Surah ad-Dhariyat (The Scattering Winds) 51 : 24

Overview (Verses 24 - 37)

Abraham and the Angels

So far we have looked at the first part of the surah. The second part includes brief references to the stories of Abraham, Lot, Moses, the 'Ad Prophet Hud's people, the Thamad Prophet Saliti's people, and Noah's people. This part closely relates to what preceded it in the surah and to what follows.

Have you heard the story of Abraham's honored guests? They went in to see him and bade him peace. He answered 'Peace,' [and added to himself] 'These are strangers.' He turned quickly to his household and brought out a fat calf. He placed it before them, saying: `Will you not eat?' He then became apprehensive of them, but they said Do not be afraid' They gave him the good news of [the birth of] a son who would be endowed with knowledge. His wife then carne in with a loud cry, struck her face, and said: A barren old woman!' Replied they: 'Thus will it be. This is what your Lord said He is the Wise, the All-Knowing.' Said Abraham: 'What is your errand, messengers?' They replied: 'We have been sent to a people lost in sin, to bring down on them stones of clay, marked as from your Lord for those who transgressed all bounds. We brought out such believers as were there; but We did not find there any who had surrendered themselves to Us apart from a single house. We left there a sign for those who fear the grievous suffering. (Verses 24-37)

These verses speak of a sign or signs in the history of the divine message, just like those signs in the earth and in man to which the surah referred. It also refers to a promise or promises that are fulfilled, just like the promises the surah mentioned earlier.

It begins its reference to Abraham by the question: "Have you heard the story of Abraham's honored guests?" (Verse 24) This style is used to prepare our minds for what comes next. It describes Abraham's guests as ' honored, either because they are so in God's sight, or because of how Abraham paid honor to them as we soon learn. Abraham's hospitality appears very clearly from the first moment his guests arrived. Once they greeted him and received his reply, and despite the fact that they are total strangers, he immediately goes to his wife telling her to prepare food. He provides a large quantity of food, sufficient for scores of people: "He turned quickly to his household and brought out a fat calf:" (Verse 26) According to some reports, there were only three guests, which means that a shoulder of that calf would have been sufficient to give them a good meal.

"He placed it before them, saying: you not eat?"' (Verse 27) He asked this question after he saw that their hands did not touch the food and it looked as if they would not eat the meal that had been provided.
 
"He then became apprehensive of them," either because a stranger who refuses to eat his host's food appears treacherous and causes an element of apprehension, or because he noticed something odd about them. Therefore, they revealed their identity, reassuring him and giving him the good news they had brought him: "They said 'Do not be afraid 'They gave him the good news of [the birth of] a son who would be endowed with knowledge." (Verse 28) This was the happy news of Isaac's birth.

"His wife then came in with a loud cry struck her face, and said. 'A barren old woman (Verse 29) She overheard the good news, was stunned and surprised. She could not stop herself from crying out in amazement. In the habitual reaction of women, she slapped herself on both cheeks and said: 'A barren old woman!' This was a further expression of her surprise given she was elderly, and had been barren throughout her life. Stunned by this totally unexpected piece of news, she forgot that those bringing the good news were angels. Therefore, the angels reminded her of the basic truth that there is no limit to God's power, and that He determines everything on the basis of perfect wisdom and absolute knowledge: "Replied they: 'Thus will it be. This is what your Lord said. He is the Wise, the All-Knowing.'" (Verse 30)

Everything will come into existence once the command, 'Be', is given. God said it, so what can prevent His order from being fulfilled? Familiar habits limit our imagination and understanding. Therefore, we are surprised when we see something running counter to what is familiar. Yet God's will is free, unrestricted by anything that may be familiar to man in his small world. It creates whatever He wills, without limitation.

When Abraham realized who his guests were, he asked them about the mission they had been sent to accomplish: "Said Abraham: 'What is your errand, messengers?' They replied: 'We have been sent to a people lost in sin." (Verses 31-32) These were Lot's people as explained in other surahs. Those angels would "bring down on them stones of clay. marked as from your Lord for those who transgressed all bounds." (Verses 33-34)

These stones of clay, marked or made ready by God for those who transgress the bounds, like Lot's people who transgressed the bounds of human nature, truth and religion, may well be stones from a volcanic eruption brought out from deep inside the earth. In this respect, they are 'from your Lord,' aimed, in accordance with His will and the laws He sets in operation, against any transgressors He has marked. Thus, they are determined in time and place according to His absolute knowledge and His will. There is nothing to prevent their being aimed, within the framework of His will and laws, by angels. Do we know the exact nature of God's angels? Do we know the nature of their relation to the universe and its inhabitants? Do we truly know the nature of the universal powers to which we give names according to what we may see of their characteristics? Why should we question the news given to us by God, saying that He sent some of these forces at a certain point of time, to aim some powers in a particular form, against certain people, at a certain place? How can we question such news when all our knowledge consists of some theories and supposed interpretations concerning what appears to us of these powers and forces? Their reality remains far removed from us. Let these stones be volcanic resulting from an eruption nearby, or some other such stones. What difference does it make? Both are the same in His hand, as He has made both and the secret is known to Him. He may reveal that secret when and if He so wishes.

"We brought out such believers as were there," to protect and save them. "But We did not find there any who had surrendered themselves to Us apart from a single house." (Verse 36) Those were Lot's family, as reported in other surahs, and they were all saved except his wife who perished with her people. "We left there a sign for those who fear the grievous suffering." (Verse 37) Those who fear are the ones who see the sign, understand it and benefit from it. The others are blind, unable to see God's signs on earth, within themselves or in the events of history.