Verse 60

29:33; 51:36.

Important Words:

آل (family) is derived from the verb آل (ala). They say آل الیه i.e. he or it returned to it; or he resorted to it. آل عنه means, he returned or reverted from it. آل رعیته means, he ruled or governed his subjects. آل ماله means, he managed or tended his cattle. آل means, a man’s family or relations or kinsfolk; the people of his house; his followers; his friends, and the like. By the آلof the Holy Prophet are meant, according to some, his followers whether relations or others, and his relations whether followers or not; or, as some say, his family and his wives (Lane & Aqrab). See also 2:50.

Commentary:

By using the words, Excepting the family of Lot, the messengers alluded, on the one hand to the fact that "the guilty people" (see the preceding verse ) were none other than the tribe of Lot and, on the other hand, they allayed Abraham’s anxiety regarding Lot and his family. Apparently, the messengers were commissioned to lead Lot and his family to a place of safety.

The word اجمعین (all) shows that those who were to be saved along with Lot were a party of persons, and not merely his two daughters, as the Bible has it (Gen. 19:15,16).