Surah 11. Hud

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Verses [Section]: 1-8[1], 9-24 [2], 25-35 [3], 36-49 [4], 50-60 [5], 61-68 [6], 69-83 [7], 84-95 [8], 96-109 [9], 110-123 [10]

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Quran Text of Verse 69-83وَ لَقَدْAnd certainlyجَآءَتْcameرُسُلُنَاۤOur messengersاِبْرٰهِیْمَ(to) Ibrahimبِالْبُشْرٰیwith glad tidingsقَالُوْاthey saidسَلٰمًا ؕPeaceقَالَHe saidسَلٰمٌPeaceفَمَاand not he delayedلَبِثَand not he delayedاَنْtoجَآءَbringبِعِجْلٍa calfحَنِیْذٍ roasted فَلَمَّاBut whenرَاٰۤhe sawاَیْدِیَهُمْtheir handsلَاnotتَصِلُreachingاِلَیْهِto itنَكِرَهُمْhe felt unfamiliar of themوَ اَوْجَسَand felt apprehensionمِنْهُمْfrom themخِیْفَةً ؕ[a fear]قَالُوْاThey saidلَا(Do) notتَخَفْfearاِنَّاۤIndeed weاُرْسِلْنَاۤ[we] have been sentاِلٰیtoقَوْمِ(the) peopleلُوْطٍؕ(of) Lut وَ امْرَاَتُهٗAnd his wifeقَآىِٕمَةٌ(was) standingفَضَحِكَتْand she laughedفَبَشَّرْنٰهَاThen We gave her glad tidingsبِاِسْحٰقَ ۙof Ishaqوَ مِنْand afterوَّرَآءِand afterاِسْحٰقَIsaacیَعْقُوْبَ (of) Yaqub 11. Hud Page 230قَالَتْShe saidیٰوَیْلَتٰۤیWoe to me!ءَاَلِدُShall I bear a childوَ اَنَاwhile I amعَجُوْزٌan old womanوَّ هٰذَاand thisبَعْلِیْmy husbandشَیْخًا ؕ(is) an old manاِنَّIndeedهٰذَاthisلَشَیْءٌ(is) surely a thingعَجِیْبٌ amazing قَالُوْۤاThey saidاَتَعْجَبِیْنَAre you amazedمِنْatاَمْرِ(the) decree of Allahاللّٰهِ(the) decree of AllahرَحْمَتُThe Mercy of AllahاللّٰهِThe Mercy of Allahوَ بَرَكٰتُهٗand His blessingsعَلَیْكُمْ(be) upon youاَهْلَpeopleالْبَیْتِ ؕ(of) the houseاِنَّهٗIndeed, Heحَمِیْدٌ(is) All-Praiseworthyمَّجِیْدٌ All-Glorious فَلَمَّاAnd whenذَهَبَ(had) gone awayعَنْfromاِبْرٰهِیْمَIbrahimالرَّوْعُthe frightوَ جَآءَتْهُand had reached himالْبُشْرٰیthe glad tidingsیُجَادِلُنَاhe argued with Usفِیْconcerningقَوْمِthe peopleلُوْطٍؕof Lut اِنَّIndeedاِبْرٰهِیْمَIbrahimلَحَلِیْمٌ(was) certainly forbearingاَوَّاهٌimploringمُّنِیْبٌ and oft-returning یٰۤاِبْرٰهِیْمُO Ibrahim!اَعْرِضْTurn awayعَنْfromهٰذَا ۚthisاِنَّهٗIndeed itقَدْcertainlyجَآءَhas comeاَمْرُ(the) Commandرَبِّكَ ۚ(of) your Lordوَ اِنَّهُمْand indeed [they]اٰتِیْهِمْ(will) come (for) themعَذَابٌa punishmentغَیْرُ(which) cannotمَرْدُوْدٍ (be) repelled وَ لَمَّاAnd whenجَآءَتْcameرُسُلُنَاOur messengersلُوْطًا(to) Lutسِیْٓءَhe was distressedبِهِمْfor themوَ ضَاقَand felt straitenedبِهِمْfor themذَرْعًا(and) uneasyوَّ قَالَand saidهٰذَاThisیَوْمٌ(is) a dayعَصِیْبٌ distressful وَ جَآءَهٗAnd came (to) himقَوْمُهٗhis peopleیُهْرَعُوْنَrushingاِلَیْهِ ؕto himوَ مِنْand beforeقَبْلُand beforeكَانُوْاthey (had) beenیَعْمَلُوْنَdoingالسَّیِّاٰتِ ؕthe evil deedsقَالَHe saidیٰقَوْمِO my peopleهٰۤؤُلَآءِTheseبَنَاتِیْ(are) my daughtersهُنَّtheyاَطْهَرُ(are) purerلَكُمْfor youفَاتَّقُواSo fearاللّٰهَAllahوَ لَاand (do) notتُخْزُوْنِdisgrace meفِیْconcerningضَیْفِیْ ؕmy guestsاَلَیْسَIs (there) notمِنْكُمْamong youرَجُلٌa manرَّشِیْدٌ right-minded قَالُوْاThey saidلَقَدْVerilyعَلِمْتَyou knowمَا(that) notلَنَاwe haveفِیْconcerningبَنٰتِكَyour daughtersمِنْanyحَقٍّ ۚrightوَ اِنَّكَAnd indeed youلَتَعْلَمُsurely knowمَاwhatنُرِیْدُ we want قَالَHe saidلَوْIfاَنَّthatلِیْI hadبِكُمْover youقُوَّةًpowerاَوْorاٰوِیْۤI could take refugeاِلٰیinرُكْنٍa supportشَدِیْدٍ strong قَالُوْاThey saidیٰلُوْطُO LutاِنَّاIndeed, weرُسُلُ(are) messengersرَبِّكَ(of) your Lordلَنْneverیَّصِلُوْۤاthey will reachاِلَیْكَyouفَاَسْرِSo travelبِاَهْلِكَwith your familyبِقِطْعٍin a partمِّنَofالَّیْلِthe nightوَ لَاand (let) notیَلْتَفِتْlook backمِنْكُمْanyone of youاَحَدٌanyone of youاِلَّاexceptامْرَاَتَكَ ؕyour wifeاِنَّهٗIndeed, itمُصِیْبُهَاwill strike herمَاۤwhatاَصَابَهُمْ ؕwill strike themاِنَّIndeedمَوْعِدَهُمُtheir appointed timeالصُّبْحُ ؕ(is) morningاَلَیْسَIs notالصُّبْحُthe morningبِقَرِیْبٍ near 11. Hud Page 231فَلَمَّاSo whenجَآءَcameاَمْرُنَاOur CommandجَعَلْنَاWe madeعَالِیَهَاits upsideسَافِلَهَاits downsideوَ اَمْطَرْنَاand We rainedعَلَیْهَاupon themحِجَارَةًstonesمِّنْofسِجِّیْلٍ ۙ۬baked clayمَّنْضُوْدٍۙ(in) layers مُّسَوَّمَةًMarkedعِنْدَfromرَبِّكَ ؕyour Lordوَ مَاAnd notهِیَitمِنَ(is) fromالظّٰلِمِیْنَthe wrongdoersبِبَعِیْدٍ۠far

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Translation of Verse 69-83

(11:69) Indeed Our messengers came to Abraham, bearing glad tidings. They greeted him with 'peace', and Abraham answered back to them 'peace', and hurriedly brought to them a roasted calf.⁷⁵

(11:70) When he perceived that their hands could not reach it, he mistrusted them, and felt afraid of them.⁷⁶ They said: 'Do not be afraid. We have been sent to the people of Lot.⁷⁷

(11:71) And Abraham's wife was standing by and on hearing this she laughed.⁷⁸ And We gave her the good news of (the birth of) Isaac, and after Isaac, of Jacob.⁷⁹

(11:72) She said: 'Woe is me!⁸⁰ Shall I bear a child now that I am an old woman and my husband is well advanced in years.⁸¹ This is indeed strange!'

(11:73) They said: 'Do you wonder at Allah's decree?⁸² Allah's mercy and His blessings be upon you, O people of the house. Surely, He is Praiseworthy, Glorious.'

(11:74) Thus when fear had left Abraham and the good news had been conveyed to him, he began to dispute with Us concerning the people of Lot.⁸³

(11:75) Surely Abraham was forbearing, tenderhearted and oft-turning to Allah.

(11:76) Thereupon (Our angels) said to him: 'O Abraham! Desist from this, for indeed your Lord's command has come; and a chastisement which cannot be averted⁸⁴ is about to befall them.'

(11:77) And when Our messengers came to Lot,⁸⁵ he was perturbed by their coming and felt troubled on their account, and said: 'This is a distressing day.⁸⁶

(11:78) And his people came to him rushing. Before this they were wont to commit evil deeds. Lot said: 'My people! Here are my daughters; they are purer for you.⁸⁷ Have fear of Allah and do not disgrace me concerning my guests. Is there not even one right-minded person in your midst?'

(11:79) They said: 'Surely you already know that we have nothing to do with your daughters.⁸⁸ You also know well what we want.'

(11:80) He said: 'Would that I had the strength to set you straight, or could seek refuge in some powerful support.'

(11:81) Thereupon the angels said: 'O Lot! We indeed are messengers of your Lord. And your people will in no way be able to hurt you. So depart with your family in a part of the night and let no one of you turn around⁸⁹ excepting your wife (who shall not go); for what will befall them shall also befall her.⁹⁰ In the morning their promised hour will come. Is not the morning near?'

(11:82) And when Our command came to pass, We turned the town upside down, and rained on it stones of baked clay, one on another,⁹¹

(11:83) marked from your Lord.⁹² Nor is the punishment far off from the wrong-doers.⁹³

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Commentary

75. This shows that the angels visited Prophet Abraham (peace be on him) in human form and that initially they did not disclose their identity. Prophet Abraham (peace be on him), therefore, thought that they were strangers, and immediately arranged a good meal for them.

76. Some commentators on the Qur’an are of the view that when the guests hesitated to take food Prophet Abraham (peace be on him) felt suspicious about their intentions. He even became apprehensive that they had come with some hostile design. For, in Arabia when someone declines the food offered to him by way of hospitality, this gives rise to the fear that he has not come as a guest but rather with subversive purposes. The very next verse, however, does not lend any support to this view.

77. The words as well as the tone of the verse suggest that as soon as Abraham (peace be on him) noticed that his guests were disinclined to eat, he realized that they were angels. Since angels appear in human form only in very exceptional circumstances, what terrified Abraham (peace be on him) was the possibility that the angels may have been sent to inflict punishment on account of any lapses that he himself, his family, or his people may have committed.

Had Abraham (peace be on him) not been sure about the identity of his guests — as some Qur’an-commentators believe — they would have said: ‘Do not fear, we are angels sent by your Lord.’ However, they did not say so. They rather tried to allay Abraham’s fears by saying: ‘Do not be afraid, we have been sent to the people of Lot.’ It is, thus, clear that Abraham had become aware of their true identity. What caused Abraham (peace be on him) to worry was the idea that the angels had been sent to his people, that his people were about to suffer a severe chastisement. However, he was soon to feel relieved that the angels had been sent to the people of Lot rather than to his own. So there was no reason to fear that his own people would soon suffer destruction.

78. According to this verse, the whole of Abraham’s family was worried about the visit of the angels in human form. From sheer anxiety Abraham’s wife also came out. However, when she came to know that the coming of the angels did not forebode any evil, she was reassured and became joyful.

79. The angels gave the glad tidings of the birth of Isaac to Sarah rather than to Abraham. For Abraham (peace be on him) already had a son called Ishmael, born of his first wife Hagar. At that time Sarah was without any issue, and for this reason she felt sad. When the angels gave her the glad tidings they foretold her not only of the birth of Isaac, but also of her grandson, Jacob. It is needless to say, perhaps, that both of them — Isaac and Jacob — became Messengers of great standing.

80. This expression does not, in any way, suggest that Sarah, instead of feeling happy, considered this prediction the foreboding of a calamity. In point of fact the expression is an exclamation to which women, in particular, resort to in a state of wonder and amazement. Thus, what is intended is not what the words literally suggest; the purpose is merely to express a sense of wonder.

81.. According to the Bible, Abraham was one hundred years and Sarah ninety years old at that time.

82. Ordinarily, it is uncommon for women to bear children at such an advanced age. However, such a thing is not at all beyond the range of God’s power. And since the tiding had been conveyed at the instance of God, there was no reason why a staunch believer such as Sarah should feel astonished, let alone entertain any doubts about it.

83. The word ‘dispute’ here expresses the nexus of affection and endearment between Abraham (peace be on him) and God. Perusal of this verse brings to one’s mind Abraham’s persistent pleading to God that He may spare Lot’s people His chastisement. To this God replied that since they were totally devoid of all good and had exceeded all reasonable limits, they did not deserve any leniency. Yet Abraham (peace be on him) continued to plead for them and presumably submitted that if there was even the least bit of good left in them, their chastisement be deferred so that this good may come to the fore.

It is interesting to note that the Bible also recounts this ‘dispute’ between God and Abraham. However, the Qur’anic account, though brief, is much more meaningful, and significant. (Cf. Genesis 18: 23-32.)

84. The mention of Abraham’s story as a preamble to the story of the people of Lot may appear somewhat out of tune with the purpose for which the events of the past are being narrated here. However, to better appreciate this, two things should be borne in mind. Firstly, that the immediate addressees of the Qur’an were the Quraysh. The Quraysh, since they were the descendants of Abraham (peace be on him), were the custodians of the Ka‘bah — the shrine of God. For the same reason, they also had a predominant influence over the religious, moral, cultural and political life of Arabia. The Quraysh believed that since they were the offspring of a Prophet who enjoyed God’s favor, they would never be punished by God. They felt sure that Abraham (peace be on him) would intercede effectively with God on their behalf.

The Qur’an strikes a powerful blow to the Makkans’ misconceptions. They are told, in the first instance, the story of the Prophet Noah (peace be on him) in graphic detail: how he watched his own son drown and how he distressfully prayed to God to show mercy to him. And yet, as we know, Noah’s prayer was to no avail. Not only was Noah’s prayer not granted, he was even rebuked for praying on behalf of his unrighteous son. Noah’s story is followed by a narration of Abraham’s story. Abraham (peace be on him) enjoys, on the one hand, the innumerable blessings of God. He is also addressed by God in terms which are clearly indicative of God’s special love and affection for him. On the other hand, when Abraham interferes in a manner that amounted to compromising justice with regard to an evil-doing nation, God sets his intercession aside.

The second thing that ought to be borne in mind is that the present discourse emphasizes to the Quraysh that God’s law of retribution has always been operative in history. The Quraysh had become altogether oblivious of that law and were no longer afraid of it. The Qur’an, therefore, drew their attention to its constant manifestation in human history, including the traces of its operation in their immediate surroundings.

Their attention was also drawn to Abraham (peace be on him) who had migrated for the sake of the truth and had settled down in an alien land.

Apparently, he had no power or resources at his disposal. Nonetheless, God rewarded him for his righteousness. He also caused Abraham’s wife to deliver a child when she had reached the age of barrenness and when Abraham himself had also reached an advanced age. This child was Isaac (peace be on him) who was to become the father of another Prophet, Jacob (peace be on them). The progeny of Isaac and Jacob are known as the Children of Israel. They were indeed a great people who retained, for centuries, their ascendancy in the region — Palestine and Syria - where Abraham (peace be on him) had first set his foot as an uprooted, homeless refugee.

Distinguishable from the Israelites were the people of Lot. They remained immersed in their evil deeds and continued to bask in the warmth of their prosperity. They had no idea at all that on account of this iniquity they would be overtaken by God’s punishment in the near future. Hence, whenever the Prophet Lot (peace be on him) attempted to admonish them, they scornfully brushed his counsel aside. However, the same day on which it was decided to exalt the progeny of Abraham (peace be on him) into a very outstanding nation, it was also decided to annihilate the people of Lot who had become exceedingly wicked. So thorough was the destruction to which they were subjected that to-day there exists no trace of their habitation.

85. For details see Towards Understanding the Qur’ an, vol. IH, al-A ‘raf7, nn. 63-8, pp. 49-53 — Ed.

86. What seems to be evident from the story as related in the Qur’an is that the angels had come io Lot (peace be on him) in the form of handsome young boys. It also seems that Lot (peace be on him) was unaware that they were angels. He also felt quite disturbed, therefore, at the sight of the visiting young boys. His reaction was natural in view of the known degeneration and unabashed perversity prevalent among his people.

87. It is possible that Lot (peace be on him) used the word ‘daughters’ to refer to the totality of females in his nation as such. For a Messenger is indeed like a father to his people, and all the females of that nation are to him like his own daughters. It is also possible that when Lot used the word ‘daughters’ he meant his own daughters. Whatever is the correct interpretation, one should not misunderstand the statement and think it an invitation for Lot’s people to indulge in illegitimate sex. For the very next part of his remark, viz. ‘they are purer for you’, excludes all justification for such a misunderstanding.

The whole thrust of Lot’s statement was that if they wished to satisfy their sex-urge, they should do so in the natural and legitimate manner as laid down by God. Lot (peace be on him) wished to underscore the fact that the natural and legitimate means of sexual satisfaction were readily available as there was no dearth of women in their society.

88. This Qur’anic statement vividly portrays the moral degradation and perversity of those people. They had brazenly deviated from the natural way of satisfying their sexual desires and had adopted instead an altogether perverse and filthy way. What was even more heinous was that their interest had become confined only to those perverse forms of sexual gratification which had come into vogue in their society. This perversity had reached such a point where they felt no shame in stating that they were not interested at all in what was universally held to be the natural and legitimate way of sexual satisfaction.

This is the lowest conceivable depth of moral degeneration and perversity.

Such a case is very different from that of a person who might commit a sin in a moment of weakness when he is overwhelmed by his passions, but has not ceased to distinguish good from evil. For it is quite possible for such a person to mend his ways.

But even if he does not mend his ways, he may, at the most, be considered a man who has lapsed into evil ways. But a person who becomes so thoroughly perverse that his interest is confined only to what is forbidden and sinful, and who believes that all that is right and permissible is simply not meant for him, is altogether a different situation. Such a person is not only wicked, but has sunk so low that he cannot be truly considered a human being. Such a person is a worm that thrives only on filth and finds all that is clean and pure totally disagreeable. Were such a worm to be found in the house of someone who loves cleanliness, he would use insecticide to get rid of it at the first available opportunity! Such being the case, how is it conceivable that God, the Lord of this universe, can allow such worms to concentrate and become strong at any given place or time?

89. The warning implied in directing Lot (peace be on him) and his household to depart at their earliest was loud and clear. They were told not to tarry behind in the region which had been marked for total destruction.

90. This is the third instructive event related in this surah. The purpose of relating it is to underscore the fact that family connections with, and the intercession of, people of high spiritual standing can be of no avail in rescuing a people from the punishment they invite upon themselves by their evil deeds.

91. This scourge probably took the form of a severe earthquake combined with volcanic eruptions. The earthquake turned their dwellings upside down and by means of a volcanic eruption they were subjected to-a severe rain of stones. The expression ‘stones of baked clay’ perhaps refers to the stones formed by the underground heat and lava in volcanic regions. The signs of this volcanic eruption can be noticed almost everywhere in the region south and east of the Dead Sea even today.

92. This implies that each stone had been earmarked for a specific act of destruction.

93. The moral of the story is that those who engage in acts of transgression should not delude themselves into believing that they are safe from God’s punishment. For, if the people of Prophet Lot (peace be on him) could be overtaken by a severe chastisement, so can they. For none can overwhelm God or frustrate His plan: neither the people of Lot nor any other.