-Husayn to those amongst the Imams who came after al-Husayn.’
[1] For example, Zamakhshari, 4/602.
[2] Raghib, m-l-k.
[3] Raghib, r-j-ʾ.
[4] Razi, 30/625.
[5] Tamhid, 3/105.
[6] Zamakhshari, 4/602; Qurtubi, 18/266; Tabari, 29/37; Suyuti, 6/261.
[7] Alusi, 15/52; Zamakhshari, 4/602; Qurtubi, 18/266; Razi, 30/626; Tabari, 29/37; Tabrisi, 10/520; Thalabi, 10/28.
[8] See Ibn Kathir, 8/228; Tabari, 29/37.
[9] Sahifah, supplication 3.
[10] Kafami, al-Miṣbāḥ, p. 532.
[11] Tabrisi, 10/520.
[12] Suyuti, 6/261; Tabari, 29/37.
[13] Kafi, 1/131.
[14] Tamhid, 3/107.
[15] Kafi, 1/129-130.
[16] Kafi, 1/128.
[17] Hans Wehr, s-w-y.
[18] Hans Wehr, s-w-y.
[19] Raghib, s-w-y.
[20] Raghib, s-w-y.
[21] Qummi, 2/384; Burhan, 5/474.
[22] Ṣadūq, al-Iʿtiqādāt, the chapter concerning the ʿarsh.