Al Islam

e. 11:78; 29:34. (close)

a. 11:78; 29:34. (close)

1765. Commentary:

By using the word المرسلون (messengers), the Quran hints that the bearers of the message were men.

The Bible, however, sometimes mentions them as men (Gen. 18:‌2,16,22) and sometimes as angels (Gen. 19:‌1) and in the latter case even goes so far as to say that Lot prepared for them unleavened bread (Gen. 19:‌3) as if angels partook of the same. Such inconsistencies of the Bible provide a proof of the fact that it has suffered materially from later interpolations. (close)

f. 51:26. (close)

1507. Lot thought these men to be mere wayfarers whose visit to the place was only casual. (close)

a. 51:26. (close)

1766. Commentary:

The word منکرون (strangers) includes wayfarers. It is thus suggested that Lot thought these men to be mere wayfarers whose visit to the place was simply casual, whereupon these messengers hastened to inform him that they had come to him on a special mission (see the succeeding verse). (close)

1767. Commentary:

The fact that the people of Lot doubted the truth of what he told them shows that they had already been warned of the coming punishment by Lot. The mission of the messengers was thus only to inform Lot that the time of the threatened punishment had arrived, and that he and those who believed in him should at once leave the place. (close)

1768. Commentary:

As Abraham had previously questioned the messengers regarding the source of their message (v. 55), they now forestalled a repetition of a similar question by Lot and volunteered the statement that they had brought a definite Divine Message and by way of emphasis added the words, surely we are truthful. (close)

g. 11:82. (close)

1508. The pronoun hum (their) in the expression Adbara-hum (their rear) used in this verse shows that the party who left the city with Lot did not consist of his two daughters only, as stated in the Bible (Gen. chap. 19), but of other believers as well, some of whom must have been males, as the plural masculine pronoun indicates. This view is supported by another passage in the Bible (Gen. 18:‌32). (close)

1509. The words may have been used figuratively, meaning 'let none of you give thought to,' or 'feel anxious for,' those left behind. (close)

b. 11:82. (close)

1769. Commentary:

The pronoun ھم (their) in the expression ادبارھم (their rear) used in this verse shows that, according to the Quran, the party who left the city with Lot did not consist of his two daughters only, as stated in the Bible (Gen. 19), but of other believers as well, some of whom must have been males, as the plural masculine pronoun shows. This view is supported by another passage in the Bible (Gen. 18:‌32) which shows that Abraham was aware that there were some men in the town of Lot who had accepted his Message. Abraham was not, however, sure of their number.

The words لا یلتفت منکم احد (let none of you look back) do not here mean, as most commentators have taken them to mean literally "looking back." The expression has been used figuratively, meaning "giving thought to," or "feeling anxious for," those left behind. The above quoted words thus signify, "do not mind the disbelievers, and leave them to perish." As against this the Bible says that Lot’s wife looked back and was turned into a pillar of salt (Gen. 19:‌26). The Quranic version is certainly more natural, for it not only denies her looking back but declares that she was one of those who remained behind (29:34). The fact that the Bible, which was written much earlier than the Quran, should interweave it with such an incredible tale, which the Quran rejects, lends strong support to the latter’s claim to be the revealed Word of God.

The words, where you are commanded, confirms the interpretation given above, viz. that the messengers had come to tell Lot where he should go after leaving the condemned city. They had come to inform Lot of his destination in pursuance of a Divine command.

The messengers suggested to Lot that he should follow in their rear so that he might be the last in the party to leave the city. This was evidently intended as a precaution for the safety of all members of the party because since Lot was a Prophet for whom Divine protection was particularly intended the threatened punishment could not overtake the city until he was safely out of it. (close)

a. 6:46; 7:73, 85. (close)

a. 6:46; 7:73, 85. (close)

1770. Important Words:

قضینا (We communicated). They say قضی بین الخصمین i.e. he judged and decided between the two litigants. قضی الشیء قضاء means, he determined or designed and accomplished or completed the thing properly. قضی الامر means, he decreed or ordained or commanded the thing. قضی حاجته means, he fulfilled or attained or satisfied his want or desire. قضی دینه means, he paid off his debt. قضی الصلوة means, he performed his Prayer. قضی الشیء means, he declared and explained the thing. قضی الیه الامر means, he communicated or conveyed the matter to him. قضی العھد means, he kept or fulfilled the pledge. قضی اجله او نحبه means, he died (lit. he completed his term), ضربه فقضٰی علیه means, he struck him and thereby killed him (Aqrab & Lane).

Commentary:

The words of this verse are spoken by God and not by the messengers, as it might appear from the context. As the messengers had come to tell Lot that the time of the threatened punishment of his people had already arrived, so in this verse God says to Lot that what the messengers had communicated to him was undoubtedly true, and as the time was very short, he should quit the place at once. It is this direct revelation of God that has been mentioned in the present verse and possibly in the previous one as well.

The word دابر among other things signifies, the root of a thing. But the word "root" does not here mean, "great men" (who are certainly the root of a tribe or clan) but the entire tribe collectively, for the word "root" also symbolizes the whole tree. In fact, the words, Excepting the family of Lot, occurring in v. 60 show that in the present verse this word cannot be taken in the sense of "great men" for, according to the above quoted verse, both the great and the small men of Lot’s people were destroyed, with the exception of a few members of his family. Moreover, the word دابر also means "the last remnant." So the verse definitely signifies that all the people of Lot were destroyed except only a few. See also 6:46.

The word مصبحین (by the morning) shows that Lot was bidden to journey with his family in the latter part of the night so that his wicked countrymen might not discover their absence and pursue and overtake them before the threatened punishment which was to take place at sunrise (v. 74). (close)

b. 11:79. (close)

1510. Lot had been told by his people not to bring strangers into the city and so when the guests came to him they were glad that he would be taken to task for having defied their warnings. (close)

a. 11:79. (close)

1771. Commentary:

From the Bible it appears that the مدینة (city) mentioned in this verse was the seat of kings (Gen. 14:‌17, 21). یثرب the town to which the Holy Prophet fled from Mecca was also called مدینة (city) by him, which implied the prophecy that after having become free from epidemics which ravaged it before, it would become a great town and the Centre of Islam. (close)

c. 11:79. (close)

b. 11:79. (close)

1772. Commentary:

Lot had been told by his people not to bring strangers into the city and now that he had brought these guests he knew that he would be taken to task for having defied their warnings. He therefore asked them not to disgrace him by mentioning this matter before his guests. (close)

1511. Lot begged his people not to disgrace him for offering hospitality to the strangers. (close)

1773. Commentary:

Lot further begged his people not to disgrace him for offering hospitality to the wayfarers, because that was, after all, a good act in the sight of God and did not deserve censure or condemnation. (close)

1512. As relations between Lot’s people and the neighbouring tribes were strained his people had warned him not to bring strangers into the city. But as travel was neither safe nor comfortable in those parts of the country, Prophet Lot would entertain lonely and stranded wayfarers in his house. This was resented by his people, who were looking for a pretext to expel him from the city, being already tired of his teaching and preaching. But they could not do so without a valid excuse. Now they found a seemingly good excuse for venting their wrath on him because he had given shelter to strangers in his house against their warnings. From this it is clear that Lot’s people did not come to him with the wicked intention of committing sodomy with his guests, but to convey to him the warning that they had found a valid excuse to expel him from the town. This seemed to be the reason of their rejoicing. (close)

1774. Commentary:

As there existed a state of war between the people of Lot and the neighbouring tribes, his people had warned Lot not to bring strangers into the city. But as travel was neither safe nor comfortable in those parts of the country, Prophet Lot used to harbour lonely wayfarers in his house. This was resented by his people, who were looking for a pretext to expel him from the city, being already tired of his teaching and preaching. But they could not do so without a valid excuse, because Lot was a full-fledged citizen and his daughters were married in the town. Now, however, they found a good excuse for venting their wrath on him for his having given shelter to strangers in his house despite their warnings. From this it is clear that Lot’s people did not come to him with the wicked intention of committing sodomy with his guests, but to convey to him the warning that they had found a valid excuse to expel him from the town. This was the reason of their rejoicing. The story that they were pleased because they found an opportunity for committing sodomy with Lot’s guests is quite baseless, because it is out of keeping with the context. In fact, the whole story has been unthinkingly borrowed from the Bible by some simple-minded commentators (Gen. 19:‌5). If Lot’s people had come with the evil intention of satisfying their unnatural lust on this occasion, then, instead of being displeased with Lot, they should have been pleased with him, because he had provided them with such an opportunity. (close)