Stories
A prophet in a town that would not listen
He stood alone in a town that mocked him, and his wife stayed.
3 min, Intro, Draft written with AI help: awaiting scholar review
Part 1 of 3
Lut's story begins beside another prophet. He believed in Ibrahim's message and left his homeland with him; tradition says Ibrahim was his uncle. He was then sent as a prophet to a town of his own, which later tradition locates near the Dead Sea.
Qur'an 29:26
۞ فَـَٔامَنَ لَهُۥ لُوطࣰۘ وَقَالَ إِنِّي مُهَاجِرٌ إِلَىٰ رَبِّيٓۖ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلۡحَكِيمُ ٢٦
26 Lot believed in him, and Abraham said, “I am emigrating to my Lord. He is indeed the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.”
Lesson
Lut believed in Ibrahim, and left home with him.
Part 2 of 3
What did Lut find in his town? The Qur'an charges it with approaching men with desire instead of women, robbing travellers on the road, and doing wrong openly in their gatherings. When angels came as guests, the men rushed to Lut's door.
Qur'an 29:28
وَلُوطًا إِذۡ قَالَ لِقَوۡمِهِۦٓ إِنَّكُمۡ لَتَأۡتُونَ ٱلۡفَٰحِشَةَ مَا سَبَقَكُم بِهَا مِنۡ أَحَدࣲ مِّنَ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ ٢٨
28 And [remember] Lot, when he said to his people, “You surely commit a shameful act that no one in the world has ever done before you.
The passage continues in Read.
Lesson
The Qur'an names several wrongs in Lut's town, all done openly.
Part 3 of 3
Lut was told to leave by night with his family and not look back. His wife stayed behind with the town and was not saved. The Qur'an names her, with Nuh's wife, as an example: being married to a prophet saved neither.
Qur'an 66:10
ضَرَبَ ٱللَّهُ مَثَلࣱا لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ ٱمۡرَأَتَ نُوحࣲ وَٱمۡرَأَتَ لُوطࣲۖ كَانَتَا تَحۡتَ عَبۡدَيۡنِ مِنۡ عِبَادِنَا صَٰلِحَيۡنِ فَخَانَتَاهُمَا فَلَمۡ يُغۡنِيَا عَنۡهُمَا مِنَ ٱللَّهِ شَيۡـࣱٔا وَقِيلَ ٱدۡخُلَا ٱلنَّارَ مَعَ ٱلدَّٰخِلِينَ ١٠
10 Allah sets forth an example for the disbelievers: the wife of Noah and the wife of Lot, who were under two of Our righteous slaves, but they betrayed them. Their husbands could not avail them anything against Allah, and they both were told, “Enter the Fire along with those who enter!”
Lesson
Closeness to a prophet saved neither wife; choices decided.
Reflect, just for you
Seen by lamplight. It gives more each time.
He stood alone in a town that mocked him, and his wife stayed.