Tafheem ul Quran

Surah 27 An-Naml, Ayat 54-58

وَلُوۡطًا اِذۡ قَالَ لِقَوۡمِهٖۤ اَتَاۡتُوۡنَ الۡـفَاحِشَةَ وَاَنۡـتُمۡ تُبۡصِرُوۡنَ‏  ﴿27:54﴾ اَـئِنَّكُمۡ لَـتَاۡتُوۡنَ الرِّجَالَ شَهۡوَةً مِّنۡ دُوۡنِ النِّسَآءِ​ؕ بَلۡ اَنۡـتُمۡ قَوۡمٌ تَجۡهَلُوۡنَ‏ ﴿27:55﴾ فَمَا كَانَ جَوَابَ قَوۡمِهٖۤ اِلَّاۤ اَنۡ قَالُـوۡۤا اَخۡرِجُوۡۤا اٰلَ لُوۡطٍ مِّنۡ قَرۡيَتِكُمۡ​ۚ اِنَّهُمۡ اُنَاسٌ يَّتَطَهَّرُوۡنَ‏ ﴿27:56﴾ فَاَنۡجَيۡنٰهُ وَ اَهۡلَهٗۤ اِلَّا امۡرَاَتَهٗ قَدَّرۡنٰهَا مِنَ الۡغٰبِرِيۡنَ‏  ﴿27:57﴾ وَاَمۡطَرۡنَا عَلَيۡهِمۡ مَّطَرًا​ۚ فَسَآءَ مَطَرُ الۡمُنۡذَرِيۡنَ‏ ﴿27:58﴾

(27:54) We also sent Lot,67 and recall when he told his people: "Do you commit shameless acts with your eyes open?68 (27:55) Do you lustfully approach men instead of women? Nay, you engage in acts of sheer ignorance."69 (27:56) But this had only one answer from his people. They said: "Expel Lot's folk from your city. They pretend to be absolutely clean." (27:57) Eventually We saved (Lot) and his family, except his wife. We had decreed that she should be among those who would remain behind.70 (27:58) And We rained down upon them a rain. It was an evil rain for those who had already been warned.

Notes

67. For comparison, see (Surah Al-Aaraf: Ayats 80-84); (Surah Hud: Ayats 74-83); (Surah Al-Hijr: Ayats 57-77); (Surah Al-Anbiya: Ayats 71-75); (Surah Ash-Shuara: Ayats 160-174); (Surah Al-Ankabut: Ayats 28-75); (Surah As-Saffat: Ayats 133-138); (Surah Al-Qamar: Ayats 33-39).

68. This can have several meanings and probably all are implied: (1) “That you are not unaware of this act’s being wicked, but you commit it knowing it to be so”. (2) “You are also not unaware that the man has not been created for the man’s sexual desire, but the intimate relationship is between man and woman, and the distinction between them (man and woman) is not such as you cannot perceive, yet with open eyes you commit this abominable act.” (3) “You indulge in this indecency publicly when there are people watching you”, as stated in (Surah Al-Ankabut: Ayat 29), thus: “And you indulge in indecencies in your assemblies.”

69. The word jahalat here has been used in the sense of folly and stupidity. But even if it is taken in the sense of ignorance and lack of knowledge, it will mean: “You do not know the evil consequences of your acts. You only know that you are deriving sensual pleasure, but you do not know what severe punishment awaits you for this criminal and heinous pleasure-seeking. The scourge of Allah is ready to strike you but you are engaged in a senseless, filthy game with impunity.

70. That is, “The Prophet Lot (peace be upon him) had already been instructed not to take the woman along because she had to be destroyed along with her people.”