قَالَ فَمَا خَطْبُكُمْ أَيُّهَا الْمُرْسَلُونَ ﴿۳۱﴾ قَالُوا إِنَّا أُرْسِلْنَا إِلَى قَوْمٍ مُجْرِمِينَ ﴿۳۲﴾ لِنُرْسِلَ عَلَيْهِمْ حِجَارَةً مِنْ طِينٍ ﴿۳۳﴾ مُسَوَّمَةً عِنْدَ رَبِّكَ لِلْمُسْرِفِينَ ﴿۳۴﴾ فَأَخْرَجْنَا مَنْ كَانَ فِيهَا مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ﴿۳۵﴾ فَمَا وَجَدْنَا فِيهَا غَيْرَ بَيْتٍ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ ﴿۳۶﴾ وَتَرَكْنَا فِيهَا آيَةً لِلَّذِينَ يَخَافُونَ الْعَذَابَ الْأَلِيمَ ﴿۳۷﴾ وَفِي مُوسَى إِذْ أَرْسَلْنَاهُ إِلَى فِرْعَوْنَ بِسُلْطَانٍ مُبِينٍ ﴿۳۸﴾ فَتَوَلَّى بِرُكْنِهِ وَقَالَ سَاحِرٌ أَوْ مَجْنُونٌ ﴿۳۹﴾

﴾31﴿ Qaala famaa khatbukum ayyuhal mursaloon
﴾32﴿ Qaalooo innaaa ursilnaaa ilaa qawmim mujrimeen
﴾33﴿ Linursila 'alaihim hijaa ratam min teen
﴾34﴿ Musawwamatan 'inda rabbika lilmusrifeen
﴾35﴿ Fa akhrajnaa man kaana feehaa minal mu'mineen
﴾36﴿ Famaa wajadnaa feehaa ghaira baitim minal muslimeen
﴾37﴿ Wa taraknaa feehaaa aayatal lillazeena yakhaafoonal 'azaabal aleem
﴾38﴿ Wa fee Moosaaa iz arsalnaahu ilaa Fir'awna bisultaa nim mubeen
﴾39﴿ Fatawalla biruknihee wa qaala saahirun aw majnoon

﴾31﴿ He said, What is your great mission, O messengers (angels)
﴾32﴿ They said, We have been sent to a sinful people
﴾33﴿ So that we may send upon them stones (made) of clay
﴾34﴿ Marked by your Lord for the transgressors
﴾35﴿ So We brought out whoever was in it of the believers
﴾36﴿ But We found there no household except one of the Muslims
﴾37﴿ And We left in it a sign for people who fear a painful punishment
﴾38﴿ And (a sign) in the case of Moses, when We sent him to Pharaoh with a clear proof
﴾39﴿ But he turned away due to his power and said, "This is a magician or a madman

[31] When it became clear to Ibrāhīm (peace be upon him) that these were angels, and he realized that one angel would have been enough to deliver glad tidings — yet they were many, and seemed in a hurry to leave — he became curious.
So, he asked them about the reason for their number, their urgency, and the importance of their mission:
(خَطْبُكُمْ) — The word khaṭb refers to a serious and significant matter — something urgent or weighty.
This question implies: “What is this important mission that has brought you all here in haste?”
It was not due to suspicion, but out of prophetic insight and observation that he recognized their mission must go beyond just delivering good news — and he was right, as it soon became clear they were also sent to the people of Lūṭ (peace be upon him).
[32,33,34] In this verse, the main purpose of the angels' arrival is made clear: It was to destroy the criminals (mujrimīn) — showing that, in comparison, the glad tidings of a son to Ibrāhīm (peace be upon him) was a secondary objective.
(مُسَوَّمَةً) — Refers to marked stones:
These stones had distinct signs, indicating that they were prepared specifically by divine command for punishment.
Some scholars say the names of the punished people were written on them.
The presence of signs on them points to a different kind of power — even fire could not erase their markings, and yet they retained their form and function.
(عِنْدَ رَبِّكَ) — This emphasizes that the punishment was decreed by Allah and came directly from Him, not by any human hand or military force.
It implies: this punishment was preordained, precise, and beyond human control.
(لِلْمُسْرِفِينَ) — According to a narration from Ibn ʿAbbās (may Allah be pleased with them both), this refers to the mushrikīn (idolaters).
Because the greatest form of excess (isrāf) is shirk (associating partners with Allah).
It also applies to those who exceed limits in any major sin or rebellion against divine command.
[35,36] (غَيْرَ بَيْتٍ) — This refers to the household of Lūṭ (peace be upon him), meaning his family was excluded from the punishment.
However, his wife was not included in this exemption — as clearly stated in other verses, such as:
(إِلَّا امْرَأَتَهُ) — “Except his wife” — showing that she was among those who would be destroyed.
So the only ones who remained from his house were his two daughters, and they were believers — as confirmed by multiple Qur’anic references.
Thus, the exemption of Lūṭ’s household specifically refers to the believers among them, not all family members.
[37]The meaning of (آيَة) in this context is a sign or lesson of warning (‘ibrah).
It refers to the visible remains and traces of the destroyed people — such as:
Their ruined and demolished homes;
The foul and desolate land left behind;
Or the stones that were hurled upon them as a form of divine punishment.
All of these serve as a clear sign and a reminder for later generations — showing the consequences of defiance and disbelief.
[38,39] This verse presents the second example of worldly punishment (‘adhāb dunyawī), following the previous one (the people of Lūṭ), and it is connected to “فِيهَا آيَاتٌ” under the implied phrase “تَرَكْنَا فِيهَا” — meaning: “We left in it signs”.
(بِسُلْطَانٍ مُّبِينٍ) — “With a clear authority”:
This refers to all the miracles of Mūsā (peace be upon him), which he presented before Pharaoh, such as the staff turning into a serpent, the hand shining brightly, the parting of the sea, etc.
It can also be understood as referring specifically to the miracle of the staff, based on the genre of miracles (ta’wīl jins).
(سَاحِرٌ أَوْ مَجْنُونٌ) — “A sorcerer or a madman”:
There are three possible meanings of “أَوْ” here:
1. Tardud (hesitation) — indicating their doubt and inconsistency: they were unsure whether to call him a magician or a madman.
2. Bal (rather) — used for intensifying their slander, meaning: “Not only is he a sorcerer, rather a madman too!”
3. Waaw (and) — implying that they accused him of both at the same time: that Mūsā (peace be upon him) was a magician and insane.
In all cases, it reflects their arrogance and rejection, despite being shown clear proofs.