Tafseer of The Prophets · Al-Anbiyaa · 21:13
[Some angels said], "Do not flee but return to where you were given luxury and to your homes - perhaps you will be questioned."
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
Allah, exalted be His remembrance, says: Do not flee but return to that in which you were given luxury (utriftum): that is to say, to the prosperous existence and the dwellings that were granted to you.
As Muhammad ibn Saʿd related to me, saying: my father related to me, saying: my uncle related to me, saying: my father related to me, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning the word لا تَرْكُضُوا وَارْجِعُوا إِلَى مَا أُتْرِفْتُمْ فِيهِ وَمَسَاكِنِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُسْأَلُونَ (Do not flee but return to that in which you were given luxury and to your dwellings, that you may be questioned): this concerns those upon whom the punishment descended in the world, of the peoples who were disobedient to Allah.
Muhammad ibn ʿAmr related to me, saying: Abū ʿĀsim related to us, saying: ʿĪsā related to us; and al-Ḥārith related to me, saying: al-Ḥasan related to us, saying: Warqāʾ related to us — both on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning the word لا تَرْكُضُوا (Do not flee): he said: Do not take to flight.
Al-Qāsim related to us, saying: al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Ḥajjāj related to me, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj, on the authority of Mujāhid — identically.
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning وَارْجِعُوا إِلَى مَا أُتْرِفْتُمْ فِيهِ (and return to that in which you were given luxury): he said: return to the world in which you were given luxury.
Muhammad ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us, saying: Muhammad ibn Thawr related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning وَارْجِعُوا إِلَى مَا أُتْرِفْتُمْ فِيهِ (and return to that in which you were given luxury): he said: to that in which you were given luxury of your world.
The exegetes of the Qurʾān differed over the meaning of the word لَعَلَّكُمْ تُسْأَلُونَ (that you may be questioned). Some said: its meaning is: that you may attain insight and understand through the asking of questions.
Mention of who said that:
Muhammad ibn ʿAmr related to me, saying: Abū ʿĀsim related to us, saying: ʿĪsā related to us; and al-Ḥārith related to me, saying: al-Ḥasan related to us, saying: Warqāʾ related to us — both on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning the word لَعَلَّكُمْ تُسْأَلُونَ (that you may be questioned): he said: that you may attain insight.
Al-Qāsim related to us, saying: al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Ḥajjāj related to me, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj, on the authority of Mujāhid: لَعَلَّكُمْ تُسْأَلُونَ (that you may be questioned): he said: that you may attain insight.
Others said: rather the meaning is: that you may be asked about your world — in the manner of derision and mockery.
Mention of who said that:
Bishr related to me, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda: لَعَلَّكُمْ تُسْأَلُونَ (that you may be questioned) — as mockery of them.
Muhammad ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to me, saying: Muhammad ibn Thawr related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of Qatāda: لَعَلَّكُمْ تُسْأَلُونَ (that you may be questioned) — about something of your world, as mockery of them.
