Page 443 - An Index to the Qur'an

breach with me provoke you into doing wrong so proach depravity with open eyes? Do you come
that the same thing happens to you as happened with lust to men instead of women? You are a
to the people of Nuh and the people of Hud and people who are deeply ignorant.’ The only re-
the people of Salih; and the people of Lut are not sponse of his people was to say: ‘Drive the the
far distant from you.’ (11:89) family of Lut out of your city! They are people
(Lut said,) ‘Have fear of Allah and do not dishon- who keep themselves pure!’ So We rescued him
our me.’ They said, ‘Did we not forbid you to and his family–except for his wife. We ordained
play host to anyone at all?’ He said, ‘Here are my her to be one of those who stayed behind. We
daughters if you are determined to do some- rained down a rain upon them. How evil is the
thing.’ By your life! They were wandering blindly rain of those who are warned! Say: ‘Praise be to
in their drunkenness! So the Great Blast seized Allah and peace be upon His servants whom He
hold of them at the break of day. We turned the has chosen.’Is Allah better, or what you associate
place completely upside down and rained down with Him? (27:54-59)
on them stones of hard-baked clay. There are He (Ibrahim) said, ‘You have adopted idols apart
certainly Signs in that for the discerning. They from Allah as tokens of mutual affection in this
were beside a road which still exists. There is world. But then on the Day of Rising you will re-
certainly a Sign in that for the believers. (15:69- ject one another and curse one another. The Fire
77) will be your shelter. You will have no helpers.’
We gave right judgement and knowledge to Lut And Lut believed in him. He said, ‘I am leaving
and rescued him from the city which committed this place to follow the pleasure of my Lord. He
disgusting acts. They were evil people who were is the Almighty, the All Wise.’ We gave him Ishaq
deviators. We admitted him into Our mercy. He and Ya‘qub and placed Prophethood and the
was one of the righteous. (21:74-75) Book among his progeny. We gave him his re-
He (Lut) said, ‘These are my guests so do not put ward in this world and in the hereafter he will be
me to shame.’ (15:68) among the righteous. When Lut said to his peo-
The people of Lut denied the Messengers, when ple, ‘You are committing an obscenity not perpe-
their brother Lut said to them, ‘Will you not trated before you by anyone in all the worlds. Do
guard against evil? I am a faithful Messenger to you lie with men and waylay them on the road
you. So have fear of Allah and obey me. I do not and commit depravities within your gatherings?’.
ask you for any wage for it. My wage is the re- The only answer of his people was to say, ‘Bring
sponsibility of no one but the Lord of all the us Allah’s punishment if you are telling the truth.’
worlds. Of all beings, do you lie with males, He said, ‘My Lord, help me against the people of
leaving the wives Allah has created for you? You corruption!’ When Our messengers came with
are a people who have overstepped the limits.’ the good news to Ibrahim, they said, ‘We are
They said, ‘Lut, if you do not desist you will be going to destroy the people of this city. Truly its
expelled.’ He said, ‘I am someone who detests inhabitants are wrongdoers.’ He said, ‘Lut is in
the deed you perpetrate. My Lord, rescue me and it.’ They said, ‘We know very well who is in it.
my family from what they are doing.’ Therefore We are going to rescue him and his family–ex-
We rescued him and all his family–except for an cept for his wife. She will be one of those who
old woman who remained behind. Then We ut- stay behind.’ When Our Messengers came to Lut,
terly destroyed the rest and made a Rain come he was distressed on their account, feeling inca-
pouring down upon them. How evil is the rain of pable of protecting them. They said, ‘Do not fear
those who are warned! There is certainly a Sign and do not grieve. We are going to rescue you
in that, yet most of them are not believers. Truly and your family–except for your wife; she will be
your Lord is the Almighty, the Most Merciful. one of those who stay behind. We will bring
(26:160-175) down on the inhabitants of this city a devastating
And when Lut said to his people: ‘Do you ap- punishment from heaven because of their de-
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