What is the reason for feminizing the angels at the beginning of Surat As-Saffat: "By those who range themselves in ranks [1] And those who drive [clouds] with a strong deterrent [2] And those who recite the message [3]," and masculinizing them at its end: "And there is none of us but has an assigned place [164] And indeed, we are the ones who arrange in ranks [165] And indeed, we are the ones who exalt [Allah]?"

The majority of scholars hold that what is meant by "those who range themselves in ranks" (الصَّافَّاتِ), "those who drive with a strong driving" (فَالزَّاجِرَاتِ), and "those who recite the Reminder" (فَالتَّالِيَاتِ) are groups of angels. They base this on Allah’s statement about them: "And verily, we are those who range themselves in ranks. And verily, we are those who glorify (Allah)" (Quran 37:165-166), and Hudhayfah’s hadith (definition) in Sahih (definition) Muslim: "We have been favored over people with three things: Our rows have been made like the rows of the angels..." Some scholars disagreed with this; among them, some said it refers to birds spreading their wings in the air, and others said it refers to groups of Muslims forming rows in their mosques or in battle.