Transliteration:( Wa lammaaa an jaaa'at Rusulunaa Lootan seee'a bihim wa daaqa bihim zar'anw wa qaaloo laa takhaf wa laa tahzan innaa munajjooka wa ahlaka illam ra ataka kaanat minal ghaabireen )
"And when Our angels [79] came to Lut, he felt uncomfortable with them and his heart was distressed [80]. They said, 'Fear not and do not grieve, indeed, we shall deliver you [81] and your family [82], except your wife, she is among those who remain behind [83].'"
The angels arrived at the home of Hazrat Lut (peace be upon him) in the form of handsome young men, a deliberate divine strategy to catch the transgressors red-handed in their immoral acts. This was not due to deception, but to serve as part of their punishment by exposing their evil without ambiguity.
The Prophet felt distress—not from fear—but out of concern for the safety of his guests due to the known wickedness of his people. This highlights the noble responsibility of hosting in Islam, where a host is deeply invested in the protection and honour of their guests. It also shows that Prophets may not always recognize angels unless the angel appears with a formal revelation.
The angels comforted him with the message: “Do not fear or grieve,” revealing their identity and assuring him that neither he nor his believing household would be harmed. This illustrates the pattern in which Allah’s punishment never afflicts the righteous, and how divine support comes to ease prophetic distress.
Though salvation is solely in the power of Allah, the angels conveyed: “We will deliver you,” signifying their authorized role as divine agents. This supports the belief that chosen servants of Allah may convey or facilitate divine help—never independently, but through the command of Allah.
Hazrat Lut’s wife, however, was excluded from deliverance because of her inner alignment with the wicked. Despite her proximity to a Prophet, she perished due to disbelief. From this, several key insights emerge:
Angels possess knowledge of unseen outcomes, including who will be saved or destroyed, and the nature and timing of death.
Faith—not familial ties—determine salvation. Being a Prophet’s spouse offers no benefit if one’s heart is inclined toward disbelief.
One’s companionship in the Hereafter aligns with whom one loves. Her affection for the sinful led to her destruction alongside them.
The tafsir of Surah Ankabut verse 33 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Ankabut ayat 31 which provides the complete commentary from verse 31 through 35.
(29:33) When Our emissaries came to Lot he was distressed and embarrassed on their account. They said: “Do not fear nor be distressed.[58] We shall save you and all your household except your wife who is among those that will stay behind.
58. That is, “As for us, you should neither fear that they will in any way he able to harm us, nor be anxious about how you will protect us from them.” This was the time when the angels revealed their identity to the Prophet Lot (peace be upon him), and said that they were not men but angels, who had been sent to bring the scourge on his people. According to the elucidation in Surah Hud, when the people were rushing into Lot’s (peace be upon him) house and he felt that he could in no way save his guests from them, he cried out: “I wish I had the power to set you right, or I could find some strong support for refuge,” (Surah Hud, Ayat 80). At this time the angels said: “O Lot, we are messengers sent by your Lord; they will not be able to harm you at all,” (Surah Hud, Ayat 81).
[1132]- See footnote to 11:77.
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