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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 Al-An'am

وَإِسْمَـٰعِيلَ وَٱلْيَسَعَ وَيُونُسَ وَلُوطًا ۚ وَكُلًّا فَضَّلْنَا عَلَى ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ

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

7:80 Al-A'raf

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 Al-A'raf

إِنَّكُمْ لَتَأْتُونَ ٱلرِّجَالَ شَهْوَةً مِّن دُونِ ٱلنِّسَآءِ ۚ بَلْ أَنتُمْ قَوْمٌ مُّسْرِفُونَ

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

7:82 Al-A'raf

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 Al-A'raf

فَأَنجَيْنَـٰهُ وَأَهْلَهُۥٓ إِلَّا ٱمْرَأَتَهُۥ كَانَتْ مِنَ ٱلْغَـٰبِرِينَ

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

7:84 Al-A'raf

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 Hud

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 Hud

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 Hud

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 Hud

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 Hud

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 Hud

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 Hud

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 Hud

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 Hud

مُّسَوَّمَةً عِندَ رَبِّكَ ۖ وَمَا هِىَ مِنَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ بِبَعِيدٍ

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

11:89 Hud

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 Al-Hijr

إِلَّآ ءَالَ لُوطٍ إِنَّا لَمُنَجُّوهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ

But We shall save the household of Lot,

15:60 Al-Hijr

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 Al-Hijr

فَلَمَّا جَآءَ ءَالَ لُوطٍ ٱلْمُرْسَلُونَ

When the messengers came to the household of Lot,

15:62 Al-Hijr

قَالَ إِنَّكُمْ قَوْمٌ مُّنكَرُونَ

he said, ‘You are strangers.’

15:63 Al-Hijr

قَالُوا۟ بَلْ جِئْنَـٰكَ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ فِيهِ يَمْتَرُونَ

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

15:64 Al-Hijr

وَأَتَيْنَـٰكَ بِٱلْحَقِّ وَإِنَّا لَصَـٰدِقُونَ

we have brought you the Truth. We speak truly,

15:65 Al-Hijr

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 Al-Hijr

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 Al-Hijr

وَجَآءَ أَهْلُ ٱلْمَدِينَةِ يَسْتَبْشِرُونَ

The people of the town came along, revelling,

15:68 Al-Hijr

قَالَ إِنَّ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ ضَيْفِى فَلَا تَفْضَحُونِ

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

15:69 Al-Hijr

وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَلَا تُخْزُونِ

Fear God, and do not shame me.’

15:70 Al-Hijr

قَالُوٓا۟ أَوَلَمْ نَنْهَكَ عَنِ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ

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

15:71 Al-Hijr

قَالَ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ بَنَاتِىٓ إِن كُنتُمْ فَـٰعِلِينَ

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

15:72 Al-Hijr

لَعَمْرُكَ إِنَّهُمْ لَفِى سَكْرَتِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ

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

21:71 Al-Anbya

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 Al-Anbya

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 Al-Hajj

وَقَوْمُ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَقَوْمُ لُوطٍ

Abraham, Lot,

26:160 Ash-Shu'ara

كَذَّبَتْ قَوْمُ لُوطٍ ٱلْمُرْسَلِينَ

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

26:161 Ash-Shu'ara

إِذْ قَالَ لَهُمْ أَخُوهُمْ لُوطٌ أَلَا تَتَّقُونَ

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

27:56 An-Naml

۞ 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 Al-'Ankabut

۞ 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 Al-'Ankabut

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 Al-'Ankabut

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 Al-'Ankabut

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 As-Saffat

أَصْطَفَى ٱلْبَنَاتِ عَلَى ٱلْبَنِينَ

Did He truly choose daughters in preference to sons?

38:13 Sad

وَثَمُودُ وَقَوْمُ لُوطٍ وَأَصْحَـٰبُ لْـَٔيْكَةِ ۚ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلْأَحْزَابُ

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

50:13 Qaf

وَعَادٌ وَفِرْعَوْنُ وَإِخْوَٰنُ لُوطٍ

Ad, Pharaoh, Lot,

54:33 Al-Qamar

كَذَّبَتْ قَوْمُ لُوطٍۭ بِٱلنُّذُرِ

The people of Lot rejected the warnings.

54:34 Al-Qamar

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 Al-Qamar

نِّعْمَةً مِّنْ عِندِنَا ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِى مَن شَكَرَ

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

54:36 Al-Qamar

وَلَقَدْ أَنذَرَهُم بَطْشَتَنَا فَتَمَارَوْا۟ بِٱلنُّذُرِ

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

54:37 Al-Qamar

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 Al-Qamar

وَلَقَدْ صَبَّحَهُم بُكْرَةً عَذَابٌ مُّسْتَقِرٌّ

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

54:39 Al-Qamar

فَذُوقُوا۟ عَذَابِى وَنُذُرِ

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

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