do not precede Him in speech and act at His command. Thus they convey nothing concerning His attributes or anything else unless He, glorified be He, has first conveyed it. Their reports and statements therefore follow His reports and statements, as He said:

“They do not precede Him in speech.”

Their deeds likewise follow His command: they do only what He has commanded them to do, and so they obey His command, glorified be He.

He, glorified be He, also described the angels of Hell in these terms, saying:

“Protect yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is people and stones, over which are stern and mighty angels who do not disobey Allah in what He commands them, and do what they are commanded.”

Some have thought that this is repetition for emphasis. Others have said: rather, they did not disobey Him in the past and will do what they are commanded in the future.

A better explanation than either is that a disobedient person is one who refuses to obey a command despite being capable of complying. If someone failed to do what he was commanded because he was incapable, he would not be disobedient. Thus, His statement:

“They do not disobey Allah in what He commands them”

does not in itself establish that they do what they are commanded, for someone who is incapable is neither disobedient nor performing what he was commanded. He therefore said:

“And do what they are commanded”

to make clear that they are capable of doing what they have been commanded. They therefore do not leave it undone, whether through incapacity or disobedience. Anyone who leaves a command unfulfilled does so for one of these two reasons: either he is incapable, or he is disobedient and unwilling to obey. If, however, he is obedient, willing to obey the one commanding him, and capable, then his performance of what he has been commanded necessarily follows. Such are the angels mentioned here: they do not disobey Allah in what He commands them, and they do what they are commanded.