Surah 51. Adh-Dhariyat

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Verses [Section]: 1-23[1], 24-46 [2], 47-60 [3]

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Quran Text of Verse 24-46هَلْHasاَتٰىكَreached youحَدِیْثُ(the) narrationضَیْفِ(of the) guestsاِبْرٰهِیْمَ(of) Ibrahimالْمُكْرَمِیْنَۘthe honored اِذْWhenدَخَلُوْاthey enteredعَلَیْهِupon himفَقَالُوْاand saidسَلٰمًا ؕPeaceقَالَHe saidسَلٰمٌ ۚPeaceقَوْمٌa peopleمُّنْكَرُوْنَۚunknown فَرَاغَThen he wentاِلٰۤیtoاَهْلِهٖhis householdفَجَآءَand cameبِعِجْلٍwith a calfسَمِیْنٍۙfat فَقَرَّبَهٗۤAnd he placed it nearاِلَیْهِمْ[to] themقَالَhe saidاَلَاWill notتَاْكُلُوْنَؗyou eat فَاَوْجَسَThen he feltمِنْهُمْfrom themخِیْفَةً ؕa fearقَالُوْاThey saidلَا(Do) notتَخَفْ ؕfearوَ بَشَّرُوْهُand they gave him glad tidingsبِغُلٰمٍof a sonعَلِیْمٍ learned فَاَقْبَلَتِThen came forwardامْرَاَتُهٗhis wifeفِیْwithصَرَّةٍa loud voiceفَصَكَّتْand struckوَجْهَهَاher faceوَ قَالَتْand she saidعَجُوْزٌAn old womanعَقِیْمٌ barren! قَالُوْاThey saidكَذٰلِكِ ۙThusقَالَsaidرَبُّكِ ؕyour LordاِنَّهٗIndeed Heهُوَ[He]الْحَكِیْمُ(is) the All-Wiseالْعَلِیْمُ the All-Knower 51. Adh-Dhariyat Page 522قَالَHe saidفَمَاThen whatخَطْبُكُمْ(is) your missionاَیُّهَاO messengersالْمُرْسَلُوْنَ O messengers قَالُوْۤاThey saidاِنَّاۤIndeed weاُرْسِلْنَاۤ[we] have been sentاِلٰیtoقَوْمٍa peopleمُّجْرِمِیْنَۙcriminal لِنُرْسِلَThat we may send downعَلَیْهِمْupon themحِجَارَةًstonesمِّنْofطِیْنٍۙclay مُّسَوَّمَةًMarkedعِنْدَby your Lordرَبِّكَby your Lordلِلْمُسْرِفِیْنَ for the transgressors فَاَخْرَجْنَاThen We brought outمَنْ(those) whoكَانَwereفِیْهَاthereinمِنَofالْمُؤْمِنِیْنَۚthe believers فَمَاBut notوَجَدْنَاWe foundفِیْهَاthereinغَیْرَother thanبَیْتٍa houseمِّنَofالْمُسْلِمِیْنَۚthe Muslims وَ تَرَكْنَاAnd We leftفِیْهَاۤthereinاٰیَةًa Signلِّلَّذِیْنَfor those whoیَخَافُوْنَfearالْعَذَابَthe punishmentالْاَلِیْمَؕthe painful وَ فِیْAnd inمُوْسٰۤیMusaاِذْwhenاَرْسَلْنٰهُWe sent himاِلٰیtoفِرْعَوْنَFiraunبِسُلْطٰنٍwith an authorityمُّبِیْنٍ clear فَتَوَلّٰیBut he turned awayبِرُكْنِهٖwith his supportersوَ قَالَand saidسٰحِرٌA magicianاَوْorمَجْنُوْنٌ a madman فَاَخَذْنٰهُSo We took himوَ جُنُوْدَهٗand his hostsفَنَبَذْنٰهُمْand threw themفِیintoالْیَمِّthe seaوَ هُوَwhile heمُلِیْمٌؕ(was) blameworthy وَ فِیْAnd inعَادٍAadاِذْwhenاَرْسَلْنَاWe sentعَلَیْهِمُagainst themالرِّیْحَthe windالْعَقِیْمَۚthe barren مَاNotتَذَرُit leftمِنْanyشَیْءٍthingاَتَتْit cameعَلَیْهِupon itاِلَّاbutجَعَلَتْهُit made itكَالرَّمِیْمِؕlike disintegrated ruins وَ فِیْAnd inثَمُوْدَThamudاِذْwhenقِیْلَwas saidلَهُمْto themتَمَتَّعُوْاEnjoy (yourselves)حَتّٰیforحِیْنٍ a time فَعَتَوْاBut they rebelledعَنْagainstاَمْرِ(the) Commandرَبِّهِمْ(of) their Lordفَاَخَذَتْهُمُso seized themالصّٰعِقَةُthe thunderboltوَ هُمْwhile theyیَنْظُرُوْنَ were looking فَمَاThen notاسْتَطَاعُوْاthey were ableمِنْtoقِیَامٍstandوَّ مَاand notكَانُوْاthey couldمُنْتَصِرِیْنَۙhelp themselves وَ قَوْمَAnd (the) peopleنُوْحٍ(of) Nuhمِّنْbeforeقَبْلُ ؕbeforeاِنَّهُمْindeed, theyكَانُوْاwereقَوْمًاa peopleفٰسِقِیْنَ۠defiantly disobedient

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Translation of Verse 24-46

24. Has the story of Ibrahim‘s honoured guests reached you?²⁷

25. When they approached him, they said “Salam” (peace). He said: Salam be upon you also --- Unknown people.

26. Then he went to his housefolk silently and brought a fat calf (roasted beef) ^{2 8}

27. And he presented it to them and said: Don’t you eat !

28. And (observing that they are not eating) he felt fear.²⁹ They said: Do not be afraid, and gave him good tidings of a son ³⁰ endowed with knowledge.

29. Hearing this, his wife came forward vociferating ³¹ and smote her face³² and said: A barren old woman!

30. They said: That is what your LORD has said.³³ HE is the Wise, the Knower.

31. Ibrahim asked: O envoys! What is your errand now?

32. They said: We have been sent towards a criminal community.³⁴

33. So that we may shower baked claystones on them.³⁵

34. Which are marked from your LORD for those who cross limits.³⁶

35. Then we evacuated the Believers there from.³⁷

36. And there we did not find any house of Muslims except one.³⁸

37. And We left a sign for those who fear the painful torment. ³⁹

38. And also in (the event of) Moosa, there is a sign.⁴⁰ When WE sent him to Firaun with clear forceful proof.

39. He turned away his face, being proud of his power, and said: he is either a magician or a mad man.

40. At last WE caught him and his armies and flung them into the sea while he was reproaching himself.⁴¹

41. And in the event of Aad (is also a sign)⁴² when WE sent a dry wind upon them.

42. It reduced into dust everything whereupon it blew. ⁴³

43. And there is a sign in the event of Thamud ⁴⁴ also when they were told: enjoy for a while.⁴⁵

44. But they rebelled against their LORD’s commandment.So a thunderbolt seized them and they remained gazing.⁴⁶

45. Then they could neither rise up nor save themselves.

46. And WE seized the folk of Nooh also he fore them ⁴⁷ They were a disobedient people.

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Commentary

27. This event has been described in detail in Surah Hood a nd Surah Hijr. Points requiring clarif ication too have been explained there. Please see Surah Hood, Notes: 96 to 104 and Surah Hijr, Notes: 49 to 55.

These honoured guests were angels who had arrived in the form of human beings. Awe could be seen from their appearance. Almighty Allah had sent them to Ibrahim so that they may give him good tidings of a son in his old age, a son who would be very intelligent and who would be bestowed with Prophethood and from whom a race would continue which would have superiority over other people and whose good deeds would leave indelible impressions in human history. This was a very great blessing of Almighty WHO bestowed it upon Ibrahim (Alaihis Salam). This is a proof of the fact that Allah blesses His slaves for their good deeds. Likewise, later on, there is a description of the Divine Punishment awarded to the people of the community of Loot (Alaihis Salam) which testifies that Allah punishes the deniers and the rebels in this world also. So when both reward and punishment occur even in this world then how can it be said that there will be no requital of deeds and how can one deny the reward or punishment in the Hereafter? In short, these events have been mentioned here to create conviction about the Requital.

28. This also describes the disciplines of a host. Feast must be so arranged that the guest may not get its hint. One should not be stingy in entertaining his guests. One should show broadmindedness, and descent and pleasant manners. The way the prophet Ibrahim presented roasted beef in ample quantity to his guests shows his large-heartedness and generosity.

29. Ibrahim recognized that they were angels, not men. Since he know that angels usually arrive in human form only for some important purpose, he experienced fear regarding the impending event.

30. This was good tidings about the birth of Ishaq.

31. That is: Sarah.

32. Meaning with astonishment. This was a feminine gesture by Sarah.

33. Means despite old age and barrenness a son will be born.

34. Toward the community of Loot. For explanation please see Surah Hood, Notes: 105- 121 and Surah Hijr, Notes: 56-74.

35. For clarification please see Surah Hood, Note: 119.

36. It is also destined by Allah as to which stone will hit whom, and kill him.

37. Allah evacuated them safely from that area even before the arrival of the devastating punishment.

38. There was only one Muslim house in that locality and it belonged to Loot. None except his family members had accepted Islam.

The fact that despite all the missionary zeal and activity on the part of Loot (peace be upon him) only his household could become Muslim gives food for thought to those who are working for Islam and reform. Whatever be the degree of selflessness and the pains taken for propagation in the best possible manner and whatever be the personality of the missionary, it is not necessary that people may certainly hear their call and reform themselves. Very few of them may get the fortune of accepting the truth. Hence, leaving the consequence to Allah the workers should continue to do their duty in the best possible manner.

39. For explanation please see Surah Hood, Note:121

40. Now, briefly. attention is being drawn toward the admonitory end of the rebellious communities like Firaun, Aad, Thamood, and the people of Nooh. These events are clear proofs of the truth that Almighty Allah is not unaware of HIS creatures’ conditions. He continuously punishes the rebels.

41. He became aware of his oppressive and rebellious attitude only at the moment of his death. Hence he began to cond emn himself. The incident of the drowning of Firaun has been described in detail in Surah Yunus and Surah Taahaa.

42. The event of the destruction of the Aad community has been narrated more explicitly in Surah Ahqaf.

43. For explanation please see Surah Ahqaf, Note: 41 and 42.

44 . The event of the annihilation of Thamood has been narrated in Surah Hood as well as in a number of other Surahs.

45. The gains of this world are temporary. So do not make them your aim of life and do not give it preference over the Hereafter. You may obtain whatever benefit of this world you can, but by keeping the good of the other world in mind.

46. They were wiped out by the lightning before their eyes and they remained confounded.

For explanation please see Surah Aaraf, Note:123.

47. The occurrence of the obliteration of the community of Nooh has been presented vividly in Surah Hood.