Introduction

Prophets Of Islam

Peace Be Upon Him

Description of the People of Sodom

Prophet Abraham (pbuh) left Egypt accompanied by his nephew Lot (pbuh), who then went to the city of Sodom (Sadum), which was on the western shore of the Dead Sea.

This city was filled with evil. Its residents waylaid, robbed and killed travelers. Another common evil among them was that men had sex with men instead of with women. This unnatural act later became known as sodomy (after the city of Sodom). It was practiced openly and unashamedly.


Lot's Message

It was at the height of these crimes and sins that Allah revealed to Prophet Lut (pbuh) that he should summon the people to give up their indecent behavior, but they were so deeply sunk in their immoral habits that they were deaf to Lot's preaching. Swamped in their unnatural desires, they refused to listen, even when Lot warned them of Allah's punishment. Instead, they threatened to drive him out of the city if he kept on preaching.

Allah the Almighty revealed:

 
Al-Quran, Chapter 26 Ash-Shu'araa, Verse 160-171

In the Name of Allah, The Benevolent, The Merciful

The people of Lut rejected the messengers.
Behold, their brother Lut said to them: "Will ye not fear (Allah)?
"I am to you a messenger worthy of all trust.
"So fear Allah and obey me.
"No reward do I ask of you for it: my reward is only from the lord of the Worlds.
"Of all the creatures in the world, will ye approach males,
"And leave those whom Allah has created for you to be your mates? Nay, ye are a people transgressing (all limits)!"
They said: "If thou desist not, O Lut! thou wilt assuredly be cast out!"
He said: "I do detest your doings."
"O my Lord! deliver me and my family from such things as they do!"
So We delivered him and his family,- all
Except an old woman who lingered behind.

Lot's Wife

The doings of Lot's people saddened his heart. Their unwholesome reputation spread throughout the land, while he struggled against them. As the years passed, he persisted in his mission but to no avail. No one responded to his call and believed except for the members of his family, and even in his household, not all the members believed. Lot's wife, like Noah's wife, a disbeliever.

Allah the Almighty declared:

Al-Quran, Chapter 66At-Tahrim, Verse 10

In the Name of Allah, The Benevolent, The Merciful

Allah sets forth, for an example to the Unbelievers, the wife of Noah and the wife of Lut: they were (respectively) under two of our righteous servants, but they were false to their (husbands), and they profited nothing before Allah on their account, but were told: "Enter ye the Fire along with (others) that enter!"

Angels Come to Meet Lot

If home is the place of comfort and rest, then Lut found none, for he was tormented both inside and outside his home. His life was continuous torture and he suffered greatly, but he remained patient and steadfast with his people. The years rolled by, and still not one believed in him. Instead, they belittled his message and mockingly challenged him:
 

Al-Quran, Chapter 29 Al-Ankabut, Verse 29

In the Name of Allah, The Benevolent, The Merciful

"Do ye indeed approach men, and cut off the highway?- and practice wickedness (even) in your councils?" But his people gave no answer but this: they said: "Bring us the Wrath of Allah if thou tellest the truth."

Overwhelmed with despair, Lot prayed to Allah to grant him victory and destroy the corrupt. Therefore, the angels left Abraham (pbuh) and headed for Sodom the town of Lut (pbuh). They reached the walls of the town in the afternoon. The first person who caught sight of them was Lot's daughter, who was sitting beside the river, filling her jug with water. When she lifted her face and saw them, she was stunned that there could be men of such magnificent beauty on earth.

One of the tree men (angels) asked her: "O maiden, is there a place to rest?"

Remembering the character of her people she replied, "Stay here and do not enter until I inform my father and return." Leaving her jug by the river, she swiftly ran home.

"O father!" she cried. "You are wanted by young men at the town gate and I have never before seen the like of their faces!"

Lot felt distressed as he quickly ran to his guests. He asked them where they came from and where they were going.

They did not answer his questions. Instead they asked if he could host them. He started talking with them and impressed upon them the subject of his people's nature. Lot was filled with turmoil; he wanted to convince his guests without offending them, not to spend the night there, yet at the same time he wanted to extend to them the expected hospitality normally accorded to guests. In vain he tried to make them understand the perilous situation. At last, therefore, he requested them to wait until the night fell, for then no one would see them.


The Mob at Lot's House

When darkness fell on the town, Lot escorted his guest to his home. No one was aware of their presence. However, as soon as Lot's wife saw them, she slipped out of the house quietly so that no one noticed her. Quickly, she ran to her people with the news and it spread to all the inhabitants like wildfire. The people rushed towards Lot quickly and excitedly. Lot was surprised by their discovery of his guests. and he wondered who could have informed them. The matter became clear, however, when he could not find his wife, anywhere, thus adding grief to his sorrow.

When Lot saw the mob approaching his house, he shut the door, but they kept on banging on it. He pleaded with them to leave the visitors alone and fear Allah's punishment. He urged them to seek sexual fulfillment with their wives, for that is what Allah had made lawful.

Lot's people waited until he had finished his short sermon, and then they roared with laughter. Blinded by passion, they broke down the door. Lot became very angry, but he stood powerless before these violent people. He was unable to prevent the abuse of his guests, but he firmly stood his ground and continued to plead with the mob.


The Punishment

At that terrible moment, he wished he had the power to push them away from his guests. Seeing him in a state of helplessness, and grief the guests said: "Do not be anxious or frightened, Lot for we are angels, and these people will not harm you."

On hearing this, the mob was terrified and fled from Lot's house, hurling threats at him as they left. The angels warned Prophet Lut (pbuh) to leave his house before sunrise, taking with him all his family except his wife.

Allah had decreed that the city of Sodom should perish. An earthquake rocked the town. It was as if a mighty power had lifted the entire city and flung it down in one jolt. A storm of stones rained on the city. Everyone and everything was destroyed, including Lot's wife.


The Angels Meet Abraham

Allah the Almighty recounted this story:

Al-Quran, Chapter 15 Al-Hijr, Verse 51-77

In the Name of Allah, The Benevolent, The Merciful

Tell them about the guests of Abraham.
When they entered his presence and said, "Peace!" He said, "We feel afraid of you!"
They said: "Fear not! We give thee glad tidings of a son endowed with wisdom."
He said: "Do ye give me glad tidings that old age has seized me? Of what, then, is your good news?"
They said: "We give thee glad tidings in truth: be not then in despair!"
He said: "And who despairs of the mercy of his Lord, but such as go astray?"
Abraham said: "What then is the business on which ye (have come), O ye messengers (of Allah)?"
They said: "We have been sent to a people (deep) in sin,
"Excepting the adherents of Lut: them we are certainly (charged) to save (from harm),- All -
"Except his wife, who, We have ascertained, will be among those who will lag behind."
At length when the messengers arrived among the adherents of Lut,
He said: "Ye appear to be uncommon folk."
They said: "Yea, we have come to thee to accomplish that of which they doubt.
"We have brought to thee that which is inevitably due, and assuredly we tell the truth.
"Then travel by night with thy household, when a portion of the night (yet remains), and do thou bring up the rear: let no one amongst you look back, but pass on whither ye are ordered."
And We made known this decree to him, that the last remnants of those (sinners) should be cut off by the morning.
The inhabitants of the city came in (mad) joy (at news of the young men).
Lut said: "These are my guests: disgrace me not:
"But fear Allah, and shame me not."
They said: "Did we not forbid thee (to speak) for all and sundry?"
He said: "There are my daughters (to marry), if ye must act (so)."
Verily, by thy life (O Prophet), in their wild intoxication, they wander in distraction, to and fro.
But the (mighty) Blast overtook them before morning,
And We turned (the cities) upside down, and rained down on them brimstones hard as baked clay.
Behold! in this are Signs for those who by tokens do understand.
And the (cities were) right on the high-road.
Behold! in this is a sign for those who believed.

Allah the Exalted also declared:

Al-Quran, Chapter 26 Ash-Shu'araa, Verse 170-175

In the Name of Allah, The Benevolent, The Merciful

So We delivered him and his family,- all
Except an old woman who lingered behind.
But the rest We destroyed utterly.
We rained down on them a shower (of brimstone): and evil was the shower on those who were admonished (but heeded not)!
Verily in this is a Sign: but most of them do not believe.
And verily thy Lord is He, the Exalted in Might Most Merciful.

Lot's Life after Sodom

The book was closed on the people of Lot (pbuh). Their town and names have been erased from the face of the Earth. One book was closed of the books of corruption.
Lot (pbuh) proceeded towards Abraham (pbuh). He visited him, and when he recounted the story of his people, he was surprised to learn that Abraham(pbuh) already knew. So Lut (pbuh) continued to invite people to Allah, as did Abraham (pbuh), the patient one who turned to Allah repentantly, and the two held firmly to their mission.

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