One must affirm the truth of such speech when it conveys information and comply with it when it issues a command. Hence the author next quoted the Almighty’s words: “Has the story reached you of Abraham’s honored guests?” The interrogative “Has it reached you…?” is meant to arouse curiosity so that the listener pays close attention. The addressee may be the Messenger ﷺ alone, or the Prophet together with the entire community—that is, everyone capable of receiving the address.

Allah continues: “Has the story reached you of Abraham’s honored guests, when they came in to him and said, ‘Peace’?” These guests were angels whom Allah first sent to Abraham and thereafter to Lot. The phrase “honored guests” means the ones whom Abraham honored.

The verse goes on: “When they entered upon him and said, ‘Peace,’ he replied, ‘Peace.’” Scholars explain that their words “Peace” mean “We offer you peace,” whereas his reply—“Peace [be upon you]”—means “Peace be upon you.” The latter response is more eloquent than the former, for the revealed etiquette is that whoever is greeted should return the greeting with something better or at least equivalent, as Allah says: “When you are greeted with a greeting, return it with one better than it, or at least with its like” (4:86). Abraham’s reply is superior because the angels’ greeting is a verbal clause, while his answer is a nominal clause, which carries a sense of permanence and firmness.

Then Abraham said, “A people unknown.” He did not say, “You are a people unknown,” because the explicit use of “you” is a direct form of address that some people might find unsettling; thus it was more