وَٱلسَّـٰبِحَـٰتِ سَبْحًا 3
Translations
And [by] those who glide [as if] swimming
Transliteration
Wa-as-sabihati sabhan
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refers to the angels or celestial bodies that swim/float through the heavens in their appointed courses and orbits. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari interpret 'as-sabihati' (those that swim) as either the angels who move swiftly in obedience to Allah's commands, or the planets and stars in their celestial motion. The phrase emphasizes the constant, purposeful movement of creation in glorification of Allah.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the opening oath section of Surah An-Nazi'at, a Meccan surah that begins with a series of divine oaths (79:1-5) to emphasize the certainty of the Day of Resurrection. The surah's context is to establish Allah's complete power over all creation and His ability to resurrect the dead.
Related Hadiths
While no hadith directly quotes this ayah, Sahih Bukhari contains hadiths about the angels' obedience and their swift movement in fulfilling Allah's commands (Kitab Badi' al-Khalq). Additionally, the concept relates to hadiths about the heavens and their order in works like Muslim's Sahih.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds us that all creation—whether the unseen realm of angels or the visible cosmos—moves in perfect obedience and harmony according to Allah's will, inspiring us to recognize the divine order underlying existence and our own purpose within it.