Allah tells us that Lut believed in Ibrahim. It was said that he was the son
of Ibrahim's brother, and that his name was Lut bin Haran bin Azar. None of
Ibrahim's people believed in Ibrahim besides Lut and Sarah the wife of Ibrahim.
But if it is asked how we may reconcile this Ayah with the Hadith narrated in
the Sahih which says that when Ibrahim passed by that tyrant and he asked about
Sarah and what her relationship was to him, Ibrahim said, "My sister.'' Then he
went to her and said, "I told him that you are my sister, so do not let him
think I am lying, for there are no believers on earth except for you and I, and
you are my sister in faith.'' It seems -- and Allah knows best -- that the
meaning here is, there is no other Muslim couple on earth apart from you and I.
Among his people, only Lut believed in him and migrated with him to Syria, then
during Ibrahim's lifetime he was sent as a Messenger to the people of Sadum
(Sodom) where he settled. We have already discussed their story and more is to
come.
[وَقَالَ إِنِّى
مُهَاجِرٌ إِلَى رَبِّى]
(He (Ibrahim) said: "I will emigrate for the sake of my Lord.'') It may be
that the pronoun in the verb "he said'' refers to Lut, because he was the last
person mentioned before this phrase; or it may refer to Ibrahim. Ibn `Abbas and
Ad-Dahhak said that Ibrahim is the one who is referred in the phrase.
[فَـَامَنَ لَهُ
لُوطٌ]
(So, Lut believed in him.) i.e., out of all his people. Then Allah tells us
that he chose to leave them so that he might be able to follow his religion
openly. So he said:
[إِنَّهُ هُوَ
الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ]
(Verily, He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.) Power belongs to Him and to His
Messenger and to those who believe in him, and He is Wise in all that He says
and does, and in all His rulings and decrees, both universal and legislative.
Qatadah said, "They migrated together from Kutha, which is on the outskirts of
Kufa, and went to Syria.'' Allah gave Ibrahim, Ishaq and Ya`qub, and ordained
Prophethood in His Offspring
[وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُ
إِسْحَـقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ]
(And We bestowed on him, Ishaq and Ya`qub,) This is like the Ayah,
[فَلَمَّا
اعْتَزَلَهُمْ وَمَا يَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ وَهَبْنَا لَهُ إِسْحَـقَ
وَيَعْقُوبَ وَكُلاًّ جَعَلْنَا نَبِيّاً ]
(So, when he had turned away from them and from those whom they worshipped
besides Allah, We gave him Ishaq and Ya`qub, and each one of them We made a
Prophet.) (19:49) That is, when he left his people, Allah gave him joy in a
righteous son who was also a Prophet, to whom in turn was born, in his
grandfather's lifetime, a righteous son who was also a Prophet. Allah also says:
[وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُ
إِسْحَـقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ نَافِلَةً]
(And We bestowed upon him Ishaq, and Ya`qub in addition) (21:72) meaning, as
an additional gift. This is like the Ayah,
[فَبَشَّرْنَـهَا
بِإِسْحَـقَ وَمِن وَرَآءِ إِسْحَـقَ يَعْقُوبَ]
(But We gave her glad tidings of Ishaq, and after Ishaq, of Ya`qub.) (11:71)
meaning, to this son would be born a son during their lives, who would be a
delight to them.
[وَجَعَلْنَا فِى
ذُرِّيَّتِهِ النُّبُوَّةَ وَالْكِتَـبَ]
(and We ordained among his offspring prophethood and the Book,) This is a
tremendous blessing. Not only did Allah take him as a close friend and make him
an Imam for mankind, but He also ordained prophethood and the Book among his
offspring. After the time of Ibrahim there was no Prophet who was not from among
his descendants. All of the Prophets of the Children of Israel were from among
his descendants, from Ya`qub bin Ishaq bin Ibrahim to the last of them, `Isa bin
Maryam, who stood in the midst of his people and announced the good news of the
Hashimi Qurashi Arab Prophet, the last of all the Messengers, the leader of the
sons of Adam in this world and the next, whom Allah chose from the heart of the
Arab nation, from the descendants of Isma`il bin Ibrahim, may peace be upon
them. There is no Prophet from the line of Isma`il besides him, may the best of
blessings and peace be upon him.
[وَءَاتَيْنَاهُ
أَجْرَهُ فِى الدُّنْيَا وَإِنَّهُ فِى لاٌّخِرَةِ لَمِنَ الصَّـلِحِينَ]
(and We granted him his reward in this world; and verily, in the Hereafter he
is indeed among the righteous.) Allah granted him happiness in this world that
was connected to happiness in the Hereafter, for in this world he had plentiful
provision, a splendid home, a beautiful and righteous wife, and he was and still
is spoken of highly, for everyone loves him and regards him as a friend. Ibn
`Abbas, Mujahid, Qatadah and others said: "He obeyed Allah in all ways.'' This
is like the Ayah,
[وَإِبْرَهِيمَ
الَّذِى وَفَّى ]
(And of Ibrahim who fulfilled all.) (53:37) He did all that he was commanded
to do and obeyed his Lord to the utmost. Allah says:
[وَءَاتَيْنَاهُ
أَجْرَهُ فِى الدُّنْيَا وَإِنَّهُ فِى لاٌّخِرَةِ لَمِنَ الصَّـلِحِينَ]
(and We granted him his reward in this world; and verily, in the Hereafter he
is indeed among the righteous.) And He says:
[إِنَّ إِبْرَهِيمَ
كَانَ أُمَّةً قَـنِتًا لِلَّهِ حَنِيفًا وَلَمْ يَكُ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ ]
(Verily, Ibrahim was an Ummah, Qanit to Allah, a Hanif, and he was not one of
the idolators) until:
[وَإِنَّهُ فِى
الاٌّخِرَةِ لَمِنَ الصَّـلِحِينَ]
(and in the Hereafter he shall be of the righteous) (16:120-122).
[وَلُوطاً إِذْ قَالَ
لِقَوْمِهِ إِنَّكُمْ لَتَأْتُونَ الْفَـحِشَةَ مَا سَبَقَكُمْ بِهَا مِنْ أَحَدٍ
مِّنَ الْعَـلَمِينَ - أَئِنَّكُمْ لَتَأْتُونَ الرِّجَالَ وَتَقْطَعُونَ
السَّبِيلَ وَتَأْتُونَ فِى نَادِيكُمُ الْمُنْكَرَ فَمَا كَانَ جَوَابَ قَوْمِهِ
إِلاَّ أَن قَالُواْ ائْتِنَا بِعَذَابِ اللَّهِ إِن كُنتَ مِنَ الصَّـدِقِينَ -
قَالَ رَبِّ انصُرْنِى عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْمُفْسِدِينَ ]
(28. And (remember) Lut, when he said to his people: "You commit immoral sins
which none has preceded you in (committing) it in all creatures.'') (29.
"Verily, you practice sodomy with men, and rob the wayfarer! And practice
Al-Munkar in your meetings.'' But his people gave no answer except that they
said: "Bring Allah's torment upon us if you are one of the truthful.'') (30. He
said: "My Lord! Give me victory over the people who are corrupt.'')