Surah as-Saffat (Those Lined Up) 37 : 165

Overview  (Verses 158 - 166)

The sūrah moves on to refute the other superstition which alleged that some relationship existed between God and the jinn: “They claim that He has kinship with the jinn; yet the jinn themselves know that they will be brought [before God] for judgement.” (Verse 158) The allegation being that the angels were God’s daughters born to Him by the jinn! The unbelievers claimed that this is how the relation started. The jinn, however, know for certain that they are created by God, like all other creation, and they also know that they will be brought before Him for judgement. Had they been related to Him, they would be due different treatment.
 
God places Himself far above this worthless fabrication: “Limitless is God in His glory, above all what people attribute to Him.” (Verse 159) He also makes clear that the believers among the jinn would not be driven to suffer their punishment. “Not so God’s true servants.” (Verse 160)
 
The sūrah then quotes an address made to the idolaters, their alleged deities and their deviant beliefs. Apparently, the address is made by the angels: Neither you nor what you worship can lure away from God any except one who is destined for hell. Every single one of us has his appointed place: we are ranged in ranks, and we too extol His limitless glory. (Verses 161-166)
 
What this address means is that neither the unbelievers, nor the deities they worship could turn anyone away from God’s path except one who is considered to belong to the people of hell and destined for it. They cannot lead astray a believer who is God’s obedient servant. Hell has its own people who are of a known type. These respond to temptations and listen to those who try to lead them astray.
 
The angels also refute this superstition, making it clear that each one of them has his own position which he does not exceed. They are a type of God’s creation who worship Him alone. They are assigned certain tasks and they fulfil them, ranging themselves in rows for prayer and extolling God’s glory.