Qaaf (The letter Qaaf)

17. [Remember] that the two angels [accompanying man] receive [man’s deeds], one sitting on the right and one on the left [to note his deeds].

18. Not a word does he utter but there is a watcher [recording angel] by him ready [to record it].

The blessed Verses are saying:

“Remember when the twain angels sitting on the right and left sides of man accompanying and watching him, record his deeds.” In other words, besides Divine Omniscience as to man’s inward and outward deeds and intentions, two angels are also assigned to keep records of his deeds. The twain angles watch man on both sides and accompany him at all times. They never leave him alone so that further emphasis be laid on the question of keeping records of deeds. The Arabic word talaqqi denotes ‘receive, record,” and mutalaqqiyan is applied to the twain angles appointed to keep records of man’s deeds.

The Arabic present participle

qa‘id (“sitting”) derives from q-‘-d (“sit”) but it ad hoc connotes ‘companion, watcher.’ In other words, the blessed Verses do not intend to say that the twain angels sit on the right and left hand sides of man, since man is sitting at some time but walks at some other time; the expression connotes that the twain angels accompany man at all times and watch his deeds.