The story of Lut (Lot)

In the story of Ibrahim (عليه السلام), we saw the emigration of Ibrahim (عليه السلام) from Iraq to Palestine, accompanied by the prophet Lut (عليه السلام). When Ibrahim (عليه السلام) arrived with Lut (عليه السلام) in Palestine, Ibrahim (عليه السلام) sent Lut (عليه السلام) to cities called Sodom.

These cities were located where the Dead Sea is today. In that place lived an important nation, there were several cities with tens of thousands of inhabitants. Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) destroyed them and Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) put in their place this sea by making a rain fall upon it.

Lut (عليه السلام) was sent to call this people to worship Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) alone and to abandon their sins. In the city, only his two daughters believed in him; even his wife did not believe in him. His wife was a disbeliever and a vicious woman.

وَلُوطًا إِذْ قَالَ لِقَوْمِهِ أَتَأْتُونَ الْفَاحِشَةَ مَا سَبَقَكُم بِهَا مِنْ أَحَدٍ مِّنَ الْعَالَمِينَ

And [We had sent] Lot when he said to his people, "Do you commit such immorality as no one has preceded you with from among the worlds?

Surah Al-A'raf, verse 80

Authentic Sources

Quran: Surah Al-A'raf 7:80-84, Video by Sheikh Nabil Al-Awadi

After the association of others with Allah (Shirk - الشرك), the people of Lut (عليه السلام) committed another grave moral crime. They committed vices and sins; the moral crime reached the point that they arrived at a perverted sexuality. Men coupled with men and it was a catastrophe.

No nation had done the same before them, they are the first to have committed this act, so they will have on their account their own sins and the sins of those who committed the same act after them. A man desired another man like himself, and they committed the sin in front of those around them. Even the animals had never done that. Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) said about these people: "Those are like cattle, indeed even more astray."

Lut (عليه السلام) taught them that Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) does not accept these turpitudes. Every man is made to desire a woman, that is the primordial nature of the human being. Do you know how the people of Lut (عليه السلام) answered? They said that Lut (عليه السلام) was spoiling their atmosphere and their sexual pleasure: "Expel them from your city. They are people who want to keep themselves pure."

إِنَّكُمْ لَتَأْتُونَ الرِّجَالَ شَهْوَةً مِّن دُونِ النِّسَاءِ ۚ بَلْ أَنتُمْ قَوْمٌ مُّسْرِفُونَ ۝ وَمَا كَانَ جَوَابَ قَوْمِهِ إِلَّا أَن قَالُوا أَخْرِجُوهُم مِّن قَرْيَتِكُمْ ۖ إِنَّهُمْ أُنَاسٌ يَتَطَهَّرُونَ

Indeed, you approach men with desire, instead of women. Rather, you are a transgressing people." But the answer of his people was only that they said, "Evict them from your city! Indeed, they are men who keep themselves pure."

Surah Al-A'raf, verses 81-82

Authentic Sources

Quran: Surah Al-A'raf 7:80-81, Video by Sheikh Nabil Al-Awadi

During that time, the angels Jibril (عليه السلام), Mikael and Israfil were disguised as men and were visiting the prophet Ibrahim (عليه السلام) in Palestine. They announced to Ibrahim (عليه السلام) the birth of his son and told him that they were going to go to the cities of Lut (عليه السلام) to destroy them.

Ibrahim (عليه السلام) tried to reason with them: perhaps there are 300 houses of believers? No, there are none. 200? No. 40? No. 12 houses? No. Ibrahim (عليه السلام) ended up saying: "But Lut is there!" The angels answered: "We know perfectly well who lives there. We have been sent to criminal people, to launch upon them stones of clay, marked by your Lord, intended for the transgressors. We then brought out those believers who were there, but We found there only one house of submitted people."

When the angels arrived at the city of Lut (عليه السلام), disguised as handsome young men, Lut (عليه السلام) greeted them. He did not want to be humiliated in front of his guests, knowing his people well. He said to them: "Look for another city!" But they insisted: "We are your guests, O Lut." He was grieved and said: "This is a terrible day!"

وَلَمَّا جَاءَتْ رُسُلُنَا لُوطًا سِيءَ بِهِمْ وَضَاقَ بِهِمْ ذَرْعًا وَقَالَ هَٰذَا يَوْمٌ عَصِيبٌ

And when Our messengers, [the angels], came to Lot, he was anguished for them and felt for them great discomfort and said, "This is a trying day."

Surah Hud, verse 77

Authentic Sources

Quran: Surah Hud 11:77-83, Video by Sheikh Nabil Al-Awadi

Lut (عليه السلام) entered his house with his guests, not knowing that they were angels. His disbelieving and vicious wife saw them and rushed outside to call the people. The people came knocking at his door, wanting to force their way into the home of Lut (عليه السلام). They wanted the men who were with him.

The people said: "Had we not forbidden you to [receive] people?" Lut (عليه السلام) said: "O my people, here are my daughters: they are purer for you. Fear Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) then, and do not dishonor me in my guests. Is there not among you one reasonable man?" They answered: "By your life! They were wandering blindly in their delirium." When Lut (عليه السلام) felt distressed, he raised his hands to the sky: "If only I had the strength to resist you! or if only I could find solid support!"

Jibril (عليه السلام) then revealed their identity: "O Lut! We are emissaries of Allah (سبحانه وتعالى), they will not reach you." Jibril (عليه السلام) went out and passed the tip of his wing over them, and all at once they all lost their sight. Then he lifted all the cities with the tip of his wing toward the sky until the angels of the heavens heard their cries, before overturning them. Stones fell from the sky, each stone destined for one person, bearing his name.

فَلَمَّا جَاءَ أَمْرُنَا جَعَلْنَا عَالِيَهَا سَافِلَهَا وَأَمْطَرْنَا عَلَيْهَا حِجَارَةً مِّن سِجِّيلٍ مَّنضُودٍ ۝ مُّسَوَّمَةً عِندَ رَبِّكَ ۖ وَمَا هِيَ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ بِبَعِيدٍ

So when Our command came, We made the highest part [of the city] its lowest and rained upon them stones of layered hard clay, [which were] Marked from your Lord. And Allah 's punishment is not from the wrongdoers [very] far.

Surah Hud, verses 82-83

Authentic Sources

Quran: Surah Hud 11:82-83, Video by Sheikh Nabil Al-Awadi

Before the end of the night, Lut (عليه السلام) went out of their house with his daughters; it was the order of the angels. Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) ordered Lut (عليه السلام) and his daughters that if they heard the punishment and the cries of the people, they must not turn around to look, for if they turned around, the punishment would touch them too.

His disbelieving wife followed them and when she heard the punishment and the cries, she turned around. As soon as she looked, she received the punishment like the others. When the cities were overturned, the rain began to fall from the sky. In the place of the cities, a lake formed, a cursed dead sea in the place of these cities.

This story teaches us that Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) does not leave the unjust without punishment. Peoples still pass near these places today and can see the traces of the divine punishment. It is a warning for all those who reason and a lesson on the consequences of moral corruption.

قَالُوا يَا لُوطُ إِنَّا رُسُلُ رَبِّكَ لَن يَصِلُوا إِلَيْكَ ۖ فَأَسْرِ بِأَهْلِكَ بِقِطْعٍ مِّنَ اللَّيْلِ وَلَا يَلْتَفِتْ مِنكُمْ أَحَدٌ إِلَّا امْرَأَتَكَ ۖ إِنَّهُ مُصِيبُهَا مَا أَصَابَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّ مَوْعِدَهُمُ الصُّبْحُ ۚ أَلَيْسَ الصُّبْحُ بِقَرِيبٍ

The angels said, "O Lot, indeed we are messengers of your Lord; [therefore], they will never reach you. So set out with your family during a portion of the night and let not any among you look back - except your wife; indeed, she will be struck by that which strikes them. Indeed, their appointment is [for] the morning. Is not the morning near?"

Surah Hud, verse 81

Authentic Sources

Quran: Surah Hud 11:81, Video by Sheikh Nabil Al-Awadi