Tafseer Ibn Kathir of FAATHIR [1]

1. All praise is due to Allah, Fatir of the heavens and the earth, Who made the angels messengers with wings, two or three or four. He increases in creation what He wills. Verily, Allah is Able to do all things. Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, ”I did not know what Fatir As-Samawati wal-Ard meant until two bedouins came to me disputing over a well. One of them said to his companion, `Ana Fatartuha,' meaning, `I started it.''' Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, also said,

(Fatir of the heavens and the earth,) means, ”The Originator of the heavens and the earth.'' Ad-Dahhak said, ”Every time the phrase Fatir As-Samawati wal-Ard is used in the Qur'an, it means the Creator of the heavens and the earth.''

(Who made the angels messengers) means, between Him and His Prophets.

with wings means, with which they fly to convey quickly that which they have been commanded to convey.

two or three or four. means, among them are some who have two wings, some have three and some who have four. Some have more than that, as stated in the HÙ„ad0th mentioning that the Messenger of Alla0h saw Jibr0l, peace be upon him, on the Night of the Isra0 with six hundred wings. Between each pair of wings was a distance like that between the east and the west. Alla0h says:

(He increases in creation what He wills. Verily, Allah is Able to do all things.) As-Suddi said, ”He increases their wings and creates them as He wills.''