Tafsir of Al-`Ankabut 29:33

(And when Our messengers came)—the aforementioned ones, after they had parted from Ibrahim (peace be upon him)—(to Lut, he was distressed for them)—meaning, distress and anxiety overcame him on account of the messengers, for fear that his people might subject them to harm, as was their custom with strangers; for they had come to him (peace be upon him) in a beautiful human form.

It is said that the pronoun "them" refers to the people, meaning: he was distressed by his people when he learned of the great affliction descending upon them. This is also the case for the pronoun "them" that follows, but this is baseless. The particle an (in lamma an) is extra, added to emphasize the discourse; it serves to emphasize both verbs and their connection, which is derived from lamma (when), as if they occurred in a single moment of time. It is as if it were said: "As soon as he sensed their arrival, distress struck him suddenly, without delay."

(And he felt constrained for them)—meaning, he felt constrained regarding their situation and the management of their affair. Dhar’uhu (his reach/capacity) refers to his power, similar to their saying, "His hand was constrained," and its opposite is raḥuba dharʿuhu (his reach was broad) with regard to something, meaning he was capable of it and had power over it. This is because one with long arms can attain what one with short arms cannot.

(And they said: "Do not fear, and do not grieve")—this is a conjunction to sīʾa (distressed). It is also permitted that it be a conjunction to an implied verb, i.e., they said: "We are the messengers of your Lord," and they said, [etc.]. In either case, the statement was made after they witnessed in him the signs of agitation on their behalf and observed that he had become incapable of defending them against his people, to the point that his state led him to say: "If only I had power against you, or could find a strong pillar to lean on."

Usually, fear relates to what is expected, and grief relates to what has already occurred. Accordingly, the meaning is: Do not fear their prevailing over us, and do not grieve over their targeting us and their lack of concern for your status. Their forbidding him from fearing their prevailing—if it occurred before they informed him that they were messengers of Allah—is apparent. If it was after the information, it was to comfort him and reinforce what they had told him.

Al-Tabarsi said: The meaning is: Do not fear for us or for yourself, and do not grieve over what we shall do to your people.

(We are going to save you and your family)—so that the punishment which befalls them will not befall you—(except your wife; she is of those who remain behind).

33. Hamza, al-Kisa'i, and Ya'qub read linunjiyannahu and munjuka with the light nun (non-emphatic), derived from inja' (to rescue), and Ibn Kathir agreed with them regarding the second. The majority read it with the heavy, emphatic nun, while a group read it with the light one. In either case, the place of the kaf in munjuka is the genitive case by annexation (idafa), and for this reason, the nun was omitted according to Sibawayh. Ahlaka (your family) is in the accusative case due to an implied verb, i.e., "We shall save your family." Al-Akhfash and Hisham argued that the kaf is in the accusative position and ahlaka is a conjunction to it, and the nun was omitted due to the extreme demand of the pronoun to connect to what precedes it for the sake of the annexation. Some scholars of status said: There is no obstacle to such a kaf having two positions—the genitive and the accusative—and it is permissible to use a conjunction for it based on either consideration.

Nafi', Ibn Kathir, and al-Kisa'i read sīʾa with ishmam (blending) of the sad with a damma. 'Isa and Talha read suʾa with a damma, which is the dialect of Banu Hudhayl and Banu Dubayr; they say qawl instead of qīla and buʿ instead of bīʿa. Upon this is the verse: "It was woven on two looms when it is woven / it collects the thorns and is not pricked."

(We are going to bring down upon the people of this town a scourge from the sky)—this is a new beginning introduced to clarify what was indicated by the promise of salvation: the descent of the punishment upon them. Al-rijz is the punishment that makes the punished one anxious, meaning it disturbs him, derived from their saying: irtajaza (he became agitated) when one trembles and is restless. Ibn 'Amir read munzilūn with a shadda (emphatic), and Ibn Muḥayṣin read rujzan with a damma on the ra'.

(Because of what they were deviating)—that is, because of their known, persistent deviation. Abu Ḥaywah and al-A'mash read it with a kasra on the sin.