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﴿5﴾ تَكَادُ السَّمَاوَاتُ يَتَفَطَّرْنَ مِنْ فَوْقِهِنَّ وَالْمَلائِكَةُ يُسَبِّحُونَ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّهِمْ وَيَسْتَغْفِرُونَ لِمَنْ فِي الْأَرْضِ أَلا إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ

5. Nearly the heavens [through the Greatness of Revelation] might be rent asunder from above them and the angels glorify the praises of their Lord [with gratitude], and ask for forgiveness for those on the earth. Truly, Allah is the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.

Exegesis:

The heavens are impressed by Divine Revelation. How is it that some people are not affected by it. “The heavens being rent asunder from above them” may refer to Divine Glory and Greatness that keep the heavens from being rent asunder. It may also refer to polytheists’ groundless claims as to associating partners with Allah for which the heavens may be rent asunder and drive them to perdition, as the people of Moses (AS) requested him to show God unto them and heard the reply “You shall not see Me.” Consequently, Moses (AS) was assigned to look at the mountain and if it stayed in its place, he would be able to see Him, but when His Lord manifested Himself, the mountain trembled and Moses (AS) became unconscious and those people were destroyed by Divine Wrath. The blessed Verse may also make a reference to Resurrection through which polytheists and disbelievers are warned that the heavens will be soon rent asunder and angels praise Divine Glory and invoke God Almighty to forgive the inhabitants of the earth. It is thus confirmed when it is thus said unto His Messenger (SAW): “Be Aware that God Almighty

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is Oft-Forgiving and Most Gracious such that He will grant His Mercy and Forgiveness upon believers rather than disbelievers when the heavens will be rent asunder. At that time, angels will invoke God Almighty to forgive believers as it is reflected in Surat al-Mu'min that invocations by angels as to Forgiving is solely for believers.