The utter destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.
51. Sura az-Zariyat
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
قَالَ
فَمَا خَطْبُكُمْ
أَيُّهَا
الْمُرْسَلُونَ
﴿٣١﴾
51: 31. (Abraham) said: "And what, o ye Messengers, is your errand (now)?"
قَالُوا
إِنَّا أُرْسِلْنَا
إِلَى قَوْمٍ
مُّجْرِمِينَ
﴿٣٢﴾
51: 32. They said,
"We have been sent to a people (deep) in sin --
لِنُرْسِلَ
عَلَيْهِمْ
حِجَارَةً مِّن
طِينٍ
﴿٣٣﴾
51: 33. "To bring on, on them (a shower of) stones of clay (brimstone),
C5011. Cf. 11:82, and n. 1052 to 7:84.
The angels' errand of mercy to Abraham (to announce the succession of godly men in his line) was coupled with their errand of justice and punishment to the people of Lut, the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, who were deep in the most abominable and unnatural sins.
So Allah's Mercy and Justice go hand in hand in all human affairs. Faith has nothing to fear, and wickedness has only to turn and repent, to obtain Allah's Mercy.
مُسَوَّمَةً
عِندَ رَبِّكَ
لِلْمُسْرِفِينَ
﴿٣٤﴾
51: 34. "Marked as from thy Lord for those who trespass beyond bounds."
C5012. Cf. 11:83, and n. 1580.
Every crime has its due punishment as marked out in the decrees of Allah.
فَأَخْرَجْنَا
مَن كَانَ فِيهَا
مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ
﴿٣٥﴾
51: 35. Then We evacuated those of the Believers who were there.
C5013. The only just or righteous persons found in Sodom and Gomorrah (Cities of the Plain by the Dead Sea) were in the house of Lut, who was the Prophet sent to call them to repentance. He and his believing family and adherents were told to leave in due time, and the wicked were destroyed in a shower of brimstone.
فَمَا
وَجَدْنَا
فِيهَا غَيْرَ
بَيْتٍ مِّنَ
الْمُسْلِمِينَ
﴿٣٦﴾
51: 36. But We found not there any just (Muslim) persons except in one house:
C5014. That was the house of Lut; and even there, his wife had no faith: she disobeyed the Command and perished: 11:81, n. 1577.
وَتَرَكْنَا
فِيهَا آيَةً
لِّلَّذِينَ
يَخَافُونَ
الْعَذَابَ
الْأَلِيمَ
﴿٣٧﴾
51: 37. And We left there a Signs for such as fear the Grievous Penalty.
C5015. The Grievous Chastisement: that is, the Final Judgment.
The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah in this life is taken as the type of the Final Judgment. The vestiges can be seen-as a Sign and a Warning-in the sulphury plain round the Dead Sea: Cf. xv. 79.
Asad’s Version:
Mecca Period 67
(51:31) Said [Abraham): "And what [else] may you have in view, O you [heavenly] messengers?"
(51:32) They answered: "Behold, we have been sent unto a people lost in sin, 20
(51:33) to let loose upon them stone-hard blows of chastisement, 21
(51:34) marked out in thy Sustainer's sight for [the punishment of) such as have wasted their own selves." 22
51:35 And in the course of time 25 We brought out [of Lot's city] such [few) believers as were there:
(51:36) for apart from one [single] house 24 We did not find there any who had surrendered themselves to Us.
(51:37) And so We left therein a message for those who fear the grievous suffering [which awaits all evildoers).
[[Asad’s notes - 22 For an explanation of this rendering of the term musrifin, see note 21 on 10:12.
23 Lit., "And then", i.e., after the events described in 1 1 :77 ff. and 15:61 ff.
24 I.e., Lot's family.
25 I.e., in the utter destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. ]]