Transliteration:( Fa awjasa minhum khee fatan qaaloo laa takhaf wa bashsharoohu bighulaamin 'aleem )
"He conceived a fear[29] on his mind on account of them. They said: 'Do not be afraid[30],' and gave him good news of the birth of a knowledgeable son."
Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon him) felt fear in his heart when his guests did not eat the food, leading him to suspect something was amiss.
It is possible that even Prophets may not recognize an angel immediately, especially when the angel does not come with a revelation.
However, when the angel comes with revelation, recognition of the angel is essential, as it ensures the authenticity of the message and prevents any doubt regarding the revelation.
The guests reassured Ibrahim by saying, "Do not be afraid," calming his fears and revealing their true identity as angels.
They gave him the glad tidings of a knowledgeable son, despite his old age, highlighting the miraculous nature of this divine promise.
In those times, it was customary that anyone coming with the intention of fighting would not eat at the host’s house, as they were perceived as a potential threat. The angels' lack of eating further emphasized their peaceful mission.
The tafsir of Surah Ad-Dhariyat verse 28 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Dhariyat ayat 24 which provides the complete commentary from verse 24 through 30.
(51:28) Then he became afraid of them.[26] They said: “Fear not,” and announced to him the good news of (the birth of) a boy endowed with knowledge.[27]
26. That is, when they did not stretch out their hands for food, the Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him) became afraid in his heart. The reason for this fear could be that in tribal life the strangers’ going to a house and avoiding food used to be an indication that they had come with an evil design. But most probably when they refrained from food the Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him) realized that they were angels, who had come in human guise; and since the angels came in human guise only on extraordinary occasions, he became afraid that they must have come in that guise on some dreadful mission.
27. According to (Surah Hud, Ayat 71), this was the good news of the birth of the Prophet Isaac and this also contained the good news that through the Prophet Isaac he would have a grandson like the Prophet Jacob (peace be upon them all).
[1540]- See footnote to 11:70.
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