Ibn Kathir (Abridged)
Hafiz Ibn KathirThe Virtues of Surat As-Saffat
An-Nasa'i recorded that `Abdullah bin `Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to command us to make our prayers short and he used to recite As-Saffat when he lead us in prayer." This was recorded by An-Nasa'i only.بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِIn the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
It was reported that `Abdullah bin Mas`ud, may Allah be pleased with him, said:وَالصَّـفَّـتِ صَفَّا"(By those ranged in ranks.) -- they are the angels;فَالزَجِرَتِ زَجْراً(By those who drive the clouds in a good way. ) they are the angels;فَالتَّـلِيَـتِ ذِكْراً(By those who bring the Dhikr.) they are the angels." This was also the view of Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, Masruq, Sa`id bin Jubayr, `Ikrimah, Mujahid, As-Suddi, Qatadah and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas.
Qatadah said, "The angels form ranks in the heavens." Muslim recorded that Hudhayfah, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:«فُضِّلْنَا عَلَى النَّاسِ بِثَلَاثٍ: جُعِلَتْ صُفُوفُنَا كَصُفُوفِ الْمَلَائِكَةِ، وَجُعِلَتْ لَنَا الْأَرْضُ كُلُّهَا مَسْجِدًا، وَجُعِلَ لَنَا تُرَابُهَا طَهُورًا، إِذَا لَمْ نَجِدِ الْمَاء»(We have been favored over the rest of mankind in three ways: our ranks have been made like the ranks of the angels; the entire earth has been made a Masjid for us; and its soil has been made a means of purification for us if we cannot find water.)" Muslim, Abu Dawud, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah recorded that Jabir bin Samurah, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:«أَلَا تَصُفُّونَ كَمَا تَصُفُّ الْمَلَائِكَةُ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ؟»(Will you not form ranks as the angels form ranks in the presence of their Lord) We said, `How do the angels form ranks in the presence of their Lord' He said:«يُتِمُّونَ الصُّفُوفَ الْمُتَقَدِّمَةَ، وَيَتَرَاصُّونَ فِي الصَّف»(They complete the rows nearer the front and they consolidate the rows.
)" As-Suddi and others said that the Ayahفَالزَجِرَتِ زَجْراً(By those who drive the clouds in a good way. ) means that they drive the clouds.فَالتَّـلِيَـتِ ذِكْراً(By those who bring the Dhikr.) As-Suddi said, "The angels bring the Scriptures and the Qur'an from Allah to mankind."The One True God is Allahإِنَّ إِلَـهَكُمْ لَوَاحِدٌ رَبُّ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ(Verily, your God is indeed One, Lord of the heavens and the earth,) This is the One by Whom the oath is sworn, stating that there is no God worthy of worship but He, Lord of the heavens and the earth,وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَآ(and all that is between them,) means, of created beings.وَرَبُّ الْمَشَـرِقِ(and Lord of every point of the sun's risings.) means, He is the Sovereign Who is controlling His creation by subjugating it and all that is in it of stars, planets and heavenly bodies which appear from the east and set in the west. Mentioning the east is sufficient and there is no need for the west to be mentioned too, because it is implied in what is said.
This has also been stated clearly elsewhere, in the Ayat:فَلاَ أُقْسِمُ بِرَبِّ الْمَشَـرِقِ وَالْمَغَـرِبِ إِنَّا لَقَـدِرُونَ(So I swear by the Lord of all the points of sunrise and sunset in the east and the west that surely We are able.) (70:40)رَبُّ الْمَشْرِقَيْنِ وَرَبُّ الْمَغْرِبَيْنِ((He is) the Lord of the two easts and the Lord of the two wests. ) (55:17) which refers to the rising and setting points of the sun and the moon in both winter and summer.