سَلَٰمًا

15:52; 51:25.

15:53; 51:26.

Important Words:

ابراھیم (Abraham), the Great Patriarch, was the son of Terah. He was born at Ur of the Chaldees. It is difficult to say when exactly he lived. He is said to have died at the age of 175. Abraham is the progenitor of the two great peoples, the Israelites and the Ishmaelites, who equally revere him. Abraham’s real name was Abram but after the birth of Ishmael, according to God’s own command, he came to be called Abraham which means the "Father of a multitude" or the "Father of many nations." One branch of his progeny, the Israelites, lived in Canaan and the other, the Ishmaelites, in Arabia. In fulfilment of his famous dream, Abraham took his son Ishmael and his wife Hagar to the desert of Arabia where the posterity of Ishmael grew and multiplied and where in fulness of time and in conformity with God’s promise to Abraham, the Holy Prophet of Islam, the greatest of all Prophets, appeared "to bring back the erring flock into the Master’s fold!" (Gen. 10:26–25:10, & Jew. Enc.). To this fact the Holy Prophet has himself referred in one of his famous sayings viz. انا دعوة ابراھیم i.e. "I am the prayer personified of Abraham". (‘Asakir).

Commentary:

There exists a difference of opinion as to who were the "messengers" to whom reference has been made in this verse. Some hold them to be human beings, while others think they were angels. The former view appears to be the correct one, though they have been called "angels" by some for their piety, as Joseph is called "an angel" in 12:32. In this connection see also 17:96.

The reason why God chose these men to convey news of the impending punishment to Lot (see vv. 75 & 78) is not clear from the context, but one explanation appears probable. Both Abraham and Lot, who were closely related, were strangers in that land, and it is quite possible that God sent His word to some pious men of that locality that they might take Lot to a safe place before the visitation actually overtook his people. It should also be remembered that these "messengers" did not come to give the first warning of the punishment. The people of Lot had already been threatened with punishment (15:13-15 & 15:65). The "messengers" came only to inform Lot that the appointed hour of the threatened punishment had arrived, and to take him to a place of safety.

The mention of Abraham has been made in this Surah only incidentally, to serve as an introduction to the account of the Prophet Lot which follows. It is the story of Lot that is primarily meant to be mentioned here, for this Surah gives an account of only those Prophets whose people were visited with Divine punishment. The reason why the story of Lot has been introduced with a reference to Abraham is that Lot was one of those persons who had believed in Abraham and had migrated to Syria with him; and, though he himself was a Prophet of God, he was subordinate to Abraham, as Ishmael and Isaac were subordinate to him and as Aaron was subordinate to Moses. Hence, when the "messengers" came with the news of the impending destruction of Lot’s people, it was only in the fitness of things that God should have first conveyed the news to Abraham, to whom Lot was a subordinate Prophet. As the news about the imminent destruction of Lot’s people was conveyed to Abraham in his capacity as the senior Prophet—he himself being not directly concerned with the matter—it was accompanied by glad tidings about the inauguration of a race of good and righteous people through the birth of a son to Abraham. This was done with a view to mitigating the severity of the shock Abraham was likely to feel at the news of the imminent destruction that was to overtake Lot’s people.

It is also worth noting that though Lot was a follower of Abraham before he was made a Prophet, he was invested with this rank not through the spiritual medium of Abraham but directly by God, as were also Ishmael and Isaac and Aaron. All those were subordinate Prophets, but the rank of prophethood was conferred upon them directly by God and not through the instrumentality of Abraham or Moses. It is a special privilege and prerogative of the Holy Prophet of Islam that his followers can attain to prophethood through his spiritual influence.

The verse also throws interesting light on the hospitality of Abraham, for he did not tarry to ask the strangers whether they had partaken of food but hastened to bring a roasted calf for them.

11:70; 51:26.

11:71; 51:29.

Commentary:

Probably signs of grief and sorrow were apparent on the faces of these messengers who had brought the news of an impending catastrophe. Abraham understood, either from the troubled expression on their faces or from their refusal to partake of the food offered to them (11:70, 71), the anguish of their hearts and suspected that the message which they had brought might prove a source of pain for him. It is also possible that the refusal of the guests to partake of the offered food led Abraham to fear that he might have, inadvertently, neglected some rule of hospitality in entertaining them.

52:24; 56:26; 78:36.

Commentary:

الا (but) is used here either as استثناء متصل or استثناء منقطع. In the former case the verse would mean that the apparently superfluous talk would also be productive of peace and will result in something useful and beneficial. In the latter case it would mean that the believers will hear nothing vain and useless but will live in perfect peace because there will be peace all round them. They will live in the presence of God Who is peace (59:24) and reside in the abode of peace (6:128) and angels will enter upon them with greetings of peace (13:25). For a full discussion about استثناء منقطع see 2:35.

The verse may also signify that the believers will attain such a high stage of righteousness in the gardens of eternity that they will hear no disparaging talk about one another i.e. there will be found absolutely no suspicion of any kind.

The sentence, They will have their sustenance therein, morning and evening, means that the believers will constantly hear the sweet voice of God, enjoy His sight and will receive the message of eternal peace. The word "sustenance" covers and applies to all these things.

Commentary:

In 29:25 we are told that Abraham’s enemies sought to slay or burn him but God saved him from the fire, and in 37:98,99 we read that Abraham’s enemies designed to build a structure for him and cast him into the fire but they failed in their evil design. The present verse however says, "O fire, be thou cool and a means of safety for Abraham." How the fire became cool we are not told. Timely rain or a stormy hurricane might have extinguished it. In any event God did bring about circumstances which led to Abraham’s deliverance. There is always an element of mystery in heavenly miracles and Abraham’s having been saved from the fire was indeed a great miracle.

This incident of Abraham’s having been cast into the fire is credited not only by the Jews but also by the Eastern Christians; the 25th of the second Canun, or January, being set apart in the Syrian Calendar for the commemoration of Abraham’s being cast into the fire. (Hyde, De Rel. Vet Pers., p. 73). See also Mdr. Rabbah on Gen. Par. 17; Schalacheleth Hakabala, 2; Maimon de Idol. Ch. 1; and Jad Hachazakah, Vet, 6, who makes Abraham, in his 40th year, renounce star-worship, break images, escape the wrath of the king by a miracle, and preach that there is one God of the whole universe.

17:38; 31:19.

28:56.

Commentary:

With this verse begins a brief description of the great moral and spiritual revolution which that Sun of the spiritual firmament—the Holy Prophet—brought about among his people. From عباد الشیطان i.e. the sons of darkness, they became عباد الرحمان i.e. the servants of the Gracious and Beneficent God. The various qualities of the righteous servants of the Gracious God, referred to in this and the following verses, are the opposite counterparts of the vices from which the people of the Holy Prophet particularly suffered. The Divine attribute الرحمن i.e. the Gracious, has been specially mentioned to show that the great revolution referred to above was brought about by the teaching of the Quran whose revelation has a direct and intimate connection with this Divine attribute as hinted in the verse الرحمن علم القرآن i.e. the Gracious God Who taught the Quran (55:2-3).

The verse also implies that the lives of God’s servants also bear testimony to the fact that He is الرحمن (Gracious).

34:38.

Important Words:

غرفة (highest place) is derived from غرف. They say غرف الشیء i.e. he cut or cut off the thing. غرفة means, balcony; chamber in the upper or uppermost storey (Lane & Aqrab).

11:70; 15:53.

11:71.

Commentary:

This and the preceding verse, like many other verses of the Quran, effectively repudiate all those foolish notions about a sensual Paradise which ignorant and evil-minded carpers and critics of Islam pretend to find in the Quran, and gives an insight into its nature, essence and reality. The Heaven as conceived and promised to Muslims by the Quran would be a place of spiritual bliss where no sin, vain or idle talk, or lying will find access (78:36). All the blessings of Paradise would find their culmination and consummation in peace—complete peace of the mind and soul. And there could be no greater blessing than peace of mind. The Paradise promised to a Muslim has been designated as the "abode of peace" in the Quran (6:128); the highest stage of spiritual development to which a believer can rise is that of the "soul at peace" (89:28) and the greatest gift which the dwellers of Paradise will receive from God will be "peace" (36:59), because God Himself is the Author of peace (59:24). Such is the sublime Quranic conception of Paradise.