The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 3) — Page 405
PT. 14 AL-HIJR 57. He said, 'And "who can despair of the mercy of his Lord save those who go astray?' 1760 b6 58. He said, b. What now is your business, real messengers?'1761 ye "12:88. b51:32. messengers said that the glad tidings they had conveyed to him were from God and that if it had not been so, they had no right to give any tidings to him, the word (truth) also meaning both God and right. So they were giving to him the news on the basis of the truth that had been communicated to them from God in keeping with the appropriateness of the occasion. The words, be not therefore of those who despair, make it clear that these guests of Abraham were men and not angels, for if they had been angels, they would not have addressed such words to him, being well aware of the strong faith and the great spiritual eminence of Abraham. It was, however, possible for human beings to address him like that on account of their ignorance of his spiritual eminence. 1760. Commentary: Abraham felt naturally hurt at the words, be not therefore of those who despair. He thought it an insult to his faith that anybody should think of him as despairing of God's grace. Therefore, he strongly repudiated the implication and was not slow in expressing his justified indignation at it. It is worthy of note here that, CH. 15 قَالَ وَمَنْ يَقْنَطُ مِنْ رَّحْمَةِ رَبَّةٍ إِلَّا الفَأْتُونَ قَالَ فَمَا خَطْبُكُمْ أَيُّهَا الْمُرْسَلُوْنَ. whereas on the one hand Abraham was so hospitable that immediately on the arrival of the messengers he brought for them a roasted calf and, when they refrained from partaking of it, he feared that they were displeased with him for some unconscious failure on his part to accord them the honour they deserved as his guests (11:70-71); on the other hand, he indignantly protested against their remarks when the same guests seemed, inadvertently, to question his faith in God. Such is the jealousy and deep regard which the Prophets have for God. 1613 Abraham meant to say that he had made the enquiry simply to ascertain whether it was glad tidings from God or only a conjecture, but now that he had come to know that the message was from God, he could have no possible doubt regarding its fulfilment. 1761. Commentary: When Abraham realized that the real mission of these messengers was not to give to him the glad tidings of the birth of a son-for if it had been so, they would not have looked sad- but that they had come on some momentous mission, he hastened to