The Spider (Al-‘Ankabut)
Verses 31-35 GROUP_1030 29.31-35
31
وَلَمَّا جَاءتْ رُسُلُنَا إِبْرَاهِيمَ بِالْبُشْرَى قَالُوا إِنَّا مُهْلِكُو أَهْلِ هَذِهِ الْقَرْيَةِ إِنَّ أَهْلَهَا كَانُوا ظَالِمِينَ
When Our messengers brought Abraham the good news [of the birth of Isaac] they [also] said, ‘We are indeed going to destroy the people of this city, for the people of this city are truly wrongdoers.’
32
قَالَ إِنَّ فِيهَا لُوطًا قَالُوا نَحْنُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَن فِيهَا لَنُنَجِّيَنَّهُ وَأَهْلَهُ إِلَّا امْرَأَتَهُ كَانَتْ مِنَ الْغَابِرِينَ
Abraham said, ‘But, Lot lives here.’ They answered, ‘We well know who lives here. We shall surely save him and his whole family, except his wife, who will be among those who stay behind.’
33
وَلَمَّا أَن جَاءتْ رُسُلُنَا لُوطًا سِيءَ بِهِمْ وَضَاقَ بِهِمْ ذَرْعًا وَقَالُوا لَا تَخَفْ وَلَا تَحْزَنْ إِنَّا مُنَجُّوكَ وَأَهْلَكَ إِلَّا امْرَأَتَكَ كَانَتْ مِنَ الْغَابِرِينَ
When Our messengers came to Lot, he was troubled and distressed on their account. They said, ‘Have no fear or grief. We shall certainly save you and your household, except your wife—who will be among those who stay behind—
34
إِنَّا مُنزِلُونَ عَلَى أَهْلِ هَذِهِ الْقَرْيَةِ رِجْزًا مِّنَ السَّمَاء بِمَا كَانُوا يَفْسُقُونَ
We are surely going to bring down a punishment from heaven on the people of this town because of their depravities.’
35
وَلَقَد تَّرَكْنَا مِنْهَا آيَةً بَيِّنَةً لِّقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ
Surely the ruins We left of that city are a clear sign for a people who use their reason.
No class discussions published for this verse group yet.
Commentary
(a) A severe earthquake destroyed the region where Lot’s community lived in the towns of Sodom and Gomorrah. The green and flourishing valley, inhabited by this community for four thousand years, was filled with the dense salt water of the Dead Sea. According to the Quran, this incident of destruction had occurred through the agency of God’s angels. But, geologists and archeologists say that as a result of a natural geological process when mountains appeared in this area, a chasm was formed, the southern part of which was later filled by sea water. In this way, a stretch of dry land came under water. It is now known as the Shallow Southern Coast of the Dead Sea. The event, which seems to be only a physical occurrence in non-Quranic observation, is, according to the Quran, a sign from God. It is the view of the experts that the ruins of the area which was laid waste are still extant at the bottom of the sea. Undoubtedly, there is a lesson in this. But this lesson is only for those who try to study things in depth.