Quran Universe
15:51

وَنَبِّئۡهُمۡ عَن ضَيۡفِ إِبۡرَٰهِيمَ

Wanabbihum AAan dayfi ibraheema

And inform them about the guests of Abraham,

Word by word
  1. وَنَبِّئۡهُمۡAnd inform them
  2. عَنabout
  3. ضَيۡفِ(the) guests
  4. إِبۡرَٰهِيمَ(of) Ibrahim
Al-Hijr · 15:51Makkah

A story about guests, told to a tired Prophet.

Turning to the guests of Ibrahim

The story begins
Allahtells Muhammad ﷺ
tell them about
Ibrahim's gueststhe angels
Why this story now
just historyan old tale
mercy and warningboth arrive with the guests

Right after mercy and punishment are named, Allah says: tell them about the guests of Ibrahim. Ibn Kathir says these guests were the angels. They would bring good news to Ibrahim and a warning for the people of Lut, both sides of the last two verses.

You are worn out from trying to be good while everyone around you seems to get away with everything. Allah answers with a story. Good news for one house, justice for another, delivered by the same visitors.

Stories from the past do not speak to my life.

Allah tells stories to comfort and warn, and this one carries both for me.

Try this

Read the story of Ibrahim's guests in this surah, 15:51 to 15:77, in one sitting this week.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir

And tell them about the guests (i. e., the angels) of Ibrahim (51)When they entered upon him, and said: "Salaman (peace!)." He said: "Indeed we are frightened of you. (52)They said: "Do not be afraid! We bring you the good news of a boy possessing much knowledge and wisdom. (53)He said: "Do you give me this good news while old age has overtaken me? Of what then is your news about? (54)They said: "We give you good news in truth. So do not be of those who despair. (55)He said: "And who despairs of the mercy of his Lord except those who are astray? (56)

The Guests of Ibrahim and their Good News of a Son for Him

Allah is saying: 'Tell them, O Muhammad, about the story of

ضَيْفِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ

(the guests of Ibrahim.)'

دَخَلُوا عَلَيْهِ فَقَالُوا سَلَامًا قَالَ إِنَّا مِنكُمْ وَجِلُونَ

(they entered upon him, and said: "Salaman (peace!)." He said: "Indeed we are frightened of you.") meaning that they were scared. The reason for their fear has been mentioned previously, which is that they noticed that these guests did not eat of the food that was offered, which was a fattened calf.

قَالُوا لَا تَوْجَلْ

(They said: "Do not be afraid!...") meaning, do not be scared.

وَبَشَّرُوهُ بِغُلَامٍ عَلِيمٍ

(We bring you the good news of a boy possessing much knowledge and wisdom.) this refers to Ishaq, as was previously mentioned in Surat Hud. Then

قَالَ

(He said) meaning he spoke with wonder and astonishment, asking for confirmation, because he was old and his wife was old:

أَبَشَّرْتُمُونِي عَلَىٰ أَن مَّسَّنِيَ الْكِبَرُ فَبِمَ تُبَشِّرُونَ

(Do you give me this good news while old age has overtaken me? Of what then is your news about?) They responded by confirming the good news they had brought, good news after good news:

قَالُوا بَشَّرْنَاكَ بِالْحَقِّ فَلَا تَكُن مِّنَ الْقَانِطِينَ

(They said: "We give you good news in truth. So do not be of those who despair.")