Surah Al-Anbiya' 21:74
ﱒ ﱓ ﱔ ﱕ ﱖ ﱗ ﱘ ﱙ ﱚ ﱛ ﱜ ﱝ ﱞ ﱟ ﱠ ﱡ ﱢ
And to Lot We gave judgement and knowledge, and We saved him from the city that was committing wicked deeds. Indeed, they were a people of evil, defiantly disobedient.
Tafsir of Al-Anbiya' 21:74-75
Tafsir
Mafatih al-Ghayb
Verse range: 21:74-75
The Prophets (Al-Anbiyā'): (74 - 75) And to Lot We gave judgment...
Allāh (Exalted is He) mentions His favors upon Lot (عليه السلام) after detailing what He bestowed upon Ibrāhīm (عليه السلام), due to their prior association. Herein lie two issues:
Issue 1: The Conjunction 'Wāw' in {And to Lot} (ولوطا)
There are two opinions regarding the conjunction wāw (و) in the phrase {And to Lot} (ولوطا):
- The view of al-Zajjāj: It is a conjunction connected to the preceding statement, {And We revealed to them} (وأوحينا إليهم) (21:73).
- The view of Abū Muslim: It is connected to the statement {Ibrāhīm, We gave him sound judgment} (إبراهيم رشده من) (21:51). In this case, an implied pronoun must be understood in {And to Lot}, as if the meaning is: "And We gave Lot judgment," and his mention was omitted for conciseness.
Issue 2: The Four Categories of Favors Mentioned
These favors are four in number:
- Judgment (حكما): This means wisdom concerning what must be done, or the ability to adjudicate between disputants. Some say it refers to Prophethood.
- Knowledge (علما): The use of the indefinite form (tanwīn) for both judgment and knowledge indicates the high status of that knowledge and judgment.
- Deliverance from the Town: {And We saved him from the town that was practicing abominations} (ونجيناه من القرية التى كانت تعمل الخبائث). The intended meaning is the people of the town, as they were the ones committing the evil deeds, not the physical town itself. Salvation was granted because the punishment descended upon them. Allāh clarifies what was meant by "abominations" by stating: {Indeed, they were a people of evil, defiantly disobedient} (إنهم كانوا قوم سوء فاسقين). Their actions leading up to this were evident.
- Entry into Mercy: {And We admitted him into Our Mercy; indeed, he was of the righteous} (وأدخلناه فى رحمتنا إنه من الصالحين). There are two interpretations of this "Mercy":
- Prophethood: As narrated from Muqātil, since he was fit for Prophethood, Allāh admitted him into His Mercy so he could fulfill its requirements.
- Reward: As narrated from Ibn 'Abbās and al-Ḍaḥḥāk.
- A possible interpretation: Since Allāh granted him judgment and knowledge, and he was saved from evil companions, the doors of divine unveiling opened to him, and the lights of Divinity manifested to him—a boundless ocean, which is the true Mercy.
(The Fourth Story: The Story of Noah (عليه السلام))
**7** {And Noah, when he called out before, so We responded to him and saved him and his family from the great distress, *And We aided him against the people who denied Our signs. Indeed, they were a people of evil, so We drowned them all.}