Transliteration:( Fa inis-takbaroo fallazee na 'inda Rabbika yusabbihoona lahoo billaili wannnahaari wa hum laa yas'amoon (make sajda) )
“And if they become haughty [101] (then remember) that those close [102] to your Lord glorify His Praises, night and day, and do not grow weary [103] (of doing this).”
(Sajdah Tilawat becomes obligatory upon recitation or hearing of this verse.)
This refers to the arrogant disbelievers and polytheists who refuse to worship Allah and reject the message of the Holy Prophet ﷺ.
Their pride and obstinacy prevent them from submitting to the truth and acknowledging Allah's greatness.
The verse then contrasts them with the angels—those close to Allah—who remain in constant glorification of their Lord.
Here, “nearness” does not imply physical proximity, because Allah is beyond time, space, and direction.
Rather, it refers to their closeness in rank, status, and spiritual elevation.
These blessed angels never tire in the worship of Allah:
Some remain in Rukūʿ (bowing) for millions of years
Others are in Sujood (prostration), Qiyām (standing), or Tashahhud (sitting)
Their obedience is perpetual and free from any weariness
This verse highlights that even the greatest of creation, the angels, are engaged in ceaseless worship, while arrogant humans turn away from it.
The tafsir of Surah Fussilat verse 38 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Fussilat ayat 37 which provides the complete commentary from verse 37 through 39.
(41:38) But if they wax proud[45] (and persist in their attitude, it does not matter, for) the angels near-stationed to your Lord glorify Him night and day, and never grow weary.[46]
45. If they are arrogant: If they think it is below their dignity for them to listen to you, and still persist in the ignorance in which they are involved.
46. It means this: The system of this whole universe, whose agents are the angels, is running on the basis of Allah’s Oneness and His servitude. The angels who are its agents are testifying every moment that their Lord is pure and exalted far above that another should be His associate in His Divinity and worship. Now, if a few foolish persons do not believe even after admonition, and turn away from the way that is being followed by the whole universe and persist in following the way of shirk only, let them remain involved in their folly.
The consensus is that it is obligatory to perform sajdah (prostration) here, but the jurists differ as to which of the two preceding verses requires the performance of sajdah. Ali and Abdullah bin Masud performed the sajdah at the end of (Surah Fussilat, ayat 37), while Ibn Abbas, Ibn Umar, Said bin Musayyab, Masruq, Qatadah, Hasan Basri, Abu Abdur Rahman as-Sulami, Ibn Sirin, Ibrahim Nakhai and several other prominent jurists have expressed the opinion that it should be performed at the end of verse 38. The same also is the opinion of Imam Abu Hanifah, and the Shafeites also have held the same view as preferable.
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