Al-'Ankabut 29:26–37

The Faith of Lut and His Emigration with Ibrahim

Allah tells us that Lut believed in Ibrahim. It was said that he was the son of Ibrahim's brother, and that his name was Lut bin Haran bin Azar. None of Ibrahim's people believed in Ibrahim besides Lut and Sarah the wife of Ibrahim. But if it is asked how we may reconcile this Ayah with the Hadith narrated in the Sahih which says that when Ibrahim passed by that tyrant and he asked about Sarah and what her relationship was to him, Ibrahim said, "My sister." Then he went to her and said, "I told him that you are my sister, so do not let him think I am lying, for there are no believers on earth except for you and I, and you are my sister in faith." It seems -- and Allah knows best -- that the meaning here is, there is no other Muslim couple on earth apart from you and I. Among his people, only Lut believed in him and migrated with him to Syria, then during Ibrahim's lifetime he was sent as a Messenger to the people of Sadum (Sodom) where he settled. We have already discussed their story and more is to come.

(He (Ibrahim) said: "I will emigrate for the sake of my Lord.") It may be that the pronoun in the verb "he said" refers to Lut, because he was the last person mentioned before this phrase; or it may refer to Ibrahim. Ibn `Abbas and Ad-Dahhak said that Ibrahim is the one who is referred in the phrase.

(So, Lut believed in him.) i.e., out of all his people. Then Allah tells us that he chose to leave them so that he might be able to follow his religion openly. So he said:

(Verily, He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.) Power belongs to Him and to His Messenger and to those who believe in him, and He is Wise in all that He says and does, and in all His rulings and decrees, both universal and legislative. Qatadah said, "They migrated together from Kutha, which is on the outskirts of Kufa, and went to Syria." Allah gave Ibrahim, Ishaq and Ya`qub, and ordained Prophethood in His Offspring

(And We bestowed on him, Ishaq and Ya`qub,) This is like the Ayah,

(So, when he had turned away from them and from those whom they worshipped besides Allah, We gave him Ishaq and Ya`qub, and each one of them We made a Prophet.) (19:49) That is, when he left his people, Allah gave him joy in a righteous son who was also a Prophet, to whom in turn was born, in his grandfather's lifetime, a righteous son who was also a Prophet. Allah also says:

(And We bestowed upon him Ishaq, and Ya`qub in addition) (21:72) meaning, as an additional gift. This is like the Ayah,

(But We gave her glad tidings of Ishaq, and after Ishaq, of Ya`qub.) (11:71) meaning, to this son would be born a son during their lives, who would be a delight to them.

(and We ordained among his offspring prophethood and the Book,) This is a tremendous blessing. Not only did Allah take him as a close friend and make him an Imam for mankind, but He also ordained prophethood and the Book among his offspring. After the time of Ibrahim there was no Prophet who was not from among his descendants. All of the Prophets of the Children of Israel were from among his descendants, from Ya`qub bin Ishaq bin Ibrahim to the last of them, `Isa bin Maryam, who stood in the midst of his people and announced the good news of the Hashimi Qurashi Arab Prophet, the last of all the Messengers, the leader of the sons of Adam in this world and the next, whom Allah chose from the heart of the Arab nation, from the descendants of Isma`il bin Ibrahim, may peace be upon them. There is no Prophet from the line of Isma`il besides him, may the best of blessings and peace be upon him.

(and We granted him his reward in this world; and verily, in the Hereafter he is indeed among the righteous.) Allah granted him happiness in this world that was connected to happiness in the Hereafter, for in this world he had plentiful provision, a splendid home, a beautiful and righteous wife, and he was and still is spoken of highly, for everyone loves him and regards him as a friend. Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Qatadah and others said: "He obeyed Allah in all ways." This is like the Ayah,

(And of Ibrahim who fulfilled all.) (53:37) He did all that he was commanded to do and obeyed his Lord to the utmost. Allah says:

(and We granted him his reward in this world; and verily, in the Hereafter he is indeed among the righteous.) And He says:

(Verily, Ibrahim was an Ummah, Qanit to Allah, a Hanif, and he was not one of the idolators) until:

(and in the Hereafter he shall be of the righteous) (16:120-122).

The preaching of Lut and what happened between Him and His People

Allah tells us that His Prophet Lut, peace be upon him, denounced his people for their evil deed and their immoral actions in having intercourse with males, a deed which none of the sons of Adam had ever committed before them. As well as doing this, they also disbelieved in Allah and rejected and opposed His Messenger, they robbed wayfarers, they would lie in wait on the road, kill people and loot their possessions.

(And practice Al-Munkar in your meetings.) This means, `in your gatherings you do and say things that are not befitting, and you do not denounce one another for doing such things.' Some said that they used to have intercourse with one another in public; this was the view of Mujahid. Some said that they used to compete in passing gas and laughing. This was the view of `A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, and Al-Qasim. Some of them said that they used to make rams fight one another, or organize cockfights. They used to do all of these things, and they were even eviler than that.

(But his people gave no answer except that they said: "Bring Allah's torment upon us if you are one of the truthful.") This is indicative of their disbelief, scornful attitude and stubbornness. So Allah's Prophet asked for help against them, and said:

(My Lord! Give me victory over the people who are corrupt.)

The Angels went to Ibrahim and then to Lut, may peace be upon them both

When Lut, peace be upon him, asked Allah to help him against them, Allah sent angels to help him. They first came to Ibrahim in the form of guests, so he offered them hospitality in the appropriate manner. When he saw that they had no interest in the food, he felt some mistrust of them and was fearful of them. They started to calm him down and gave him the news of a righteous son born by his wife Sarah, who was present, and she was astonished by this, as we have already explained in our Tafsir of Surat Hud and Surat Al-Hijr. When they brought this news to Ibrahim and told him that they were sent to destroy the people of Lut, he began to speak up for them, hoping to win more time for them so that they might be guided by Allah. When they said, "We have come to destroy the people of this township,"

((Ibrahim) said: "But there is Lut in it." They said: "We know better who is there. We will verily, save him and his family except his wife, she will be of those who remain behind.") meaning, one of those who will be destroyed, because she used to support them in their disbelief and wrongdoing. Then the angels left him and visited Lut in the form of handsome young men. When he saw them like that,

(he was grieved because of them, and felt straitened on their account.) means, he was worried since if he had them as guests then he was afraid for them and what his people might do to them, but if he did not host them, he was still afraid of what might happen to them. At that point he did not know who they were.

(They said: "Have no fear, and do not grieve! Truly, we shall save you and your family except your wife: she will be of those who remain behind. Verily, we are about to bring down on the people of this town a great torment from the sky, because they have been rebellious.") Jibril, peace be upon him, uprooted their town from the depths of the earth, lifted it up to the sky, then threw it upside down upon them. Allah rained upon them:

(stones of Sijjil, in a well-arranged manner one after another. Marked from your Lord; and they are not ever far from the evil doers.) 11:82-83 Allah turned the place where they had lived into a putrid, stinking lake, which will remain as a lesson to mankind until the Day of Resurrection, and they will be among those who are most severely punished on the Day of Resurrection. Allah says:

(And indeed We have left thereof an evident Ayah) i. e., a clear sign, n

(for a folk who understand.) This is like the Ayah,

(Verily, you pass by them in the morning And at night; will you not then reflect) (37:137-138)

Shu`ayb and His People

Allah tells us that His servant and Messenger Shu`ayb, peace be upon him, warned his people, the people of Madyan, and commanded them to worship Allah Alone with no partner or associate, and to fear the wrath and punishment of Allah on the Day of Resurrection. He said:

(O my people! Worship Allah and hope for the last Day,) Ibn Jarir said: "Some of them said that this meant: Fear the Last Day." This is like the Ayah,

(for those who look forward to (meeting with) Allah and the Last Day) (60:6).

(and commit no mischief on the earth as mischief-makers.) This is forbidding them to make mischief on earth by spreading corruption, which means going around doing evil to people. They used to cheat in weights and measures, and ambush people on the road; this is in addition to their disbelief in Allah and His Messenger. So Allah destroyed them with a mighty earthquake that convulsed their land, and the Sayhah (shout) which tore their hearts from their bodies, and the torment of the Day of Shade, when their souls were taken. This was the torment of a great day. We have already examined their story in detail in Surat Al-A`raf, Surat Hud and Surat Ash-Shu`ara'.

(and they lay, prostrate in their dwellings.) Qatadah said, "They were dead." Others said that they were thrown on top of one another.