Learning from the Story of the Prophet Lut (Alaihe salat o wassalam)
Prophet Lut (Lot) alaihis salat o wassalam was one of the prominent messengers in our history. He was a nephew of Prophet Ibrahim alaihis salat o wassalam. Prophet Lut (AS) accepted Prophet Ibrahim’s call for Tawhid while they were in their hometown, and he migrated with Prophet Ibrahim (AS) from Kutha, Iraq (a place near present-day Kufa) to the blessed land of As Sham ( current Syria and Palestine).
He was sent as a Prophet to the Cities of the Plain—most notably Sodom and Gomorrah. In modern geography, this region lies on the border between present-day Jordan and Palestine, along the shores of the Dead Sea. This nation lives in a highly fertile plain with abundant water, gardens, vineyards, and orchards, described as among the most prosperous and green areas of the time. Travellers and caravans frequently passed through because of the region’s agricultural richness and its central position on trade routes.
The aayat of the Quran give us a detailed insight into the life and trials of the Noble Prophet AS and his family. This nation was among those struck by ALLAH’s anger. Details of them are found in many different Surahs in the Quran. Prophet Lut (AS) was sent to invite them towards the right path.
In the blessed aayat of the Quran, ALLAH subhanahu wa ta’ala included only the most essential matters of life, for the purpose of learning and guidance. The story of this nation is often passed by us as a story of the immoral practice of a past nation, which seems irrelevant to most of us, but it is not the only lesson to learn from the nation of Prophet Lut alaihis salat o wassalam.
The people of this nation were beyond the “normal” moral boundaries of a human society. They were outside the religious and cultural norms of humans, where normally the family unit is the core; home and family are considered the centre of emotional support and protection in society.
The nation was practising same-gender immoral involvements openly, without even hiding it or considering it shameful.
What is more ugly about these practices was not only the disobedience of ALLAH but also the destruction of the “family unit” in society. They left the normal family dynamics, became disinterested in marriage and children and became only interested in lust and shameless immorality.
This was the first time in the world that this practice was invented. Inventing a new sin is even worse than sinning. Their action was against nature and was resulting in the complete fall of the “home unit” of society. It was like only worshipping one's own desires as gods.
ALLAH stated while describing the life in that city: الْقَرْيَةِ الَّتِي كَانَتْ تَعْمَلُ الْخَبَائِثَ (21:74) (the city (people) that was committing dirty deeds). الْخَبَائِثَ refers to actions that carry extreme disgust, intense hatred, or deep moral disturbance.
There behavior to their Prophet AS was doubtful, careless and ignorant. Despite the fact, the shameless actions they were practising were hateful to any person with good moral values.
Moreover, the burden of such sins cannot be limited to individuals, but they turn into a disaster for the whole nation; the results of such filth not only ruin people who commit it, but also those who favour it (the wife of Prophet Lut AS) and who remain quiet (other people of the nation). No one can escape the outcome of such public sin.
Beyond the primary issue, they also block roads; That translates to the fact that they have disrespectful traits also infused in their character. They openly harass people on the roads and stop travellers on the way to abuse, rob or even kill them.
Upon the guidance of the way of Tawhid and good conduct by Prophet Lut AS, instead of realising their wrongs and repenting, the people mocked Lut (AS) and decided to expel him and the believing people who were with him. As a result of this attitude of the nation, ALLAH SWT advised Prophet Lut AS by sending angels to leave the place and take his family away before torment started in the morning.
The nation was so carelessly arrogant that they tried to abuse even the messenger angels who brought the news to Prophet AS of their own miserable end.
May ALLAH keep all of us safe and away from every sin leading to ALLAH’s anger and His torment.
Allah overturned their cities and brought rain over them with stones of baked clay. Every stone was marked for the specific person it was sent to hit and kill. It was not something that happened by chance, but a well-planned punishment from ALLAH - The Ultimate Decision maker of all affairs.
Prophet Lut’s (AS) wife was also among the people who were punished with ALLAH’s anger because she sided with them. Her relationship to a Prophet does not save her.
Sometimes we casually keep sympathies for wrong practices without realising the depth of this action. The lesson we need to learn from this is to clearly differentiate and distinguish ALLAH’s disobedient wrong practices, even if we can’t stop them. Also, it is very important to clearly not favour them and not consider favouring them as something innocent; normalising a wrong is like supporting it and is equal to being a part of it.
Prophet AS and the believing members of his family who were commanded to leave by night without looking back were saved by ALLAH’s mercy.
Prophet Lut’s (AS) nation left the mates Allah created for them and inverted the natural order. They were fearless enough to commit sins openly and challenge the Prophet AS. The Quran state their actions as an extreme indecency. They did not correct themselves in response to ALLAH’s guidance. The result of that was a total washout by ALLAH’s command. The destroyed cities were present on a common route as a clear sign of ALLAH’s authority for those who reflect and believe.
ALLAH subhanahu wa ta’ala knows exactly what we do, as well as what our intentions and thoughts are about our sins. Fearing ALLAH, repenting to Him and correcting our ways can lead us to ALLAH’s mercy at any stage of life. But being ignorant of the difference between right and wrong ways cannot save anything.
