Quran Universe
51:32

قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّآ أُرۡسِلۡنَآ إِلَىٰ قَوۡمٖ مُّجۡرِمِينَ

Qaloo inna orsilna ila qawmin mujrimeena

They said, "Indeed, we have been sent to a people of criminals

Word by word
  1. قَالُوٓاْThey said
  2. إِنَّآIndeed,we
  3. أُرۡسِلۡنَآ[we] have been sent
  4. إِلَىٰto
  5. قَوۡمٖa people
  6. مُّجۡرِمِينَcriminal
Adh-Dhariyat · 51:32Makkah

The same visitors carried joy for one, warning for another.

The mission to the people of Lut

One visit, two messages
to Ibrahimnews of a son
the angelsone group
to Lut's peoplea people of crimes
What decides the message
luckwho happened to be visited
conductwhat each people had done

The angels answered Ibrahim plainly. They were sent to a people who were criminals, the people of Lut. The same guests who brought Ibrahim glad news carried a very different message to the next town.

Two coworkers get called into the same office on the same morning. One leaves smiling, one leaves shaken. The meeting did not decide that. What came before it did.

What happens to people is mostly random.

Often what reaches us carries the shape of what we did before it came.

Try this

Think of one habit you would not want to be called in about. Start changing it today, quietly.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (shared passage from 51:31)

(Ibrahim) said: "Then for what purpose you have come, O messengers? (31)They said: "We have been sent to a people who are criminals. (32)"To send down upon them stones of clay. (33)"Marked by your Lord for transgressors. (34)So We brought out from therein the believers (35)But We found not there any household of the Muslims except one (36)And We have left there a sign for those who fear the painful torment (37)

The Angels were sent to destroy the People of the Prophet Lut

Allah the Exalted said about Ibrahim, peace be upon him,

فَلَمَّا ذَهَبَ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الرَّوْعُ وَجَاءَتْهُ الْبُشْرَىٰ يُجَادِلُنَا فِي قَوْمِ لُوطٍ - إِنَّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ لَحَلِيمٌ أَوَّاهٌ مُنِيبٌ - يَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ أَعْرِضْ عَنْ هَٰذَا ۖ إِنَّهُ قَدْ جَاءَ أَمْرُ رَبِّكَ ۖ وَإِنَّهُمْ آتِيهِمْ عَذَابٌ غَيْرُ مَرْدُودٍ

(Then when the fear had gone away from (Ibrahim), and the glad tidings had reached him, he began to plead with Us for the people of Lut. Verily, Ibrahim was, without doubt forbearing, used to invoke Allah with humility, and was repentant. "O Ibrahim! Forsake this. Indeed, the commandment of your Lord has gone forth. Verily, there will come a torment for them which cannot be turned back.")(11:74-76) Allah said here,

قَالَ فَمَا خَطْبُكُمْ أَيُّهَا الْمُرْسَلُونَ

((Ibrahim) said: "Then for what purpose you have come, O messengers?") meaning, 'what is the mission that you were sent with,'

قَالُوا إِنَّا أُرْسِلْنَا إِلَىٰ قَوْمٍ مُجْرِمِينَ

(They said: "We have been sent to a people who are criminals.") in reference to the people of Lut,

لِنُرْسِلَ عَلَيْهِمْ حِجَارَةً مِنْ طِينٍ - مُسَوَّمَةً

(To send down upon them stones of baked clay, marked), or written,

 عِنْدَ رَبِّكَ لِلْمُسْرِفِينَ

(by your Lord for transgressors.) recorded with Allah to their names; each stone has the name of its companion. Allah said in Surat Al-'Ankabut,

قَالَ إِنَّ فِيهَا لُوطًا ۚ قَالُوا نَحْنُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَنْ فِيهَا ۖ لَنُنَجِّيَنَّهُ وَأَهْلَهُ إِلَّا امْرَأَتَهُ كَانَتْ مِنَ الْغَابِرِينَ 

((Ibrahim) said: "But there is Lut in it." They said: "We know better who is there. We will verily save him and his family except his wife: she will be of those who remain behind.")(29:32), and said here,

فَأَخْرَجْنَا مَنْ كَانَ فِيهَا مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ 

(So We brought out from therein the believers.) they are: Lut and his family, except his wife,

فَمَا وَجَدْنَا فِيهَا غَيْرَ بَيْتٍ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ 

(But We found not there any household of the Muslims except one.) Allah the Exalted said,

وَتَرَكْنَا فِيهَا آيَةً لِلَّذِينَ يَخَافُونَ الْعَذَابَ الْأَلِيمَ 

(And We have left there a sign for those who fear the painful torment.) meaning, 'We left a proof of the punishment, torment and stones made of Sijjil (baked clay) that We sent on them; We made their dwelling place a putrid, evil, dead sea. This should provide a lesson for the believers,'

لِلَّذِينَ يَخَافُونَ الْعَذَابَ الْأَلِيمَ

(for those who fear the painful torment.)