تخطَّ إلى المحتوى

Quranic theme

Lot

لوط

51 verses

Named alongside Ishmael, Elisha, and Jonah as a prophet favored over other people (6:86), Lot stands in the Quran as a solitary figure confronting an entirely new form of societal corruption. Stationed among a people whose behavior he openly abhorred, he was a man isolated in his morality, operating in a town where purity itself had become a punishable offense.

What was the transgression of Lot's people? When addressing his people, Lot did not merely accuse them of generalized wrongdoing; he identified a specific, unprecedented outrage: "No one in the world has outdone you in this" (7:80). The Quran specifies that they lusted after men rather than women, transgressing all bounds (7:81). Instead of denying the accusation, the townspeople condemned Lot's moral stance. Their unified response was a call for expulsion, arguing, "Drive them out of your town! These men want to keep themselves chaste!" (7:82). To the town, the prophet's desire to maintain purity was a crime that warranted immediate exile.

How did Lot attempt to protect his guests? The sequence of the town's destruction began with an encounter far away. Messengers first appeared to Abraham, who grew afraid when their hands did not reach for his meal. They calmed him by revealing their true mission: they were sent against the people of Lot (11:70). Once Abraham's fear subsided and the good news settled, he pleaded with God on behalf of Lot's people (11:74).

When those same messengers arrived at Lot's home, he was unaware they were angels. Knowing the nature of his neighbors, he grew deeply anxious and felt powerless to protect his guests, calling it a "truly terrible day" (11:77). As the townspeople rushed toward his house intending to commit foul deeds, Lot made a desperate final appeal. He offered them his daughters, pleading with the men to fear God and not disgrace him in front of his visitors, asking if there was not a single right-minded man among them (11:78). The crowd dismissed his offer, stating plainly that they had no right to his daughters and that Lot knew exactly what they wanted (11:79). Cornered by the mob, Lot cried out, "If only I had the strength to stop you or could rely on strong support!" (11:80).

Who survived the punishment? The deliverance from the town was absolute but highly restricted. God saved Lot and his kinsfolk, with one notable exception: his wife, who stayed behind to face the punishment (7:83). Classical scholar al-Wahidi clarifies that the phrase "family of Lot" here designates his actual followers—those who were upon his religion (Al-Tafsir al-Basit, 12/621). Blood ties offered no protection to his wife; salvation was tied strictly to shared belief.

The devastation of the town was complete and served as a lasting warning to subsequent generations. As al-Dahhak notes, the prophet Shu'ayb later warned his own people to remember the fate of Noah, Ad, and Thamud, pointing out that the destroyed people of Lot were not far from them (Mawsuat al-tafsir al-mathur, 11/408). Abu Bakr al-Jaza'iri explains the mechanics of this destruction, noting that the town was physically overturned—making its highest part its lowest—before the inhabitants were struck (Aysar al-Tafasir, 5/216). Once the believers were clear of the city, God showered upon the rest of them a catastrophic rain, leaving the ruined town as a stark monument to the fate of the evildoers (7:84).

Verses

Page 1 of 2 — 51 verses in all.

6:86 الأنعام

وَإِسْمَـٰعِيلَ وَٱلْيَسَعَ وَيُونُسَ وَلُوطًا ۚ وَكُلًّا فَضَّلْنَا عَلَى ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ

Ishmael, Elisha, Jonah, and Lot. We favoured each one of them over other people,

7:80 الأعراف

وَلُوطًا إِذْ قَالَ لِقَوْمِهِۦٓ أَتَأْتُونَ ٱلْفَـٰحِشَةَ مَا سَبَقَكُم بِهَا مِنْ أَحَدٍ مِّنَ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ

We sent Lot and he said to his people, ‘How can you practise this outrage? No one in the world has outdone you in this.

7:81 الأعراف

إِنَّكُمْ لَتَأْتُونَ ٱلرِّجَالَ شَهْوَةً مِّن دُونِ ٱلنِّسَآءِ ۚ بَلْ أَنتُمْ قَوْمٌ مُّسْرِفُونَ

You lust after men rather than women! You transgress all bounds!’

7:82 الأعراف

وَمَا كَانَ جَوَابَ قَوْمِهِۦٓ إِلَّآ أَن قَالُوٓا۟ أَخْرِجُوهُم مِّن قَرْيَتِكُمْ ۖ إِنَّهُمْ أُنَاسٌ يَتَطَهَّرُونَ

The only response his people gave was to say [to one another], ‘Drive them out of your town! These men want to keep themselves chaste!’

7:83 الأعراف

فَأَنجَيْنَـٰهُ وَأَهْلَهُۥٓ إِلَّا ٱمْرَأَتَهُۥ كَانَتْ مِنَ ٱلْغَـٰبِرِينَ

We saved him and his kinsfolk- apart from his wife who stayed behind-

7:84 الأعراف

وَأَمْطَرْنَا عَلَيْهِم مَّطَرًا ۖ فَٱنظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَـٰقِبَةُ ٱلْمُجْرِمِينَ

and We showered upon [the rest of] them a rain [of destruction]. See the fate of the evildoers.

11:70 هود

فَلَمَّا رَءَآ أَيْدِيَهُمْ لَا تَصِلُ إِلَيْهِ نَكِرَهُمْ وَأَوْجَسَ مِنْهُمْ خِيفَةً ۚ قَالُوا۟ لَا تَخَفْ إِنَّآ أُرْسِلْنَآ إِلَىٰ قَوْمِ لُوطٍ

When he saw that their hands did not reach towards the meal, he found this strange and became afraid of them. But they said, ‘Do not be afraid. We have been sent against the people of Lot.’

11:74 هود

فَلَمَّا ذَهَبَ عَنْ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ ٱلرَّوْعُ وَجَآءَتْهُ ٱلْبُشْرَىٰ يُجَـٰدِلُنَا فِى قَوْمِ لُوطٍ

Then, when the fear left Abraham and the good news came to him, he pleaded with Us for Lot’s people,

11:77 هود

وَلَمَّا جَآءَتْ رُسُلُنَا لُوطًا سِىٓءَ بِهِمْ وَضَاقَ بِهِمْ ذَرْعًا وَقَالَ هَـٰذَا يَوْمٌ عَصِيبٌ

And when Our messengers came to Lot, he was anxious for them, feeling powerless to protect them, and said, ‘This is a truly terrible day!’

11:78 هود

وَجَآءَهُۥ قَوْمُهُۥ يُهْرَعُونَ إِلَيْهِ وَمِن قَبْلُ كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ ٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتِ ۚ قَالَ يَـٰقَوْمِ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ بَنَاتِى هُنَّ أَطْهَرُ لَكُمْ ۖ فَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَلَا تُخْزُونِ فِى ضَيْفِىٓ ۖ أَلَيْسَ مِنكُمْ رَجُلٌ رَّشِيدٌ

His people came rushing towards him; they used to commit foul deeds. He said, ‘My people, here are my daughters.They are more wholesome for you, so have some fear of God and do not disgrace me with my guests. Is there not a single right-minded man among you?’

11:79 هود

قَالُوا۟ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ مَا لَنَا فِى بَنَاتِكَ مِنْ حَقٍّ وَإِنَّكَ لَتَعْلَمُ مَا نُرِيدُ

They said, ‘You know very well that we have no right to your daughters. You know very well what we want.’

11:80 هود

قَالَ لَوْ أَنَّ لِى بِكُمْ قُوَّةً أَوْ ءَاوِىٓ إِلَىٰ رُكْنٍ شَدِيدٍ

He said, ‘If only I had the strength to stop you or could rely on strong support!’

11:81 هود

قَالُوا۟ يَـٰلُوطُ إِنَّا رُسُلُ رَبِّكَ لَن يَصِلُوٓا۟ إِلَيْكَ ۖ فَأَسْرِ بِأَهْلِكَ بِقِطْعٍ مِّنَ ٱلَّيْلِ وَلَا يَلْتَفِتْ مِنكُمْ أَحَدٌ إِلَّا ٱمْرَأَتَكَ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ مُصِيبُهَا مَآ أَصَابَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّ مَوْعِدَهُمُ ٱلصُّبْحُ ۚ أَلَيْسَ ٱلصُّبْحُ بِقَرِيبٍ

They [the messengers] said, ‘Lot, we are your Lord’s messengers. They will not reach you. Leave with your household in the dead of night, and let none of you turn back. Only your wife will suffer the fate that befalls the others. Their appointed time is the morning: is the morning not near?’

11:82 هود

فَلَمَّا جَآءَ أَمْرُنَا جَعَلْنَا عَـٰلِيَهَا سَافِلَهَا وَأَمْطَرْنَا عَلَيْهَا حِجَارَةً مِّن سِجِّيلٍ مَّنضُودٍ

And so when what We had ordained came about, We turned their town upside down and rained down stones of baked clay on it, layer upon layer,

11:83 هود

مُّسَوَّمَةً عِندَ رَبِّكَ ۖ وَمَا هِىَ مِنَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ بِبَعِيدٍ

marked from your Lord. It is not far from the evildoers.

11:89 هود

وَيَـٰقَوْمِ لَا يَجْرِمَنَّكُمْ شِقَاقِىٓ أَن يُصِيبَكُم مِّثْلُ مَآ أَصَابَ قَوْمَ نُوحٍ أَوْ قَوْمَ هُودٍ أَوْ قَوْمَ صَـٰلِحٍ ۚ وَمَا قَوْمُ لُوطٍ مِّنكُم بِبَعِيدٍ

My people, do not let your opposition to me bring upon you a similar fate to the peoples of Noah or Hud or Salih; the people of Lot are not far away from you.

15:59 الحجر

إِلَّآ ءَالَ لُوطٍ إِنَّا لَمُنَجُّوهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ

But We shall save the household of Lot,

15:60 الحجر

إِلَّا ٱمْرَأَتَهُۥ قَدَّرْنَآ ۙ إِنَّهَا لَمِنَ ٱلْغَـٰبِرِينَ

all except his wife: We have decreed that she will be one of those who stay behind.

15:61 الحجر

فَلَمَّا جَآءَ ءَالَ لُوطٍ ٱلْمُرْسَلُونَ

When the messengers came to the household of Lot,

15:62 الحجر

قَالَ إِنَّكُمْ قَوْمٌ مُّنكَرُونَ

he said, ‘You are strangers.’

15:63 الحجر

قَالُوا۟ بَلْ جِئْنَـٰكَ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ فِيهِ يَمْتَرُونَ

They said, ‘We have brought you what they said would never happen:

15:64 الحجر

وَأَتَيْنَـٰكَ بِٱلْحَقِّ وَإِنَّا لَصَـٰدِقُونَ

we have brought you the Truth. We speak truly,

15:65 الحجر

فَأَسْرِ بِأَهْلِكَ بِقِطْعٍ مِّنَ ٱلَّيْلِ وَٱتَّبِعْ أَدْبَـٰرَهُمْ وَلَا يَلْتَفِتْ مِنكُمْ أَحَدٌ وَٱمْضُوا۟ حَيْثُ تُؤْمَرُونَ

so leave in the dead of the night with your household, and walk behind them. Let none of you look back. Go where you are commanded.’

15:66 الحجر

وَقَضَيْنَآ إِلَيْهِ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْأَمْرَ أَنَّ دَابِرَ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ مَقْطُوعٌ مُّصْبِحِينَ

We made this decree known to him: the last remnants of those people would be wiped out in the morning.

15:67 الحجر

وَجَآءَ أَهْلُ ٱلْمَدِينَةِ يَسْتَبْشِرُونَ

The people of the town came along, revelling,

15:68 الحجر

قَالَ إِنَّ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ ضَيْفِى فَلَا تَفْضَحُونِ

and he told them, ‘These are my guests, do not disgrace me.

15:69 الحجر

وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَلَا تُخْزُونِ

Fear God, and do not shame me.’

15:70 الحجر

قَالُوٓا۟ أَوَلَمْ نَنْهَكَ عَنِ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ

They answered, ‘Have we not told you not to interfere [between us and] anyone else?’

15:71 الحجر

قَالَ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ بَنَاتِىٓ إِن كُنتُمْ فَـٰعِلِينَ

He said, ‘My daughters are here, if you must.’

15:72 الحجر

لَعَمْرُكَ إِنَّهُمْ لَفِى سَكْرَتِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ

By your life [Prophet], they wandered on in their wild intoxication

21:71 الأنبياء

وَنَجَّيْنَـٰهُ وَلُوطًا إِلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ ٱلَّتِى بَـٰرَكْنَا فِيهَا لِلْعَـٰلَمِينَ

We saved him and Lot [and sent them] to the land We blessed for all people,

21:74 الأنبياء

وَلُوطًا ءَاتَيْنَـٰهُ حُكْمًا وَعِلْمًا وَنَجَّيْنَـٰهُ مِنَ ٱلْقَرْيَةِ ٱلَّتِى كَانَت تَّعْمَلُ ٱلْخَبَـٰٓئِثَ ۗ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا۟ قَوْمَ سَوْءٍ فَـٰسِقِينَ

We gave Lot sound judgement and knowledge and saved him from the community who practised obscenities- they were shameless people who broke God’s law!

22:43 الحج

وَقَوْمُ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَقَوْمُ لُوطٍ

Abraham, Lot,

26:160 الشعراء

كَذَّبَتْ قَوْمُ لُوطٍ ٱلْمُرْسَلِينَ

The people of Lot, too, called the messengers liars.

26:161 الشعراء

إِذْ قَالَ لَهُمْ أَخُوهُمْ لُوطٌ أَلَا تَتَّقُونَ

Their brother Lot said to them, ‘Will you not be mindful of God?

27:56 النمل

۞ فَمَا كَانَ جَوَابَ قَوْمِهِۦٓ إِلَّآ أَن قَالُوٓا۟ أَخْرِجُوٓا۟ ءَالَ لُوطٍ مِّن قَرْيَتِكُمْ ۖ إِنَّهُمْ أُنَاسٌ يَتَطَهَّرُونَ

The only answer his people gave was to say, ‘Expel Lot’s followers from your town! These men mean to stay chaste!’

29:26 العنكبوت

۞ فَـَٔامَنَ لَهُۥ لُوطٌ ۘ وَقَالَ إِنِّى مُهَاجِرٌ إِلَىٰ رَبِّىٓ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ

Lot believed him, and said, ‘I will flee to my Lord: He is the Almighty, the All Wise.’

29:28 العنكبوت

وَلُوطًا إِذْ قَالَ لِقَوْمِهِۦٓ إِنَّكُمْ لَتَأْتُونَ ٱلْفَـٰحِشَةَ مَا سَبَقَكُم بِهَا مِنْ أَحَدٍ مِّنَ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ

And Lot: when He said to his people, ‘You practise outrageous acts that no people before you have ever committed.

29:32 العنكبوت

قَالَ إِنَّ فِيهَا لُوطًا ۚ قَالُوا۟ نَحْنُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَن فِيهَا ۖ لَنُنَجِّيَنَّهُۥ وَأَهْلَهُۥٓ إِلَّا ٱمْرَأَتَهُۥ كَانَتْ مِنَ ٱلْغَـٰبِرِينَ

Abraham said, ‘But Lot lives there.’ They answered, ‘We know who lives there better than you do. We shall save him and his household, except for his wife: she will be one of those who stay behind.’

29:33 العنكبوت

وَلَمَّآ أَن جَآءَتْ رُسُلُنَا لُوطًا سِىٓءَ بِهِمْ وَضَاقَ بِهِمْ ذَرْعًا وَقَالُوا۟ لَا تَخَفْ وَلَا تَحْزَنْ ۖ إِنَّا مُنَجُّوكَ وَأَهْلَكَ إِلَّا ٱمْرَأَتَكَ كَانَتْ مِنَ ٱلْغَـٰبِرِينَ

When Our messengers came to Lot, he was troubled and distressed on their account. They said, ‘Have no fear or grief: we shall certainly save you and your household, except for your wife- she will be one of those who stay behind-

37:153 الصافات

أَصْطَفَى ٱلْبَنَاتِ عَلَى ٱلْبَنِينَ

Did He truly choose daughters in preference to sons?

38:13 ص

وَثَمُودُ وَقَوْمُ لُوطٍ وَأَصْحَـٰبُ لْـَٔيْكَةِ ۚ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلْأَحْزَابُ

Thamud, the people of Lot, and the Forest-Dwellers each formed opposition [against theirs].

50:13 ق

وَعَادٌ وَفِرْعَوْنُ وَإِخْوَٰنُ لُوطٍ

Ad, Pharaoh, Lot,

54:33 القمر

كَذَّبَتْ قَوْمُ لُوطٍۭ بِٱلنُّذُرِ

The people of Lot rejected the warnings.

54:34 القمر

إِنَّآ أَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ حَاصِبًا إِلَّآ ءَالَ لُوطٍ ۖ نَّجَّيْنَـٰهُم بِسَحَرٍ

We released a stonebearing wind against them, all except the family of Lot. We saved them before dawn

54:35 القمر

نِّعْمَةً مِّنْ عِندِنَا ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِى مَن شَكَرَ

as a favour from Us: this is how We reward the thankful.

54:36 القمر

وَلَقَدْ أَنذَرَهُم بَطْشَتَنَا فَتَمَارَوْا۟ بِٱلنُّذُرِ

He warned them of Our onslaught, but they dismissed the warning-

54:37 القمر

وَلَقَدْ رَٰوَدُوهُ عَن ضَيْفِهِۦ فَطَمَسْنَآ أَعْيُنَهُمْ فَذُوقُوا۟ عَذَابِى وَنُذُرِ

they even demanded his guests from him- so We sealed their eyes- ‘ Taste My [terrible] punishment and [the fulfilment of] My warnings!’-

54:38 القمر

وَلَقَدْ صَبَّحَهُم بُكْرَةً عَذَابٌ مُّسْتَقِرٌّ

and early in the morning a punishment seized them that still remains-

54:39 القمر

فَذُوقُوا۟ عَذَابِى وَنُذُرِ

‘Taste My [terrible] punishment and [the fulfilment of] My warnings!’

Related themes

Explore the Quran

Read, listen, and study with powerful tools designed for your journey.