( إِنَّ الَّذِينَ عِندَ رَبِّكَ) (Indeed, those who are near your Lord): This verse might lead to the question on whether there was a place near Allah (swt). (Near) implicates a location or space. So, how can Divinity be valid in such a case when Allah (swt) is beyond time and space, having no location? The response is that the word (near) signifies the proximity of mercy, dominion, and care from Allah (swt). It doesn’t refer to a physical location. Hence, the Angels near Allah (swt), meaning affected by Allah’s (swt) sovereignty and care. These Angels have no actions other than glorification, prostration, and expressing submission to Allah (swt). This verse includes a prostration known as (the prostration of recitation). In the Holy Quran, there are fifteen such prostrations. During the prostration of recitation, one begins with the exclamation “Allahu Akbar” then prostrate, saying, “Subhan Rabial A’la” (Allah is the Greatest),” three times. Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that:

“A man came to the Prophet (saws) and described a dream where he prayed behind a tree, and the tree prostrated with him. The man heard the tree saying: “Allah, write it as a reward for me, and release me from a burden for it, and make it a treasure for me with You. Accept it from me as You accepted it from your servant Dawud”. The Prophet (saws) then recited a prostration verse, and he (saws) prostrated. Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said that he heard the Prophet (saws) repeat the same words that the man heard from the tree in his dream.”[1]

In this verse of discussion, Allah (swt) mentions prostration and glorification. This is an act of exalting Allah (swt). All significant matters related to the power of Allah (swt) begin with the phrase (Exalted is He), as in:

 فَسُبْحَانَ الَّذِي بِيَدِهِ مَلَكُوتُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ 

(So exalted is He in whose hand is the realm of all things, and to Him you will be returned.) (Yaseen: 83)

 سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي أَسْرَىٰ بِعَبْدِهِ لَيْلًا 

(Exalted is He who took His Servant by night) (Al-Israa: 1)

( وَيُسَبِّحُونَهُ ) (and they exalt Him): They persist in continuous glorification, exaltation, and submission to Allah (swt).

( وَلَهُ يَسْجُدُونَ) (and to Him they prostrate): It is submission to the commands of Allah (swt). We understand that for humans, prostration involves placing the forehead, the noblest part, on the ground while facing the direction of the Kaaba. As for the manner in which Angels prostrate, it is something beyond our concern.

[1] Sunan At-Tirmidhi, Chapters on Supplication, no. 3424.