Tafsir of Surah Al-Hijr - Verse 69

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 هَـؤُلآءِ 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 الْعَـلَمِينَ

(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."

From verse 48: لَا يَمَسُّهُمْ فِيهَا نَصَبٌ وَمَا هُم مِّنْهَا بِمُخْرَ‌جِينَ (No weariness shall touch them therein nor will they be expelled from there), we learn about two features of Jannah: (1) No one shall ever feel tired or weak. This is contrary to what happens in our mortal world where hard work naturally results in fatigue. In fact, even a state of total rest and fun would sometimes tire a person out, no matter how enjoyable are things one is occupied with. (2) The other feature of Jannah we discover is that the blessings once received there shall be eternal. These blessings shall never diminish nor shall anyone be expelled from there. In Surah Sad, it was said:إِنَّ هَـٰذَا لَرِ‌زْقُنَا مَا لَهُ مِن نَّفَادٍ (This is sustenance provided by Us which is never to exhaust - 38:54). And in the present verse, it was said: وَمَا هُم مِّنْهَا بِمُخْرَ‌جِينَ (nor will they be expelled from there) that is, they shall never be deprived of the state of bliss bestowed upon them. This is contrary to the affairs of the mortal world where the recipient of the best of conveniences lives under the apprehension that the Over of the facilities may become displeased with him one of those days and expel him out.

As for the third probability, that the blessings of Jannah may remain everlasting, nor one is expelled from there, but one may himself get bored by living there and wish to go out, the Qur’ an has demolished this probability in one sentence of Surah Al-Kahf with the following words: لَا يَبْغُونَ عَنْهَا حِوَلًا (That is, these people too would never seek to return from there - 18:108).

The angels who went to the town of Lot’s community took the shape of extremely handsome youths. This was like the last examination paper to test this community which was steeped in debauchery. In their overweening arrogance, they made a rush towards these youths with the intention of molesting them, as usual. But they did not know that those they looked upon as charming youths were, in fact, the angels of punishment who had come only to leave them disgraced and dishonoured.