399 Page Notes

29 Surah Al-Ankabut (continued)

Page 399 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 399 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Page 399 of the Qur'an covers verses 24 through 30 of Surah Al-'Ankabut. This section details the dramatic climax of Prophet Ibrahim’s (Abraham) confrontation with his people—specifically their attempt to burn him alive—his subsequent migration (Hijrah), and the introduction of the mission of his nephew, Prophet Lut (Lot), who was sent to reform a deeply corrupt society.

Prophetic traditions (Hadith), foundational theology (Sunnah), and classical commentaries (Tafsir) provide direct context, historical explanations, and parallels for these verses.

1. The Fire of Ibrahim and the Geckos

Verse 24 details the extreme, violent reaction of Ibrahim’s people to his intellectual arguments:

"And the answer of his people was not except that they said, 'Kill him or burn him.' But Allah saved him from the fire. Indeed in that are signs for a people who believe." (Qur'an 29:24)

Direct Hadith Parallel: The Command to Kill Geckos (Wazagh)

While the Qur'an summarizes his rescue, the Sunnah preserves a fascinating historical detail regarding the natural world's reaction to Ibrahim's execution. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ noted that while most creation sought to put out the fire, a specific type of lizard (the gecko) actively blew on the flames to stoke them.

• The Hadith: Umm Sharik narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ commanded her to kill geckos, and he said: "It [the gecko] blew upon the fire of Ibrahim [to stoke it]." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 60, Hadith 25; Sahih Muslim, Book 39, Hadith 194).

• The Status of Ibrahim: The Sunnah heavily honors Ibrahim's steadfastness during this trial. The Prophet ﷺ noted that the very first person to be clothed on the Day of Resurrection out of absolute honor will be Ibrahim, recognizing his ultimate sacrifice of being stripped before being thrown into the furnace (Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 60, Hadith 12).

2. Ibrahim’s Migration (Hijrah) and the Blessing of Lineage

In verses 26 and 27, Ibrahim declares his migration, and Allah rewards his sacrifice by placing prophecy and scripture exclusively within his direct lineage:

"[Ibrahim] said, 'Indeed, I will emigrate to my Lord. Indeed, He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.'" (Qur'an 29:26) "And We gave to him Isaac and Jacob and placed in his descendants prophethood and scripture..." (Qur'an 29:27)

Sunnah Connection: The Nobility of Lineage

Because Allah restricted all future scriptures and prophets to the descendants of Ibrahim (through Isaac and Ishmael) as stated in verse 27, the Sunnah treats the lineage of Ibrahim with the highest degree of genealogical reverence.

• The Noble Chain: The Prophet ﷺ explicitly highlighted this unbroken chain of prophetic nobility when he said: "The noble son of a noble son, of a noble son, of a noble son is Joseph, the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 60, Hadith 56).

• The Abrahamic Prayer: The Ummah is commanded to continuously invoke blessings upon Ibrahim and his family during the daily ritual prayers (Salat) via the Al-Salat al-Ibrahimiyyah: "O Allah, send prayers upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, just as You sent prayers upon Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim..." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 60, Hadith 49).

3. The Public Crimes of the People of Lut

Verses 28 through 30 transition to Prophet Lut, who fiercely rebukes his city for inventing systemic sexual perversion and committing open criminal acts:

"Do you indeed approach men and obstruct the road and commit in your meetings [every] evil?" (Qur'an 29:29)

Exegetical Detail: "Committing Evil in Meetings"

According to the companion Ibn Abbas and classical tabi'un like Mujahid, the phrase "commit in your meetings every evil" (wa ta'tūna fī nādīkumu al-munkar) referred to a total breakdown of public decency. They openly mocked travelers, threw stones at passersby, gambled, played vulgar musical instruments, and engaged in public sexual acts without shame.

Sunnah Warning: The Danger of Publicizing Sin

The Sunnah severely condemns the normalization and public exhibition of vices described in verse 29. The Prophet ﷺ taught that a society invites destruction when sins transition from private weaknesses to publicly celebrated culture.

• The Hadith on Publicity: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "All of my Ummah will be forgiven except those who publicize their sins (Al-Mujāhirūn)..." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 78, Hadith 99; Sahih Muslim, Book 53, Hadith 52).

• The Request for Divine Help: Because Lut was entirely isolated against a highly aggressive, institutionalized system of corruption, he cried out in verse 30: "My Lord, support me against the corrupting people." The Sunnah mirrors this by teaching that when a believer sees widespread societal corruption that they are physically powerless to change, they must internalize a hatred for the vice and seek divine protection.

References

• Al-Bukhari, M. (n.d.). Sahih al-Bukhari. Dar al-Tawq al-Najah.

• Ibn Kathir, A. I. (2000). Tafsir al-Qur'an al-Azim. Dar Ihya al-Turath al-Arabi.

• Muslim, I. H. (n.d.). Sahih Muslim. Dar Ihya al-Kutub al-Arabiyyah.

(Note: Hadith citations follow worldwide canonical standard indexing frameworks, "n.d." denotes classical texts where modern standardized publication years vary across publishers, cited instead by their universally recognized book and Hadith numbers).