Al-Hijr 15:70
The Rocky Tract · Juz 14 · Page 265
قَالُوٓاْ أَوَلَمۡ نَنۡهَكَ عَنِ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ ٧٠
They said, "Have we not forbidden you from [protecting] people?"
Tafsir · in English
Ibn Kathir (abridged)
Medium · The classic, abridged: ayahs explained by ayahs and hadith.
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Commentary on 15:67–72
The People of the City arrive upon the Angels, thinking that they are Men
Allah tells us about how Lut's people came to him when they found out about his handsome guests, and they came happily rejoicing about them.
قَالَ إِنَّ هَؤُلآءِ ضَيْفِى فَلاَ تَفْضَحُونِ - وَاتَّقُواْ اللَّهَ وَلاَ تُخْزُونِ
(Lut said: "Verily, these are my guests, so do not shame me. And have Taqwa of Allah, and do not disgrace me.") This is what Lut said to them before he knew that his guests were messengers from Allah, as mentioned in Surat Hud, but here (in this Surah), we have already been told that they are messengers from Allah, and this is followed by an account of Lut's people coming and his exchange with them. However, here the conjunction (wa, meaning "and") does not imply the sequence of events, especially since there is something to indicate that this is not the case. They said answering him,
أَوَلَمْ نَنْهَكَ عَنِ الْعَلَمِينَ
(Did we not forbid you from entertaining (or protecting) any of the `Alamin) meaning, `did we not tell you that you should not have anyone as a guest' He reminded them about their womenfolk and what their Lord had created for them in the women of permissible sexual relationships. This issue has already been explained and is no need to repeat the discussion here. All of this happened while they were still unaware of the inevitable calamity and punishment that was about to befall them the following morning. Hence Allah, may He be exalted, said to Muhammad ﷺ,
لَعَمْرُكَ إِنَّهُمْ لَفِى سَكْرَتِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ
(Verily, by your life, in their wild intoxication, they were wandering blindly.) Allah swore by the life of His Prophet , which is an immense honor reflecting his high rank and noble status. `Amr bin Malik An-Nakari reported from Abu Al-Jawza' that Ibn `Abbas said: "Allah has never created or made or formed any soul that is dearer to him than Muhammad ﷺ. I never heard that Allah swore by the life of anyone else. Allah says,
لَعَمْرُكَ إِنَّهُمْ لَفِى سَكْرَتِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ
(Verily, by your life, in their wild intoxication, they were wandering blindly.) meaning, by your life and the length of your stay in this world,
إِنَّهُمْ لَفِى سَكْرَتِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ
(in their wild intoxication, they were wandering blindly.) This was reported by Ibn Jarir. Qatadah said:
لَفِى سَكْرَتِهِمْ
(in their wild intoxication) "It means - in their misguided state;
يَعْمَهُونَ
(they were wandering blindly) means - they were playing. " `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said:
لَعَمْرُكَ
(Verily, by your life) means by your life, and
إِنَّهُمْ لَفِى سَكْرَتِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ
(in their wild intoxica- tion, they were wandering blindly.) means that they were confused."
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15:52
إِذۡ دَخَلُواْ عَلَيۡهِ فَقَالُواْ سَلَٰمٗا قَالَ إِنَّا مِنكُمۡ وَجِلُونَ ٥٢
When they entered upon him and said, "Peace." [Abraham] said, "Indeed, we are fearful [i.e., apprehensive] of you."
15:53
قَالُواْ لَا تَوۡجَلۡ إِنَّا نُبَشِّرُكَ بِغُلَٰمٍ عَلِيمٖ ٥٣
[The angels] said, "Fear not. Indeed, we give you good tidings of a learned boy."
15:54
قَالَ أَبَشَّرۡتُمُونِي عَلَىٰٓ أَن مَّسَّنِيَ ٱلۡكِبَرُ فَبِمَ تُبَشِّرُونَ ٥٤
He said, "Have you given me good tidings although old age has come upon me? Then of what [wonder] do you inform?"
15:55
قَالُواْ بَشَّرۡنَٰكَ بِٱلۡحَقِّ فَلَا تَكُن مِّنَ ٱلۡقَٰنِطِينَ ٥٥
They said, "We have given you good tidings in truth, so do not be of the despairing."
15:56
قَالَ وَمَن يَقۡنَطُ مِن رَّحۡمَةِ رَبِّهِۦٓ إِلَّا ٱلضَّآلُّونَ ٥٦
He said, "And who despairs of the mercy of his Lord except for those astray?"
15:57
قَالَ فَمَا خَطۡبُكُمۡ أَيُّهَا ٱلۡمُرۡسَلُونَ ٥٧
[Abraham] said, "Then what is your business [here], O messengers?"
15:58
قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّآ أُرۡسِلۡنَآ إِلَىٰ قَوۡمٖ مُّجۡرِمِينَ ٥٨
They said, "Indeed, we have been sent to a people of criminals,
15:59
إِلَّآ ءَالَ لُوطٍ إِنَّا لَمُنَجُّوهُمۡ أَجۡمَعِينَ ٥٩
Except the family of Lot; indeed, we will save them all
15:60
إِلَّا ٱمۡرَأَتَهُۥ قَدَّرۡنَآ إِنَّهَا لَمِنَ ٱلۡغَٰبِرِينَ ٦٠
Except his wife." We [i.e., Allāh] decreed that she is of those who remain behind.1
1 translator’s note
- For having collaborated with the evildoers. ↩
15:61
فَلَمَّا جَآءَ ءَالَ لُوطٍ ٱلۡمُرۡسَلُونَ ٦١
And when the messengers came to the family of Lot,
15:62
قَالَ إِنَّكُمۡ قَوۡمٞ مُّنكَرُونَ ٦٢
He said, "Indeed, you are people unknown."
15:63
قَالُواْ بَلۡ جِئۡنَٰكَ بِمَا كَانُواْ فِيهِ يَمۡتَرُونَ ٦٣
They said, "But we have come to you with that about which they were disputing,
15:64
وَأَتَيۡنَٰكَ بِٱلۡحَقِّ وَإِنَّا لَصَٰدِقُونَ ٦٤
And we have come to you with truth, and indeed, we are truthful.
15:65
فَأَسۡرِ بِأَهۡلِكَ بِقِطۡعٖ مِّنَ ٱلَّيۡلِ وَٱتَّبِعۡ أَدۡبَٰرَهُمۡ وَلَا يَلۡتَفِتۡ مِنكُمۡ أَحَدٞ وَٱمۡضُواْ حَيۡثُ تُؤۡمَرُونَ ٦٥
So set out with your family during a portion of the night and follow behind them and let not anyone among you look back and continue on to where you are commanded."
15:66
وَقَضَيۡنَآ إِلَيۡهِ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلۡأَمۡرَ أَنَّ دَابِرَ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ مَقۡطُوعٞ مُّصۡبِحِينَ ٦٦
And We conveyed to him [the decree] of that matter: that those [sinners] would be eliminated by early morning.
15:67
وَجَآءَ أَهۡلُ ٱلۡمَدِينَةِ يَسۡتَبۡشِرُونَ ٦٧
And the people of the city came rejoicing.1
1 translator’s note
- At the news of Lot's visitors. ↩
15:68
قَالَ إِنَّ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ ضَيۡفِي فَلَا تَفۡضَحُونِ ٦٨
[Lot] said, "Indeed, these are my guests, so do not shame me.
15:69
وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَلَا تُخۡزُونِ ٦٩
And fear Allāh and do not disgrace me."
15:70
قَالُوٓاْ أَوَلَمۡ نَنۡهَكَ عَنِ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ ٧٠
They said, "Have we not forbidden you from [protecting] people?"
Translation: Saheeh International · Text and layout: Quran Foundation · Mushaf fonts: King Fahd Complex, provided by Quran Foundation · Privacy