Tafsir of Ghafir 40:7

(Those who bear the Throne—and it is a colossal body that has pillars; the Pedestal [al-Kursi] and what is below it are, in relation to it, like a ring in a vast desert.)

In some reports, it is stated that Allah the Exalted created the Throne from a green jewel, and between two of its pillars is a distance that a fast-flying bird would cover in eighty thousand years. Some have mentioned regarding its vastness that if its concave [surface] were to be wiped with all the waters of the world, a light wiping, they would fall short of encompassing it. The scholars of astronomy and those who agree with them claim that it is spherical, that it is the outermost boundary and the "Sphere of Spheres," and that, like all other spheres, it cannot be described as having weight or lightness. They have no report to rely upon for this; rather, the reports are manifest to the contrary.

The apparent meaning is that the bearing is literal, and its bearers are mighty angels. Abu Ya’la and Ibn Mardawayh recorded with a sound chain of narration from Abu Huraira, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: The Messenger of Allah, may Allah be pleased with him and grant him peace, said: "I have been granted permission to tell you about an angel whose feet have passed through the seventh lowest earth, and the Throne is upon his shoulders, while he says: 'Exalted are You, where were You, and where are You?'" Abu Dawud and a group recorded with a sound chain from Jabir in the wording: "I have been granted permission to tell you about an angel from among the angels of Allah the Exalted, from the bearers of the Throne; the distance between his earlobe and his shoulder is a journey of seven hundred years."

They are—according to some reports—eight. Ibn al-Mundhir, Abu al-Shaykh, and al-Bayhaqi in Shu’ab al-Iman recorded from Harun ibn Rabab that he said: "The bearers of the Throne are eight; they respond to one another with a melodious voice. Four of them say: 'Exalted are You and by Your praise, for Your forbearance after Your pardoning,' and four of them say: 'Exalted are You and by Your praise, for Your pardoning after Your power.'" Abu al-Shaykh and Ibn Abi Hatim recorded via Abu Qubayl that he heard Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with them, say: "The bearers of the Throne are eight; the distance between the inner corner of the eye of one of them and the outer corner is a journey of five hundred years." In some reports, it is said they are four today, and on the Day of Resurrection, they will be eight. Abu al-Shaykh recorded from Wahb, who said: "The bearers of the Throne are four; when the Day of Resurrection arrives, they will be reinforced by four others. One of them is in the form of a human, interceding for the Children of Adam in their provisions; one of them is in the form of an eagle, interceding for the birds in their provisions; one of them is in the form of a bull, interceding for the cattle in their provisions; and one of them is in the form of a lion, interceding for the beasts of prey in their provisions. When they bore the Throne, they fell upon their knees from the greatness of Allah the Exalted, so they were taught: 'There is no power and no strength except by Allah,' and thus they stood upright on their feet."

A narration also came from Wahb that they bear the Throne upon their shoulders, which is what the literal meaning of the aforementioned report of Abu Huraira suggests.

Ibn al-Mundhir and Abu al-Shaykh recorded from Habban ibn ‘Atiyyah who said: "The bearers of the Throne are eight; their feet are fixed in the seventh earth, and their heads have passed beyond the seventh heaven, and their horns are similar to their height, and upon them is the Throne." In some reports, it is said that they are humble, not raising their gaze, and in others, they cannot raise their eyes due to the radiance of the light. According to what Ibn Abi Shaybah recorded from Abu Umamah, they speak in Persian—that is, if they speak other than in glorification; otherwise, the apparent meaning is that they glorify Allah in Arabic, provided the report—Allah the Exalted knows best—is authentic. In some reports from Wahb, it is said they have no speech except to say: "Holy is Allah the Powerful, whose greatness has filled the heavens and the earth." What will come hereafter in the verse—if Allah the Exalted wills—refutes [that] literal exclusivity.

(And those around it)—that is, those around the Throne; they are angels in extreme abundance, none knows their number except Allah the Exalted.

It is said: Around the Throne are seventy thousand rows of angels circling it, saying Tahlil [la ilaha illallah] and Takbir [Allahu Akbar]. Behind them are seventy thousand rows standing, having placed their hands on their shoulders, raising their voices with Tahlil and Takbir. And behind them are one hundred thousand rows having placed their right hands over their left, each one of them glorifying [Allah] with the glorification of the other. It was mentioned regarding their abundance that the creatures of the land are ten times the creatures of the sea, the total is ten times the creatures of the air, the total is ten times the angels of the lowest heaven, the total is ten times the angels of the second heaven, and so on up to the seventh heaven, the total is ten times the angels of the Pedestal, and the total is ten times the angels surrounding the Throne. There is no ratio between the total mentioned and what Allah knows of His soldiers; "And none knows the soldiers of your Lord except Him."

The bearers of the Throne and those surrounding it are called the Karrubiyyun—plural of Karrubi (with a fat-ha on the Kaf, a damma on the Ra—the light one or with tashdid is a mistake—followed by a waw, then a ba, then a ya with tashdid), derived from karb, meaning "nearness." Some have hesitated regarding its usage by the Arabs, but Abu ‘Ali al-Farisi affirmed it and cited as evidence his [the poet's] saying: Karrubiyyun among them, bowing and prostrating. There is evidence of hyperbole in "nearness" in the form fa’ul, and the ya which is added for emphasis. It is also said [it is derived] from karb meaning "distress and grief," and it is as if they were described as such because they are the angels most intense in fear. Some claimed that the Karrubiyyun are the bearers of the Throne and that they were the first of the angels to exist, but such things are not known except by transmission [from authority]. From al-Bayhaqi, it is said they are the angels of torment, and it is as if this is another usage derived from karb meaning "distress and grief." Ibn Sina said in a treatise: "The Karrubiyyun angels are those who inhabit the expanses of the desert [of the afterlife], standing in the most noble position in groups, looking toward the most beautiful spectacle; they are the brought-near angels and the purified souls. Also, the working angels are the bearers of the Throne and the Pedestal and the inhabitants of the heavens." End quote.

Some have gone [so far as to interpret] the bearing of the Throne as a metaphor for His managing and preserving it from anything that might affect it or any of its states which only Allah the Almighty knows. They made the evidence for this rational, because the Throne is spherical in its natural place, so it does not require bearing. This is attributed to the philosophers and most of the theologians. Likewise, they held that the "surrounding" and "circling" of the Throne is a metaphor or figurative expression for nearness to the Lord of the Throne, may He be exalted, and their status with Him, and their mediation in the execution of His command, may He be glorified. The truth is the literal meaning in both places, and what was mentioned of rational evidence is in the realm of prohibition [i.e., rejection].

Ibn ‘Abbas and a group recited (al-‘Urush) with a damma on the ‘ayn. It is said it is the plural of ‘arsh like saqf and suquf, or a dialect for al-‘arsh. The first relative pronoun [alladhina] is the subject, and the second is a conjunction to it, and the predicate is His saying, "They glorify with the praise of their Lord." The sentence is an inception designed to console the Messenger of Allah, may Allah be pleased with him and grant him peace, by explaining that the angels who are in the highest station are steadfast in their loyalty to the believers who are with him, supporting them and invoking what will bring them happiness in both abodes. That is, they declare Him—the Exalted—free from everything that does not befit His majestic stature, such as corporeality or the Throne being a bearer for Him—may He be glorified—while being occupied with His praise—may He be magnified—for His uncountable blessings.

(And they believe in Him)—a true, complete belief. Expressing this explicitly, even though it could have been omitted, is to demonstrate the virtue of faith, to highlight the nobility of its people, and to signal the reason for their prayer for the believers, just as His saying states: (And they ask forgiveness for those who have believed). Indeed, partnership in faith is the strongest of connections, the most complete, and the most compelling cause for counsel and compassion, even if species differ and places are far apart. It contains—as it is said—a signal that the bearers of the Throne and the dwellers of the earth are equal in believing in the Unseen. For if there were visual observation [of Allah], based on the prevailing custom or the idea that the Throne is a transparent body that does not prevent vision at all, it would not be said "they believe," because faith is heart-felt affirmation—meaning knowledge or what stands in its place—with acknowledgement, and it only pertains to a report and its content from a scientific or conjectural belief stemming from proof or the word of the Truthful, as if one acknowledged the truthfulness of the reporter or the proof. As for direct seeing, it dispenses with explanation. Thus, there is a symbol in this of a refutation of the anthropomorphists. Similar to this is his [the Prophet's] saying: "Do not prefer me over the son of Matta." So it is said, and it should be known that the fact that the Throne does not see Him—may He be exalted—through the senses does not necessitate that the believers will not see Him—the Exalted—in the next abode.

(Our Lord, You have encompassed all things in mercy and knowledge)—assuming an implied "saying," meaning they say, "Our Lord..." etc. The sentence has no place in syntax if it is an explanation for "they ask forgiveness," or it is in the nominative as an explanatory apposition to that sentence based on its permissibility in sentences, or it is in the accusative as a state [hal] from the pronoun in "they ask forgiveness." Their seeking of forgiveness is interpreted in this aspect as their intercession for the believers and their motivating them toward repentance through what they pour into their inner selves. It is possible that the forgiveness in His saying, "And they ask forgiveness for those who are in the earth," is interpreted as [Allah] withholding the application of punishment, and they desired sustenance and benefit through the immense advantages created, and so on. Even if this is not specific to the believers, they are the basis for it, so specifying them here is to point to that.

The most apparent [view] is that the sentence is an explanation, and the accusative case of "mercy and knowledge" is a tamiz [specifier], which is transposed from the agent. The origin is "Your mercy and Your knowledge encompassed everything," and it was changed to what is in the majestic system for the sake of hyperbole in describing Him—may He be exalted—with mercy and knowledge, as if His Being—may He be glorified—is the very essence of mercy and knowledge. This implies their universality, because the ratio of all things to Him—the Exalted—is equal, so it requires equality in their scope. Describing Him—the Exalted—with complete mercy and knowledge serves as a prelude to His saying, "So forgive those who have repented and followed Your way," etc. The causality of forgiveness from mercy is obvious. As for its causality from knowledge, the meaning is: "So forgive those from whom You know repentance"—meaning from sins absolutely, based on the fact that this is the most immediate meaning of the absolute [term]—"and [who have] followed Your way," which is the way of truth that Allah the Exalted paved for His servants and called them to, Islam. That is, Your act, which is comprehensive and encompassing of what is hidden and what is manifest, requires that. It [contains] a [reference] to their purity from the defilements of ostentation and whim, for none knows that except Allah alone.

The aforementioned prelude includes a signal that [His] vast mercy and comprehensive knowledge require that these [people] attain the great success and the highest portion of pleasure. It hints at the meaning: "If You forgive, O Allah, You forgive in abundance, for what servant of Yours does not have pain/error?" For the servant, even if he strives to the utmost in fulfilling His rights—the Exalted—he is negligent. To this, the sign is his [the Prophet's] saying: "Nor I, unless Allah covers me with His mercy." Mercy is placed first because it is the primary objective here. In beginning the supplication with "Our Lord," there is a degree of entreaty that is not hidden, which is why supplications often begin with it. And His saying: (And protect them from the punishment of the Hellfire).

(Meaning: And guard them against it. It is a declaration after an allusion for emphasis, for the prayer for forgiveness necessitates that. It contains an indication of the intensity of the punishment.)