29. Al-'Ankabut Page 400 وَ لَمَّا And when جَآءَتْ came رُسُلُنَاۤ Our messengers اِبْرٰهِیْمَ (to) Ibrahim بِالْبُشْرٰی ۙ with the glad tidings قَالُوْۤا they said اِنَّا Indeed we مُهْلِكُوْۤا (are) going to destroy اَهْلِ (the) people هٰذِهِ (of) this الْقَرْیَةِ ۚ town اِنَّ Indeed اَهْلَهَا its people كَانُوْا are ظٰلِمِیْنَۚۖ wrongdoers قَالَ He said اِنَّ Indeed فِیْهَا in it لُوْطًا ؕ (is) Lut قَالُوْا They said نَحْنُ We اَعْلَمُ know better بِمَنْ who فِیْهَا ؗۥ (is) in it لَنُنَجِّیَنَّهٗ We will surely save him وَ اَهْلَهٗۤ and his family اِلَّا except امْرَاَتَهٗ ؗۗ his wife كَانَتْ She مِنَ (is) of الْغٰبِرِیْنَ those who remain behind وَ لَمَّاۤ And when اَنْ [that] جَآءَتْ came رُسُلُنَا Our messengers لُوْطًا (to) Lut سِیْٓءَ he was distressed بِهِمْ for them وَ ضَاقَ and felt straitened بِهِمْ for them ذَرْعًا (and) uneasy وَّ قَالُوْا And they said لَا (Do) not تَخَفْ fear وَ لَا and (do) not تَحْزَنْ ۫ grieve اِنَّا Indeed we مُنَجُّوْكَ (will) save you وَ اَهْلَكَ and your family اِلَّا except امْرَاَتَكَ your wife كَانَتْ She مِنَ (is) of الْغٰبِرِیْنَ those who remain behind اِنَّا Indeed we مُنْزِلُوْنَ (will) bring down عَلٰۤی on اَهْلِ (the) people هٰذِهِ (of) this الْقَرْیَةِ town رِجْزًا a punishment مِّنَ from السَّمَآءِ (the) sky بِمَا because كَانُوْا they have been یَفْسُقُوْنَ defiantly disobedient وَ لَقَدْ And verily تَّرَكْنَا We have left مِنْهَاۤ about it اٰیَةًۢ a sign بَیِّنَةً (as) evidence لِّقَوْمٍ for a people یَّعْقِلُوْنَ who use reason وَ اِلٰی And to مَدْیَنَ Madyan اَخَاهُمْ their brother شُعَیْبًا ۙ Shuaib فَقَالَ And he said یٰقَوْمِ O my people! اعْبُدُوا Worship اللّٰهَ Allah وَ ارْجُوا and expect الْیَوْمَ the Day الْاٰخِرَ the Last وَ لَا and (do) not تَعْثَوْا commit evil فِی in الْاَرْضِ the earth مُفْسِدِیْنَ (as) corrupters فَكَذَّبُوْهُ But they denied him فَاَخَذَتْهُمُ so seized them الرَّجْفَةُ the earthquake فَاَصْبَحُوْا and they became فِیْ in دَارِهِمْ their home جٰثِمِیْنَؗ fallen prone وَ عَادًا And Aad وَّ ثَمُوْدَاۡ and Thamud وَ قَدْ and verily تَّبَیَّنَ (has) become clear لَكُمْ to you مِّنْ from مَّسٰكِنِهِمْ ۫ their dwellings وَ زَیَّنَ And made fair-seeming لَهُمُ to them الشَّیْطٰنُ the Shaitaan اَعْمَالَهُمْ their deeds فَصَدَّهُمْ and averted them عَنِ from السَّبِیْلِ the Way وَ كَانُوْا though they were مُسْتَبْصِرِیْنَۙ endowed with insight 29. Al-'Ankabut Page 401 وَ قَارُوْنَ And Qarun وَ فِرْعَوْنَ and Firaun وَ هَامٰنَ ۫ and Haman وَ لَقَدْ And certainly جَآءَهُمْ came to them مُّوْسٰی Musa بِالْبَیِّنٰتِ with clear evidences فَاسْتَكْبَرُوْا but they were arrogant فِی in الْاَرْضِ the earth وَ مَا and not كَانُوْا they could سٰبِقِیْنَۚۖ outstrip Us فَكُلًّا So each اَخَذْنَا We seized بِذَنْۢبِهٖ ۚ for his sin فَمِنْهُمْ Then of them مَّنْ (was he) who اَرْسَلْنَا We sent عَلَیْهِ on him حَاصِبًا ۚ a violent storm وَ مِنْهُمْ and of them مَّنْ (was he) who اَخَذَتْهُ seized him الصَّیْحَةُ ۚ the awful cry وَ مِنْهُمْ and of them مَّنْ (was he) who خَسَفْنَا We caused to swallow بِهِ him الْاَرْضَ ۚ the earth وَ مِنْهُمْ and of them مَّنْ (was he) who اَغْرَقْنَا ۚ We drowned وَ مَا And not كَانَ was اللّٰهُ Allah لِیَظْلِمَهُمْ to wrong them وَ لٰكِنْ but كَانُوْۤا they were اَنْفُسَهُمْ themselves یَظْلِمُوْنَ doing wrong مَثَلُ (The) example الَّذِیْنَ (of) those who اتَّخَذُوْا take مِنْ besides دُوْنِ besides اللّٰهِ Allah اَوْلِیَآءَ protectors كَمَثَلِ (is) like الْعَنْكَبُوْتِ ۚۖ the spider اِتَّخَذَتْ who takes بَیْتًا ؕ a house وَ اِنَّ And indeed اَوْهَنَ the weakest الْبُیُوْتِ (of) houses لَبَیْتُ (is) surely (the) house الْعَنْكَبُوْتِ ۘ (of) the spider لَوْ if (only) كَانُوْا they یَعْلَمُوْنَ know اِنَّ Indeed اللّٰهَ Allah یَعْلَمُ knows مَا what یَدْعُوْنَ they invoke مِنْ besides Him دُوْنِهٖ besides Him مِنْ any شَیْءٍ ؕ thing وَ هُوَ And He الْعَزِیْزُ (is) the All-Mighty الْحَكِیْمُ the All-Wise وَ تِلْكَ And these الْاَمْثَالُ examples نَضْرِبُهَا We set forth لِلنَّاسِ ۚ to mankind وَ مَا but not یَعْقِلُهَاۤ will understand them اِلَّا except الْعٰلِمُوْنَ those of knowledge خَلَقَ Allah created اللّٰهُ Allah created السَّمٰوٰتِ the heavens وَ الْاَرْضَ and the earth بِالْحَقِّ ؕ in truth اِنَّ Indeed فِیْ in ذٰلِكَ that لَاٰیَةً (is) surely a Sign لِّلْمُؤْمِنِیْنَ۠ for the believers
(29:31) When Our emissaries brought the good news53 to Abraham, and said (to him): “We are surely going to destroy the inhabitants54 of this city; its inhabitants are immersed in wrong-doing.”
(29:32) Abraham said: “But Lot is there.”55 They replied: “We are well aware of those who are there. We shall save him and all his household except his wife.” His wife is among those who will stay behind.56
(29:33) When Our emissaries came to Lot he was distressed and embarrassed on their account. They said: “Do not fear nor be distressed.58 We shall save you and all your household except your wife who is among those that will stay behind.
(29:34) We shall bring down upon the people of this city a scourge from the heaven because of their evildoing.”
(29:35) And We have left a vestige of it in that city as a Clear Sign57, 58, 59 for a people who use their reason.60
(29:36) And We sent to Midian their brother Shuayb.61 He said: “My people, serve Allah and look forward to the Last Day62 and do not go about the earth committing mischief.”
(29:37) But they denounced him as a liar.63 So a mighty earthquake overtook them, and by the morning they lay overturned in their houses.64
(29:38) And We destroyed Ad and Thamud, whose dwellings you have observed.65 Satan had embellished their deeds for them and had turned them away from the Right Path although they were a people of clear perception.66
(29:39) And We destroyed Qarun (Korah) and Pharaoh and Haman. Moses came to them with Clear Signs but they waxed arrogant in the land although they could not have outstripped67 (Us).
(29:40) So We seized each for their sin. We let loose upon some a violent tornado with showers of stones;68 some were overtaken by a mighty Cry;69 some were caused to be swallowed up by the earth,70 and some We drowned.71 Allah would not wrong them, but it is they who wronged themselves.72
(29:41) The case of those who took others than Allah as their protectors is that of a spider who builds a house; but the frailest of all houses is the spider's house; if they only knew.73
(29:42) Surely Allah knows fully what they call upon apart from Him. He is the Most Powerful, the Most Wise.74
(29:43) These are the parables that We set forth to make people understand. But only those endowed with knowledge will comprehend them.
(29:44) Allah has created the heavens and the earth in Truth.75 Certainly there is a Sign in this for those who believe.76
53. In Sarah Hud and al-Hijr it is stated that the angels deputed to destroy the Prophet Lot’s people first went to the Prophet Abraham (peace ‘be on him). They gave him the good news of the birth of his son, Isaac, and of his grandson, Jacob. The angels also informed him that they were on their way to destroy the Prophet Lot’s people.
54. “This city” here alludes to the territory in which Lot's people lived. The Prophet Abraham (peace be on him) at that time lived in the city of Hebron in Palestine, presently known as al-Khalil. A few miles to the southeast of the city lies that part of the Dead Sea which was once inhabited by Lot’s people and which is now submerged by the sea. This is a low-lying area and is easily visible from the hill-tops of Hebron. It is for this reason that the angels pointed in the direction of the city, saying to the Prophet Abraham: “We are surely going to destroy the inhabitants of this city.” (See also Towards Understanding the Qur’an, Vol. VIL, al-Shu ‘ara’ 26: n. 114, pp. 108-109.)
55. The opening part of this story is narrated in Surah Hud. The Prophet Abraham (peace be on him) was disconcerted when he observed that angels had appeared in human form, for this usually indicates that they are on some ominous mission. He was relieved, however, when they gave him the good news of the birth of his son. When he also came to know that they were on their way to destroy the Prophet Lot’s people, he pleaded fervently that mercy be shown them. In the words of the Qur ‘an: “He ‘began to dispute with Us concerning the people of Lot. Surely Abraham was forbearing, tender-hearted and oft-turning to Allah.” Abraham's plea, however, was not accepted: “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 averted is about to befall them’,” (Hud 11:74-76). It was then that the Prophet Abraham (peace be on him) realized that Lot’s people were doomed to suffer Divine scourge. He was also inevitably concerned about the Prophet Lot (peace be on him), as mentioned in the verse: “But Lot is there.” The safety of the latter and his family worried Abraham for if the scourge were to strike Lot’s people while he was in their midst, how could Lot and his family remain safe?
56. We learn from al-Tahrim 66:10 that the Prophet Lot’s wife was not sincere towards her husband. It was, therefore, decided that notwithstanding her being the wife of a Prophet, she too should be afflicted with God’s scourge. It is likely that when the Prophet Lot (peace be on him) settled in Jordan after his migration, he might have married a woman from among the local populace. However, even after spending many years in a Prophet's company, she did not sincerely embrace faith and her allegiance to her unbelieving people endured. God, of course, does not accord any weight to ties of kinship in judging people; rather, He judges everyone on the basis of faith and conduct. Therefore, her marital tie with one of His Prophets could not save her from punishment. Her fate was tied with that of her people’s with whom she had religious and moral bonds rather than with her husband.
57. The reason for the Prophet Lot’s anxiety and discomfort was that the angels had come to him in the form of handsome young men. (The fact that they were angels was not initially known to Lot.) Now Lot was well aware of his people’s moral corruption. The angels’ visit, in the form of handsome young men therefore presented him with a difficult problem, namely, the protection of his guests from the immoral onslaughts of his community. He could not turn his guests away for that would be an act inconsistent with hospitality. Furthermore, if he did not offer them his hospitality, they would be obliged to spend the night in the town, which would amount to leaving his visitors to the tender mercy of hungry wolves. The Qur’anic passage here does not narrate any further details of the story but an extensive account of it appears in Sariah Hud, al-Hijr and al-Qamar. (See Hud 11:76-83; al-Hijr 15:60-77, and al-Qamar 54:33-39.) According to these, on learning of these handsome men’s visit, many people barged into the Prophet Lot’s house, demanding that the guests be handed over to them so that they might satisfy their unbridled lust.
58. The visitors assured the Prophet Lot (peace be on him): “Do not fear nor be distressed.” In other words, Lot’s people would not be able to cause them the slightest harm. At this moment they revealed their identity, telling Lot that they were angels who had been sent down to inflict God’s scourge upon his people. It is stated in Surah Hud that on observing his people rushing to his house, and realizing that he could not save his guests, Lot (peace be on him) exclaimed: “Would that I had, the strength to set you straight, or could seek refuge in some powerful support.” 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”, (Hud 11:80-81).
59. “A Clear Sign” here refers to the Dead Sea which, owing to its association with Lot, is also called the Sea of Lot. Time and again the Qur’an impressed on the Makkan unbelievers that a Sign of the chastisement that had visited those wicked people could still be seen. This was observable both in the morning and night along the highway in the course of people’s commercial journeys to Syria. The relevant Qur’anic verses are as follows: “The place (where the rain of stones occurred) lies along a known route” (al-Hijr 15:76), and “You pass by their desolate habitations in the morning and at night”, (al-Saffat 37:137-138).
It is now almost universally recognized that what is presently the southern part of the Dead Sea became so transformed as a result of a terrible earthquake, which caused the land mass to cave in. It was in this part that the capital of the Prophet Lot’s people, Sodom, was located.
One can still find ruins of some submerged towns in the sea. Aided with the latest diving and archaeological devices, expeditions are presently in progress to study these ruins. The results of these studies, however, are still to be obtained. (For further details see Towards Understanding the Qur'an, Vol. VIL, al-Shu ‘ara’ 26: n. 114, pp. 108-109.)
60. On the punishment laid down for sodomy in the Shari‘ah see Towards Understanding the Qur’an, Vol. II, al-A raf 7: n. 68, pp. 52-53.
61. For further details see al-A ‘raf 7:85-93; Hid 11:84-96 and al-Shu ‘ara’ 26:177-191.
62. This is open to the following interpretations: (i) They should be assured that the Afterlife will inevitably come to pass. They should not, therefore, consider the life of this world to be an end in itself. They should be certain that the present life will be followed by the Hereafter wherein they will be held to account and receive reward or punishment. (ii) They are urged to do good deeds that might improve their prospects in the Hereafter.
63. They did not accept the Prophet Shu ‘ayb as God’s Messenger or his teachings to be from God. As a consequence of their rejection of these truths, they were afflicted with God’s scourge.
64. That is, the whole territory they inhabited was destroyed.
65. The Arabs of the Prophet's time were familiar with the lands of ‘Ad and Thamud. The former lived in southern Arabia, which is presently known as Ahqaf, Yaman and Hadramawt. The ruins of Thamud are found to this day in northern Hijaz covering the region from Rabigh to “Aqabah, from Madyan and Khaybar to Tayma’ and Tabuk. At the time the Qur’an was revealed, these ruins would have been even more prominent.
66. They were not ignorant fools; rather, they were a shrewd people, well-skilled in the management of worldly affairsI.t cannot, therefore, be said that Satan had cast a spell on them, made them blind to facts, robbed them of their ability to think rationally, or that he forced them to follow his way. The fact is that they knowingly chose the way shown to them by Satan because it contained the promise of many benefits and much pleasure. They, therefore, deliberately rejected the way shown by the Prophets for they found it hard and unattractive in view of its many stringent moral interdictions.
67. That is, they could neither escape God’s grip nor frustrate His plans.
68. This refers to the ‘Ad who were continuously subjected to a storm for seven nights and eight days. (See also al-Haqqah 69:7.)
69. This refers to the Thamud.
70. This refers to Korah.
71. This refers to Pharaoh and Haman.
72. The stories recounted here are addressed both to the Muslims and to the Makkan unbelievers. They were narrated so that the Muslims would not give in to despair and demoralization and so that they would remain patient and resolute in upholding the Truth even in the face of very severe hardships. These stories should also instill in them full trust in God and make them assured that His aid will ultimately come and that He will see to it that their oppressors are humbled and God’s Word is exalted.
On the other. hand, these stories were also narrated to impart an important lesson to the Makkan wrong-doers who were bent upon obliterating Islam. They were thereby warned not to mistake God’s forbearance. Since they had not been seized for a long time for their wrong-doing and rebellion, they had fallen prey to the delusion that they would never be brought to justice. Rather, they believed that they were free to act as they wanted, believing that this world was not subject to moral laws. Such mistaken notions would eventually bring upon them the same scourge which smote the unbelieving nations of the Prophets Noah, Lot, and Shu ‘ayb, for the ‘Ad and Thamud. Korah and Pharaoh also met the same horrendous fate.
73. All these nations had been guilty of indulging in polytheism. They looked upon their idols as guardians and patrons who could make or mar their destiny. They presented offerings to them and worshipped them so as to procure their protection. They believed that by doing so their idols would help, support and protect them against every calamity. However, itis unmistakably evident from history, as related in the Qur’an, that such false beliefs and superstitions proved of no avail to them when God ordained their annihilation. No god or goddess, no avtar, saint or spirit, no jinn or angel whom they used to worship, came to their rescue. When they came face to face with this reality, they felt remorseful about having cherished false notions, but nonetheless they met their doom and were obliterated.
By relating these stories, the Qur’an issues a dire warning to the Makkan polytheists: their expectations about receiving help and support from imaginary lords, idols, that are themselves helpless, will prove as frail as a spider’s web. In the same way that a spider’s web cannot withstand the mere touch of a finger, their polytheistic notions will be demolished as soon as the Divine scourge smites them. The fact is that ignorance alone accounts for their false beliefs and superstitions. Had they reflected on reality, their worldview would not have been erected on baseless foundations. The truth is that God, the One True Lord of the "Universe, alone has all power and authority. It is He, as the Qur’an says, in Whom man can place his reliance: He who rejects the evil ones and believes in Allah has indeed taken hold of the firm, unbreakable handle. And Allah (whom he has held for support) is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. (al-Baqarah 2:256)
74. God, of course, fully knows the truth about those whom the polytheists have chosen to be their deities and whom they call upon for help. Notwithstanding their misplaced devotion, these deities are absolutely powerless for all power lies with God alone. It is He Alone Who governs the Universe by dint of His power and wisdom.
This verse can also be translated as follows: “Surely Allah knows fully that what they call upon apart from Him is nothing (in reality) and He alone is the Most Powerful, the Most Wise.”
75. The order of the Universe is based on truth rather than falsehood.
Whoever ponders the workings of the Universe with an open mind realizes that the heavens and the earth have nothing to do with imaginary musings and conjectures. They are rooted instead in the bedrock of truth and reality. It is simply impossible for a person to weave a philosophy out of his conjecture and imagination that adequately fits the scheme of - the Universe, a scheme wherein only that which is anchored in truth and reality works and strikes root. Any system of ideas and presuppositions incongruent with reality will of necessity collide with it and be shattered into pieces.
The order of the Universe testifies to the fact that none other than the One True God is its Creator, Lord and Regulator. Suppose someone were to disregard this vital fact and proceed on the assumption that the Universe is without God or that there is a multiplicity of gods that provide security to their devotees in return for the offerings they make. Such baseless notions would not alter the truth at all. On the contrary, at one time or another, the victim of such false notions will face a rude shock.
76. The creation of the heavens and the earth provides testimony verifying the truth of monotheism and the falsity of polytheism and atheism. This testimony, however, can only be perceived by those who believe in the Prophets’ teachings. As for those who reject the Prophets, they are unable to see the manifest truth that is evident to everyone.