1988 Al means people who adhere to the ways and teaching of a great teacher; e.g., Ali Muhammad: it does not necessarily mean race or descendants. Ahl (
15:65 below) usually implies "household" but maybe taken in an extended sense to include people generally, see
15:67. Qawm (
15:62) maybe a collection of aggregate people. In
11:70 the hostile inhabitants of the Cities of the Plain are Called qawmi Lut (the People of Lut). Ashab (companions) refers to a Group rather than to a People: Cf.
15:78. (R).