﴿ وَلَوْ نَشَآءُ لَجَعَلْنَا مِنكُم مَّلَٰٓئِكَةًۭ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ يَخْلُفُونَ ﴾

“And had We so willed, [O you who worship angels,] We could indeed have made you into angels succeeding one another on earth!”

(And had We willed We could have set among you) in your own places; and it is said this means: had We willed We would have created instead of you (angels to be vicegerents in the earth) angels instead of you; it is also said this means: angels to walk in the earth instead of you.