Adh-Dhariyat 51:31
The Winnowing Winds · Juz 27 · Page 522
۞ قَالَ فَمَا خَطۡبُكُمۡ أَيُّهَا ٱلۡمُرۡسَلُونَ ٣١
[Abraham] said, "Then what is your business [here], O messengers?"
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Ibn Kathir (abridged)
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Commentary on 51:31–37
The Angels were sent to destroy the People of the Prophet Lut
Allah the Exalted said about Ibrahim, peace be upon him,
فَلَمَّا ذَهَبَ عَنْ إِبْرَهِيمَ الرَّوْعُ وَجَآءَتْهُ الْبُشْرَى يُجَدِلُنَا فِى قَوْمِ لُوطٍ - إِنَّ إِبْرَهِيمَ لَحَلِيمٌ أَوَّاهٌ مُّنِيبٌ - يإِبْرَهِيمُ أَعْرِضْ عَنْ هَذَآ إِنَّهُ قَدْ جَآءَ أَمْرُ رَبِّكَ وَإِنَّهُمْ آتِيهِمْ عَذَابٌ غَيْرُ مَرْدُودٍ
(Then when the fear had gone away from (Ibrahim), and the glad tidings had reached him, he began to plead with Us for the people of Lut. Verily, Ibrahim was, without doubt forbearing, used to invoke Allah with humility, and was repentant. "O Ibrahim! Forsake this. Indeed, the commandment of your Lord has gone forth. Verily, there will come a torment for them which cannot be turned back.")(11:74-76) Allah said here,
قَالَ فَمَا خَطْبُكُمْ أَيُّهَا الْمُرْسَلُونَ
((Ibrahim) said: "Then for what purpose you have come, O messengers") meaning, `what is the mission that you were sent with,'
قَالُواْ إِنَّآ أُرْسِلْنَآ إِلَى قَوْمٍ مُّجْرِمِينَ
(They said: "We have been sent to a people who are criminals.") in reference to the people of Lut,
لِنُرْسِلَ عَلَيْهِمْ حِجَارَةً مِّن طِينٍ مُّسَوَّمَةً
(To send down upon them stones of baked clay, marked), or written,
عِندَ رَبِّكَ لِلْمُسْرِفِينَ
(by your Lord for transgressors.) recorded with Allah to their names; each stone has the name of its companion. Allah said in Surat Al-`Ankabut,
قَالَ إِنَّ فِيهَا لُوطاً قَالُواْ نَحْنُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَن فِيهَا لَنُنَجِّيَنَّهُ وَأَهْلَهُ إِلاَّ امْرَأَتَهُ كَانَتْ مِنَ الْغَبِرِينَ
((Ibrahim) said: "But there is Lut in it." They said: "We know better who is there. We will verily save him and his family except his wife: she will be of those who remain behind.")(29:32), and said here,
فَأَخْرَجْنَا مَن كَانَ فِيهَا مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ
(So We brought out from therein the believers.) they are: Lut and his family, except his wife,
فَمَا وَجَدْنَا فِيهَا غَيْرَ بَيْتٍ مِّنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ
(But We found not there any household of the Muslims except one.) Allah the Exalted said,
وَتَرَكْنَا فِيهَآ ءَايَةً لِّلَّذِينَ يَخَافُونَ الْعَذَابَ الاٌّلِيمَ
(And We have left there a sign for those who fear the painful torment.) meaning, `We left a proof of the punishment, torment and stones made of Sijjil (baked clay) that We sent on them; We made their dwelling place a putrid, evil, dead sea. This should provide a lesson for the believers,'
لِّلَّذِينَ يَخَافُونَ الْعَذَابَ الاٌّلِيمَ
(for those who fear the painful torment.)
Page 522
51:31
۞ قَالَ فَمَا خَطۡبُكُمۡ أَيُّهَا ٱلۡمُرۡسَلُونَ ٣١
[Abraham] said, "Then what is your business [here], O messengers?"
51:32
قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّآ أُرۡسِلۡنَآ إِلَىٰ قَوۡمٖ مُّجۡرِمِينَ ٣٢
They said, "Indeed, we have been sent to a people of criminals1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., those who defied Lot (upon him be peace). ↩
51:33
لِنُرۡسِلَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ حِجَارَةٗ مِّن طِينٖ ٣٣
To send down upon them stones of clay,
51:34
مُّسَوَّمَةً عِندَ رَبِّكَ لِلۡمُسۡرِفِينَ ٣٤
Marked in the presence of your Lord for the transgressors."
51:35
فَأَخۡرَجۡنَا مَن كَانَ فِيهَا مِنَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ ٣٥
So We brought out whoever was in them [i.e., the cities] of the believers.
51:36
فَمَا وَجَدۡنَا فِيهَا غَيۡرَ بَيۡتٖ مِّنَ ٱلۡمُسۡلِمِينَ ٣٦
And We found not within them other than a [single] house of Muslims.1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., Lot and his family, excepting his wife. ↩
51:37
وَتَرَكۡنَا فِيهَآ ءَايَةٗ لِّلَّذِينَ يَخَافُونَ ٱلۡعَذَابَ ٱلۡأَلِيمَ ٣٧
And We left therein a sign for those who fear the painful punishment.
51:38
وَفِي مُوسَىٰٓ إِذۡ أَرۡسَلۡنَٰهُ إِلَىٰ فِرۡعَوۡنَ بِسُلۡطَٰنٖ مُّبِينٖ ٣٨
And in Moses [was a sign], when We sent him to Pharaoh with clear authority.1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., evidences. ↩
51:39
فَتَوَلَّىٰ بِرُكۡنِهِۦ وَقَالَ سَٰحِرٌ أَوۡ مَجۡنُونٞ ٣٩
But he turned away with his supporters and said, "A magician or a madman."
51:40
فَأَخَذۡنَٰهُ وَجُنُودَهُۥ فَنَبَذۡنَٰهُمۡ فِي ٱلۡيَمِّ وَهُوَ مُلِيمٞ ٤٠
So We took him and his soldiers and cast them into the sea, and he was blameworthy.
51:41
وَفِي عَادٍ إِذۡ أَرۡسَلۡنَا عَلَيۡهِمُ ٱلرِّيحَ ٱلۡعَقِيمَ ٤١
And in ʿAad [was a sign], when We sent against them the barren wind.1
1 translator’s note
- Barren of any benefit, i.e., evil. ↩
51:42
مَا تَذَرُ مِن شَيۡءٍ أَتَتۡ عَلَيۡهِ إِلَّا جَعَلَتۡهُ كَٱلرَّمِيمِ ٤٢
It left nothing of what it came upon but that it made it like disintegrated ruins.
51:43
وَفِي ثَمُودَ إِذۡ قِيلَ لَهُمۡ تَمَتَّعُواْ حَتَّىٰ حِينٖ ٤٣
And in Thamūd, when it was said to them, "Enjoy yourselves for a time."
51:44
فَعَتَوۡاْ عَنۡ أَمۡرِ رَبِّهِمۡ فَأَخَذَتۡهُمُ ٱلصَّٰعِقَةُ وَهُمۡ يَنظُرُونَ ٤٤
But they were insolent toward the command of their Lord, so the thunderbolt seized them while they were looking on.
51:45
فَمَا ٱسۡتَطَٰعُواْ مِن قِيَامٖ وَمَا كَانُواْ مُنتَصِرِينَ ٤٥
And they were unable to arise, nor could they defend themselves.
51:46
وَقَوۡمَ نُوحٖ مِّن قَبۡلُۖ إِنَّهُمۡ كَانُواْ قَوۡمٗا فَٰسِقِينَ ٤٦
And [We destroyed] the people of Noah before; indeed, they were a people defiantly disobedient.
51:47
وَٱلسَّمَآءَ بَنَيۡنَٰهَا بِأَيۡيْدٖ وَإِنَّا لَمُوسِعُونَ ٤٧
And the heaven We constructed with strength,1 and indeed, We are [its] expander.
1 translator’s note
- Literally, "hands." ↩
51:48
وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ فَرَشۡنَٰهَا فَنِعۡمَ ٱلۡمَٰهِدُونَ ٤٨
And the earth We have spread out, and excellent is the preparer.
51:49
وَمِن كُلِّ شَيۡءٍ خَلَقۡنَا زَوۡجَيۡنِ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَذَكَّرُونَ ٤٩
And of all things We created two mates [i.e., counterparts]; perhaps you will remember.
51:50
فَفِرُّوٓاْ إِلَى ٱللَّهِۖ إِنِّي لَكُم مِّنۡهُ نَذِيرٞ مُّبِينٞ ٥٠
So flee to Allāh.1 Indeed, I am to you from Him a clear warner.
1 translator’s note
- i.e., turn to Allāh and take refuge in Him from disbelief and sin, thereby escaping His punishment. ↩
51:51
وَلَا تَجۡعَلُواْ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَٰهًا ءَاخَرَۖ إِنِّي لَكُم مِّنۡهُ نَذِيرٞ مُّبِينٞ ٥١
And do not make [as equal] with Allāh another deity. Indeed, I am to you from Him a clear warner.
Translation: Saheeh International · Text and layout: Quran Foundation · Mushaf fonts: King Fahd Complex, provided by Quran Foundation · Privacy