Author: Abdul Hai Lay'yan
The Divine Education Model in the Family of the Prophets (part 51)
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The Story of Prophet Lot (Peace be upon him)
Prophet Lot (peace be upon him) was the nephew of Prophet Abraham (Khalilullah, peace be upon him). He believed in his uncle’s message and migrated with him from Iraq to the region of Greater Syria (Sham). This land, due to its divine blessings and favors, is described in the Qur’an as: “وَنَجَّينَاهُ وَلُوطًا إِلَى الْأَرْضِ الَّتِي بَارَكْنَا فِيهَا لِلْعَالَمِينَ”[1] Translation: “And We delivered him and Lot to the land which We had blessed for the worlds.”
This migration signified Lot’s faith and commitment to his Lord. He himself declared: “فَآمَنَ لَهُ لُوطٌ وَقَالَ إِنِّي مُهَاجِرٌ إِلَى رَبِّي ۖ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ”[2] Translation: “So Lot believed in him. He said: ‘Indeed, I will emigrate to my Lord. Indeed, He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.’”
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Mission to the People of Sodom
After settling in Sham, during the lifetime of Abraham (peace be upon him), God appointed Lot as a prophet to the people of the city of Sodom. Although the city appeared outwardly prosperous, it was immersed in deep corruption. Lot separated from his uncle and went to Sodom to call its people to God.
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The Corruption of the People of Lot
The people of Sodom committed sins unprecedented in history. In addition to disbelief and denying prophets, they practiced evil deeds such as homosexuality among men, robbery, killing travelers, and plundering their property. They even committed indecent acts publicly in their gatherings without shame or restraint.
God mentions in the Qur’an: “وَلُوطًا إِذْ قَالَ لِقَوْمِهِ إِنَّكُمْ لَتَأْتُونَ الْفَاحِشَةَ مَا سَبَقَكُم بِهَا مِنْ أَحَدٍ مِّنَ الْعَالَمِينَ، أَئِنَّكُمْ لَتَأْتُونَ الرِّجَالَ وَتَقْطَعُونَ السَّبِيلَ وَتَأْتُونَ فِي نَادِيكُمُ الْمُنكَرَ، فَمَا كَانَ جَوَابَ قَوْمِهِ إِلَّا أَن قَالُوا ائْتِنَا بِعَذَابِ اللَّهِ إِن كُنتَ مِنَ الصَّادِقِينَ”[3] Translation: “And [mention] Lot, when he said to his people, ‘Indeed, you commit such immorality as no one has preceded you with from among the worlds. Do you indeed approach men with desire instead of women, obstruct the road, and commit evil in your gatherings?’ But the answer of his people was only that they said, ‘Bring us the punishment of Allah, if you should be of the truthful.’”
Their response showed mockery and stubborn defiance. They challenged Lot to bring down God’s punishment if he was truthful—revealing the depth of their disbelief.
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Supplication and Divine Punishment
Seeing their corruption and arrogance, Lot supplicated to God: “قَالَ رَبِّ انصُرْنِي عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْمُفْسِدِينَ”[5]
Translation: “He said, ‘My Lord, support me against the corrupt people.’” God accepted his prayer and sent His angels. They instructed Lot to leave the city at night with his family and warned them not to look back, except for his wife who was destined to suffer the same fate as the people.
They told Lut (Lot), peace be upon him, to leave the city, and he was instructed to command his family not to look back, except for his wife, who was destined to face the same fate as the people. The appointed time of punishment was set for the morning. When the Divine command came, the city was overturned, and a rain of hard, compact stones fell upon them. These stones were marked by the Lord to ensure that no one would escape the punishment.
Allah says: “قَالُواْ یا لُوطُ إِنَّا رُسُلُ رَبِّكَ لَن یصِلُواْ إِلَیكَ فَأَسْرِ بِأَهْلِكَ بِقِطْعٍ مِّنَ اللَّیلِ وَلاَ یلْتَفِتْ مِنكُمْ أَحَدٌ إِلاَّ امْرَأَتَكَ إِنَّهُ مُصِیبُهَا مَا أَصَابَهُمْ إِنَّ مَوْعِدَهُمُ الصُّبْحُ أَلَیسَ الصُّبْحُ بِقَرِیبٍ * فَلَمَّا جَاء أَمْرُنَا جَعَلْنَا عَالِیهَا سَافِلَهَا وَأَمْطَرْنَا عَلَیهَا حِجَارَةً مِّن سِجِّیلٍ مَّنضُودٍ * مُّسَوَّمَةً عِندَ رَبِّكَ وَمَا هِی مِنَ الظَّالِمِینَ بِبَعِیدٍ.” [6] Translation: (The angels, after witnessing Lot’s distress and the insistence of the wrongdoers, said to him): “O Lot! We are messengers of your Lord. They will not reach you (nor will they be able to harm you in the slightest). Take your family away in a part of the night, and let none of you look back (so they do not witness the horror and are not afflicted by it), except for your wife, who will be struck by what strikes them. Their appointed time is the morning. Is the morning not near?”
So when Our command came, We turned the city upside down and rained upon it stones of baked clay, arranged in layers.
Stones marked by your Lord — and such punishment is not far from the wrongdoers.
The Stance of the Wife of Prophet Lut (peace be upon him)
The wife of Lut remained upon the religion of her people and acted like a spy for them. She would inform them whenever guests came to the house of Lut. For this reason, Allah described her as a disbeliever.
Allah the Almighty says: “ضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلاً لِّلَّذِینَ كَفَرُوا اِمْرَأَةَ نُوحٍ وَاِمْرَأَةَ لُوطٍ كَانَتَا تَحْتَ عَبْدَینِ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا صَالِحَینِ فَخَانَتَاهُمَا فَلَمْ یغْنِیا عَنْهُمَا مِنَ اللَّهِ شَیئاً وَقِیلَ ادْخُلَا النَّارَ مَعَ الدَّاخِلِینَ” [7] Translation: Allah sets forth an example for the disbelievers: the wife of Noah and the wife of Lot. They were under two of Our righteous servants, yet they betrayed them (by siding with their disbelieving people and disclosing secrets). They (the prophets) could not avail them at all before Allah, and it was said to them: “Enter the Fire along with those who enter it.”
This verse cites two disbelieving women: the wives of Noah and Lut. Allah highlights these women and their husbands to show that despite being married to prophets, they chose disbelief over faith. Therefore, they became deserving of Hellfire. Their relationship with prophets did not shield them from punishment — on the contrary, it could result in a doubled torment.
Allah the Exalted also says regarding the wives of our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him): “یا نِسَاء النَّبِی مَن یأْتِ مِنكُنَّ بِفَاحِشَةٍ مُّبَینَةٍ یضَاعَفْ لَهَا الْعَذَابُ ضِعْفَینِ وَكَانَ ذَلِكَ عَلَى اللَّهِ یسِیراً” [8] Translation: O wives of the Prophet! Whoever among you commits a clear immorality, her punishment will be doubled, and that is easy for it.
Continues…
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References:
[1]. Al-Anbiya (The Prophets), Verse 71
[2]. Al-‘Ankabut (The Spider), Verse 26
[3]. Al-‘Ankabut (The Spider), Verses 28–29
[4]. Imad al-Din Abu al-Fida’ Isma’il ibn Kathir, Tafsir al-Qur’an al-‘Azim, Volume 2, Pages 409–412
[5]. Al-‘Ankabut (The Spider), Verse 30
[6]. Hud, Verses 81–83
[7]. At-Tahrim (The Prohibition), Verse 10
[8]. Al-Ahzab (The Confederates), Verse 30
