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Tafsir · Surah Al-Hijr 15:58

15:57

قَالَ فَمَا خَطْبُكُمْ أَيُّهَا ٱلْمُرْسَلُونَ

[Abraham] said, "Then what is your business [here], O messengers?"

15:58

قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّآ أُرْسِلْنَآ إِلَىٰ قَوْمٍ مُّجْرِمِينَ

They said, "Indeed, we have been sent to a people of criminals,

15:59

إِلَّآ ءَالَ لُوطٍ إِنَّا لَمُنَجُّوهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ

Except the family of Lot; indeed, we will save them all

15:60

إِلَّا ٱمْرَأَتَهُۥ قَدَّرْنَآ ۙ إِنَّهَا لَمِنَ ٱلْغَـٰبِرِينَ

Except his wife." We [i.e., Allāh] decreed that she is of those who remain behind.

Ibn Kathir (Abridged)

Hafiz Ibn Kathir · English

This tafsir covers verses 15:57, 15:58, 15:59, 15:60 together.

The Reason why the Angels came

Allah tells us that after Ibrahim had calmed down from the excitement of this good news, he started to ask them why they had come to him. They said,

إِنَّآ أُرْسِلْنَآ إِلَى قَوْمٍ مُّجْرِمِينَ

(We have been sent to a guilty people.) meaning the people of Lut. They told him that they were going to save the family of Lut from among those people, except for his wife, because she was one of those who were doomed. Thus it was said,

إِلاَّ امْرَأَتَهُ قَدَّرْنَآ إِنَّهَا لَمِنَ الْغَـبِرِينَ

(Except for his wife, of whom We have decreed that she shall be of those who remain behind.) i.e., she was one of those who would be left behind and will be destroyed.

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