Transliteration:( Sanad 'uz zabaaniyah )
17. Reason for its Revelation:
When Abu Jahl had stopped the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم from offering Salaah in the Holy Ka'bah the Messenger of Allah scolded him. At this Abu Jahl said: "Don't you know me? I am the most influential person in the whole of Makkah. If I so wish I can fill the jungle full of young men to oppose you." In response to this, this verse was revealed (Tafseer Khazain, etc.). In it is said that he can call upon his associates and We will call upon Our ZABANIYAH angels. ZABANIYA is made from ZABAN, which means to catch, to arrest. It is that group of angels who would be catching the infidels and taking them from the field of resurrection and throwing them into Hell (Tafseer Azizi, Roohul Mu'ani, etc).
From it emerge a few issues:1. The Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم is so dear to Allah Almighty that his enemy is the enemy of Allah Almighty. Observe, when Abu Jahl had opposed the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم he did not say that I will bring my group of Companions against you, instead Allah Almighty had said that We will call upon our ZABANIYAH angels.
2. All the angels are servants of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلمbecause these angels form the reserve force of Allah Almighty, which was ready to come to serve the only to reveal Holy Prophet the lofty status of the Messenger of Allah Otherwise, just one angel is sufficient to destroy the infidels.
3. Every command is not for the purpose of obligation. Observe, here "Now let him call his associates" is a command but not for the purpose of obligation, but for the expression of wrath.
The tafsir of Surah Alaq verse 18 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Alaq ayat 6 which provides the complete commentary from verse 6 through 19.
(96:18) We too shall summon the guards of Hell.[15]
15. According to the explanation given by Qatadah, the word zabaniyah in the original is used for the police in Arabic idiom, and zaban actually means to push away. The kings too kept armed attendants who would push out the one with whom the king was annoyed and angry. Therefore, what Allah means is: Let him call his supporters; We too shall summon Our Police, i.e. the angels of torment, to deal with him and his supporters.
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