Exegesis of the saying of Allah the Exalted: “And the [angels] arranging themselves in rows.”
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Allah Mighty and Majestic said: [As-Saffat 37:1-2] to the end of it. The waw here is a letter of oath, and the oath serves to emphasize the matter—Shakir—by mentioning the most exalted aspect in a specific form. This oath, when we say it emphasizes the matter, indicates that its benefit is to provide emphasis by mentioning the most exalted aspect of its face. It is as if the one taking the oath is saying, “I am emphasizing this just as I emphasize the greatness of the thing by which I am swearing. It is not possible for me to swear by this great thing in my estimation except for a confirmed matter.” And when we say “in a specific form,” that form is the form of the oath.
The letters of oath are three: the waw, the ba, and the ta. The waw is the most commonly used, and the ba is the most versatile in form, meaning that the ba is used for swearing whether the verb of oath is present or omitted. It enters upon the explicit and the implicit. The ta is more specific than the waw. Therefore, the most general of the tools or letters of oath in terms of usage is the ba, because it is used with the presence of the verb, so you say, “I swear by Allah, you will certainly do such and such,” and with its omission, so you say, “By Allah, you will certainly do such and such.” It is also used with the explicit name, such as “I swear by Allah,” and with the implicit name, such as “Indeed, Allah, and by Him I swear, is Able over all things.” Here, the ba entered upon the pronoun. As for the waw, it is the most commonly used, but it does not enter except upon the explicit, and the verb of oath is not mentioned with it. The ta is the least used, and it is specific to the explicit, and it is also specific to certain names, namely Allah and Rabb. Ibn Malik said: “And the ta is for Allah and Rabb”. So you say, “By Allah, I will certainly do such and such,” and you say, “By the Rabb of the Ka'bah, I will certainly do such and such,” or “By the Rabb, I will certainly do such and such.” Is the verb of oath mentioned with it or not? It is not mentioned with it. Therefore, it is the narrowest in usage. Now, the waw here is a letter of oath. “As-Safawat” is a noun in the genitive case by the waw of oath, because the letters of oath put the noun in the genitive case. “As-Safawat” has a meaning and a synonym. The meaning of “as-Safawat” is things standing in a single, straight line. Anything multiple that stands in a single, straight line is called “saf.” [As-Saf 61:4] means in a straight line. This is the meaning of “as-Safawat.”
(1) By those [angels] lined up in rows (2) And those who drive [the clouds]
والصافات صفا فالزاجرات زجراThe letters of oath are three: the waw, the ba, and the ta. The waw is the most commonly used, and the ba is the most versatile in form, meaning that the ba is used for swearing whether the verb of oath is present or omitted. It enters upon the explicit and the implicit. The ta is more specific than the waw. Therefore, the most general of the tools or letters of oath in terms of usage is the ba, because it is used with the presence of the verb, so you say, “I swear by Allah, you will certainly do such and such,” and with its omission, so you say, “By Allah, you will certainly do such and such.” It is also used with the explicit name, such as “I swear by Allah,” and with the implicit name, such as “Indeed, Allah, and by Him I swear, is Able over all things.” Here, the ba entered upon the pronoun. As for the waw, it is the most commonly used, but it does not enter except upon the explicit, and the verb of oath is not mentioned with it. The ta is the least used, and it is specific to the explicit, and it is also specific to certain names, namely Allah and Rabb. Ibn Malik said: “And the ta is for Allah and Rabb”. So you say, “By Allah, I will certainly do such and such,” and you say, “By the Rabb of the Ka'bah, I will certainly do such and such,” or “By the Rabb, I will certainly do such and such.” Is the verb of oath mentioned with it or not? It is not mentioned with it. Therefore, it is the narrowest in usage. Now, the waw here is a letter of oath.