Surah Al-'Ankabut — Verse 31

Key Words and Phrases:

• Rusuluna (رُسُلُنَا): Our messengers — here referring to the angels sent by Allah.
• Al-Bushrā (الْبُشْرَىٰ): The glad tidings — the good news of a son (Ishāq) and a grandson (Yaʿqūb) to Prophet Ibrāhīm (peace be upon him).
• Muhlikū (مُهْلِكُو): We are going to destroy — indicating a decisive, divinely ordained punishment.
• Al-Qaryah (الْقَرْيَةِ): The town — specifically the town of Sadūm (Sodom), where the people of Lūṭ (Lot) lived.
• Zālimīn (ظَالِمِينَ): Wrongdoers — those who transgressed against themselves through disbelief and heinous sins.

Explanation of the Verse:

When Our angels came to Prophet Ibrāhīm (peace be upon him) with the joyful news of a righteous son, Ishāq, and after him his son Yaʿqūb — a blessing that filled his heart with hope and gratitude — they did not stop at delivering this glad tidings. They also informed him of a matter of grave consequence. They said: "Indeed, we are about to destroy the people of this town — the town of Sadūm, the dwelling place of the people of Lūṭ. For its inhabitants have persisted in wrongdoing; they have transgressed all bounds of decency and faith, committing acts of grave sin and corruption, and they have refused to heed the warnings of their prophet."

This announcement was not a random act of divine wrath, but a manifestation of Allah’s perfect justice. The people of that town had reached a level of defiance and moral decay that left no room for reform. Their oppression was not merely against others, but against their own souls — they chose disbelief, immorality, and arrogance over the truth that was repeatedly presented to them. Thus, the punishment became inevitable, as a mercy to the righteous and a deterrent to the corrupt.

A Call to Reflection and Action:

Dear reader, ponder deeply upon this verse. The angels came to Ibrāhīm with two messages in one visit: a personal blessing and a universal lesson. The blessing was for the household of a faithful servant; the lesson was for all of humanity. It teaches us that Allah’s mercy is vast, but His justice is equally certain. When a society becomes steeped in wrongdoing and rejects the call to righteousness, its fate is sealed — not out of cruelty, but out of wisdom and divine order.

Yet, the door of repentance remains open until the very moment the punishment arrives. The people of Lūṭ were given ample time, multiple warnings, and a prophet who pleaded with them day and night. They chose otherwise. Let this be a mirror for us: do we listen to the reminders of our faith? Do we turn back to Allah when we err, or do we persist in heedlessness?

The Qur’an is not merely a book of stories; it is a living guidance. Every narrative is a sign pointing to a reality in our own lives. Let us take heed, reform ourselves, and strive to be among those who are beloved to Allah — like Ibrāhīm, who received glad tidings because of his unwavering faith. And let us remember that Allah’s mercy is nearer to us than our own veins, if only we turn to Him sincerely before it is too late. May Allah make us among the guided and the righteous.