Surah Hud 11:81

Lut's Inability, His Desire for Strength and the Angels' Informing Him of the Reality

Allah, the Exalted says that Lut was threatening them with his statement,

لَوْ أَنَّ لِى بِكُمْ قُوَّةً

(Would that I had strength (men) to overpower you,) meaning, `I would surely have made an example of you and done (harm) to you from myself and my family.' In this regard, there is a Hadith which is reported from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَى لُوطٍ لَقَدْ كَانَ يَأْوِي إِلَى رُكْنٍ شَدِيد»

يَعْنِي اللهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ

«فَمَا بَعَثَ اللهُ بَعْدَهُ مِنْ نَبِيَ إِلَّا فِي ثَرْوَةٍ مِنْ قَوْمِه»

(May Allah's mercy be upon Lut, for verily, he betook himself to a powerful support --meaning Allah, the Mighty and Sublime. Allah did not send any Prophet after him, except amidst an influential family among his people.) With this, the angels informed him that they were the messengers of Allah ﷺ sent to them. They also told him that his people would not be able to reach him (with any harm).

قَالُواْ يلُوطُ إِنَّا رُسُلُ رَبِّكَ لَن يَصِلُواْ إِلَيْكَ

(They (messengers said): "O Lut! Verily, we are the messengers from your Lord! They shall not reach you!) They commanded him to travel with his family during the last part of night and that he should follow them from behind. In this way it would be as though he were driving his family (as a cattle herder).

وَلاَ يَلْتَفِتْ مِنكُمْ أَحَدٌ

(and let not any of you look back;) This means, "If you hear the sound of what (torment) befalls them (the people of the village), do not rush towards that disturbing noise. Rather, continue leaving."

إِلاَّ امْرَأَتَكَ

(but your wife,) Most of the scholars said that this means that she would not travel at night and she did not go with Lut. Rather, she stayed in her house and was destroyed. Others said that it means that she looked back (during the travel). This later group says that she left with them and when she heard the inevitable destruction, she turned and looked back. When she looked she said, "O my people!" Thus, a stone came down from the sky and killed her. Then they (the angels) brought close to him the destruction of his people as good news for him, because he said to them, "Destroy them in this very hour." They replied,

إِنَّ مَوْعِدَهُمُ الصُّبْحُ أَلَيْسَ الصُّبْحُ بِقَرِيبٍ

(Indeed, morning is their appointed time. Is not the morning near) They were saying this while Luts people were standing at his door. They tried to rush his door from all sides and Lut was standing at the door repelling them, deterring them and trying to prevent them from what they were doing. Yet, they would not listen to him. Instead, they threatened him and sought to intimidate him. At this point, Jibril came out to them and struck them in their faces with his wing. This blow blinded their eyes and they retreated, unable to see their way. This is as Allah said,

وَلَقَدْ رَاوَدُوهُ عَن ضَيْفِهِ فَطَمَسْنَآ أَعْيُنَهُمْ فَذُوقُواْ عَذَابِى وَنُذُرِ

(And they indeed sought to shame his guest (asking to commit sodomy with them). So We blinded their eyes (saying), "Then taste you My torment and My warnings.")54:37

فَلَمَّا جَآءَ أَمْرُنَا جَعَلْنَا عَـلِيَهَا سَافِلَهَا وَأَمْطَرْنَا عَلَيْهَا حِجَارَةً مِّن سِجِّيلٍ مَّنْضُودٍ

Setelah para malaikat yang menjadi tamu Nabi Lut a.s. itu menyaksikan adanya kekhawatiran pada diri Nabi Lut a.s., mereka berkata, "Hai Lut, sesungguhnya kami adalah utusan Tuhanmu yang sengaja diutus untuk membinasakan mereka dan menyelamatkan kamu dari kejahatan-kejahatan mereka. Mereka sekali-kali tidak akan dapat mengganggu kamu, maka tenangkanlah hatimu. Ternyata penglihatan kaum Nabi Lut a.s. itu dijadikan gelap oleh Allah sehingga mereka tidak dapat melihat kepada Nabi Lut a.s. dan kepada tamu-tamunya seperti diterangkan dalam firman Allah:

Dan sungguh, mereka telah membujuknya (agar menyerahkan) tamunya (kepada mereka), lalu Kami butakan mata mereka, maka rasakanlah azab-Ku dan peringatan-Ku! (al-Qamar/54: 37)

Akhirnya mereka kembali ke rumahnya masing-masing dalam keadaan buta, tidak mengetahui jalan menuju ke rumahnya, mereka berteriak-teriak minta tolong dan mengatakan bahwa kami disihir oleh tamu-tamu yang berada di rumah Lut a.s.

Malaikat itu berkata kepada Nabi Lut a.s., "Keluarlah dari kampung ini, beserta keluarga dan kaummu yang beriman di akhir malam ini dan janganlah ada seorang pun di antara kamu yang ketinggalan atau menoleh ke belakang kecuali istrimu. Sesungguhnya azab yang akan menimpa mereka itu akan menimpa istrimu pula karena ia adalah seorang perempuan yang tidak beriman bahkan telah khianat kepada suaminya." Adapun sebabnya mereka tidak menoleh ke belakang, karena akibat menyaksikan azab itu, ia akan panik sehingga kakinya tidak akan dapat melangkah lagi dan akhirnya ditimpa oleh azab yang menyusul di belakangnya. Saat datangnya azab kepada mereka adalah waktu subuh seperti diterangkan dalam firman Allah:

Maka mereka dibinasakan oleh suara keras yang mengguntur, ketika matahari akan terbit. (al-Hijr/15: 73)

Kemudian malaikat itu menegaskan kepastian turunnya azab dengan sebuah pertanyaan, "Bukankah subuh itu sudah dekat? Maka segeralah kamu bersiap-siap untuk mencari keselamatan."