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wa-li-llāhi yasjudu mā fī s-samāwāti wa-mā fī l-ʾarḍi min dābbatin wa-l-malāʾikatu wa-hum lā yastakbirūna
To Allah prostrates whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth, including animals and angels, and they are not arrogant.
— Ali Quli Qarai
Surah An-Nahl – Verse 49
49. “And whatever is in the skies and whatever is in the earth, whether (moving) creatures and angels, prostrate before Allah (only) and they do not pride.”
The Arabic term /dabbah/ refers to that living being which moves from a place to another place. This word is used in the cases of ‘man’, ‘animals’ and ‘jinns’. However, it is not used for ‘angels’. The aim in stating the prostration of all beings, earthly or celestial, is either their genetic humbleness before the laws of existence, or it might be a prostration emanating from their consciousness and understanding, in which case, the latter interpretation is apparently intended, though it is beyond our understanding.
In other words, all beings which are in the skies and all those which are on the earth, prostrate before Allah. The intention in stating /min dabbah/ (whatever moves) is those earthly beings which move or come and go on the surface of the earth. The angels also prostrate before the magnanimity of Allah and worship Him. The Qur’an mentions the angels apart from other beings so as to glorify their position. Another point to be considered is that the word /dabbah/ is applied to those beings which move and which come and go. However, we must keep in mind that the angels have got wings and can fly as well.
The verse says:
“And whatever is in the skies and whatever is in the earth, whether (moving) creatures and angels, prostrate before Allah (only) and they do not pride.”
The Qur’anic sentence /wa hum l a yastakbirūn/ signifies that the angels do never abstain from the worshipping of Allah and they never show an arrogant attitude. This sentence qualifies the angels, for it is the angels who do not show the least arrogance in humbleness and prostration before Allah.