Surah Ghafir Tafseer

The Bearers of the Throne praise Allah and pray for forgiveness for the Believers

Allah tells us that;

الَّذِينَ يَحْمِلُونَ الْعَرْشَ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهُ يُسَبِّحُونَ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّهِمْ

Those (angels) who bear the Throne (of Allah) and those around it glorify the praises of their Lord,

Allah tells us that the angels who are close to Him, the bearers of the Throne, and the angels who are around Him -- all glorify the praises of their Lord. They combine glorification (Tasbih) which implies that He is free of any shortcomings, with praise (Tahmid) which is an affirmation of praise.

وَيُوْمِنُونَ بِهِ

and believe in Him,

means, they humbly submit themselves before Him.

وَيَسْتَغْفِرُونَ لِلَّذِينَ امَنُوا

and ask forgiveness for those who believe,

means, for those among the people of earth who believe in the Unseen. Allah commanded that His angels who are close to Him should pray for the believers in their absence, so it is a part of the angels' nature that they say Amin when a believer prays for his brother in his absence.

In Sahih Muslim it says:

إِذَا دَعَا الْمُسْلِمُ لاَِخِيهِ بِظَهْرِ الْغَيْبِ قَالَ الْمَلَكُ امِينَ وَلَكَ بِمِثْلِه

When a Muslim prays for his brother in his absence, the angel says, `Amin, and may you have something similar to it'.

Shahr bin Hawshab said,

"The bearers of the Throne are eight; four of them say,

`Glory and praise be to You, O Allah, to You be praise for Your forbearance after Your knowledge. '

Four of them say,

`Glory and praise be to You, O Allah, to You be praise for Your forgiveness after Your power.'

When they pray for forgiveness for those who believe, they say:

رَبَّنَا وَسِعْتَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ رَّحْمَةً وَعِلْمًا

Our Lord! You comprehend all things in mercy and knowledge,

meaning, `Your mercy encompasses their sins and Your knowledge encompasses all their deeds, words and action.'

فَاغْفِرْ لِلَّذِينَ تَابُوا وَاتَّبَعُوا سَبِيلَكَ

so forgive those who repent and follow Your way."

That is, `forgive the sinners when they repent to You and turn to You and give up their former ways, following Your commands to do good and abstain from evil.'

وَقِهِمْ عَذَابَ الْجَحِيمِ

and save them from the torment of the blazing Fire!

means, `snatch them away from the punishment of Hell, which is a painful, agonizing punishment.