وَسَلَـٰمٌ عَلَى ٱلْمُرْسَلِينَ 181
Translations
And peace upon the messengers.
Transliteration
Wa salaamun alal-mursaleen
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah is the concluding statement of Surah As-Saffat, offering peace and blessings upon all the messengers of Allah. According to classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this is a comprehensive greeting that honors all prophets collectively, affirming their nobility and righteousness. The placement at the end of the surah serves as both a benediction and a reminder of the unity of the prophetic mission throughout human history.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears at the very end of Surah As-Saffat, which is a Meccan surah that discusses various prophets and their struggles against their people. The final verse serves as a concluding salutation honoring all messengers mentioned throughout the surah (including Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and others), emphasizing the common thread of divine guidance that connects them all.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'The best of people are those of my generation, then those who follow them, then those who follow them' (Sahih Bukhari 3651), which relates to the honor and respect due to the messengers. Additionally, sending salutations upon the prophets is encouraged, as mentioned in various Hadith collections regarding the virtue of salawat (blessings upon the prophets).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us to revere all of Allah's messengers as carriers of divine truth and to recognize that prophethood is a continuous thread of guidance throughout history. It reminds Muslims that respecting the messengers—including sending peace and blessings upon them—is an act of faith and obedience to Allah's command.