62. The angels had gone to Loot in the form of men, and from the narration in the Qur’an it appears that they appeared as handsome young men. That is why Prophet Loot thought that they were strangers who had come from outside his country and wanted to be his guests. Since that nation was to be put to a test, Allah had sent the angels in that form and for this good reason they did not disclose their identity to him. However subsequently they informed him of their true identity.

63. That is: They have brought punishment from Allah about which they were expressing their doubts. The angels informed Loot about this at the time when his house was surrounded by the people, as is narrated at another place.

64. The command to walk in the rear of the kinsfolk was given so that none of his kinsfolk returned home or looked back. Besides, there was a chance to test whether his home people would follow the command of Allah and walk on even if when they would not find the Prophet in front of them.

65. It has been explained in Surah Hood, Note No. 116.

66. That is: They will be completely destroyed.

67. That is: The inhabitants of the city reached Loot’s house when they learnt of the arrival of beautiful young men at the place. They were rejoicing at the prospect of getting victims for their nefarious acts.

68. Till then the angels had not disclosed their identity before Prophet Loot. The sayings of the angels, quoted in ayat Nos. 63 to 65 above, pertain to the time when the citizens had surrounded the house of Loot, who felt very anxious seeing the honour of his guest at stake.

69. That is: If you would elope with my guest, it would be very shameful for me.

70. That is: We had forbidden you to entertain any outsider or stranger males, then why did you invite these young men. It exposes the hooliganism of the community of Loot: they were not prepared to tolerate any of their countrymen entertaining with feeling of humanity male strangers in his house.

71. That is: If you want to satisfy your lust in a permissible way, then you have your wives at home. What is the meaning of giving up a natural and permissible way and adopting an unnatural and unlawful way? Prophet Loot drew the attention of his people towards this fact in a very dignified and civilized manner. This is the reason why he called the daughters of his community as his own daughters. For further explanation, please see Surah Hood, Note No.110.

72. On this occasion when Loot’s last advice also did not impress his community, Allah comforted him by saying that your whole life is an evidence of the fact that you have not spared any pains for bringing in reform in your community, but these people are so wicked that they are not prepared to act on your advice and they have been so much overcome by their lust that their intelligence is paralysed and they have become like blind men. Now they have been destined to receive their punishment.

It should be noted that on such occasions in Arabic an oath means giving witness and it is considered a fine style of speech.

73. This has been explained in Surah Hood, Note No.119.

74. For explanation, please see Surah Hood, Notes Nos. 147 and 148.

75. The region of Sodom and Gomorrah where the nation of Loot lived lies between Hijaz and Syria, and it was situated on the highway which was used by the trade caravans.

76. Sign of the fact that eventually mercy of Allah goes to the lot of the faithful and real honour and supremacy is their eventual reward.

77. “Aika” means thick trees. The region near Madiyan was full of trees with thick foliage, which was inhabited by the nation of Shuaib. Therefore, that nation was called the ‘People of Aika’. The chronicle of the community of Shuaib is narrated in Surah A’raf and Surah Hood. For explanation, Surah A’raf Note No. 134 to 149, and Surah Hood Notes Nos. 122 to 140 may be seen.