The Prophet of Allah forbade them from committing evil deeds and intercourse
with males, and he taught them that they should have intercourse with their
wives whom Allah had created for them. Their response was only to say:
[لَئِن لَّمْ تَنتَهِ
يلُوطُ]
(If you cease not, O Lut,) meaning, `if you do not give up what you have
brought,'
[لَتَكُونَنَّ مِنَ
الْمُخْرَجِينَ]
(verily, you will be one of those who are driven out!) meaning, `we will
expel you from among us.' This is like the Ayah,
[فَمَا كَانَ جَوَابَ
قَوْمِهِ إِلاَّ أَن قَالُواْ أَخْرِجُواْ ءَالَ لُوطٍ مِّن قَرْيَتِكُمْ إِنَّهمْ
أُنَاسٌ يَتَطَهَّرُونَ ]
(There was no other answer given by his people except that they said: "Drive
out the family of Lut from your city. Verily, these are men who want to be clean
and pure!'') (27:56). When he saw that they would not give up their ways, and
that they were persisting in their misguidance, he declared his innocence of
them, saying:
[إِنِّى لِعَمَلِكُمْ
مِّنَ الْقَـلِينَ]
(I am, indeed, of those who disapprove with severe anger and fury) `Of those
who are outraged, I do not like it and I do not accept it, and I have nothing to
do with you. ' Then he prayed to Allah against them and said:
[رَبِّ نَّجِنِى
وَأَهْلِى مِمَّا يَعْمَلُونَ ]
(My Lord! Save me and my family from what they do.) Allah says:
[فَنَجَّيْنَـهُ
وَأَهْلَهُ أَجْمَعِينَ - إِلاَّ عَجُوزاً فِى الْغَـبِرِينَ ]
(So, We saved him and his family, all. Except an old woman among those who
remained behind.) This was his wife, who was a bad old woman. She stayed behind
and was destroyed with whoever else was left. This is similar to what Allah says
about them in Surat Al-A`raf and Surah Hud, and in Surat Al-Hijr, where Allah
commanded him to take his family at night, except for his wife, and not to turn
around when they heard the Sayhah as it came upon his people. So they patiently
obeyed the command of Allah and persevered, and Allah sent upon the people a
punishment which struck them all, and rained upon them stones of baked clay,
piled up. Allah says:
[ثُمَّ دَمَّرْنَا
الاٌّخَرِينَ وَأَمْطَرْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ مَّطَرًا]
(Then afterward We destroyed the others. And We rained on them a rain) until
Allah's saying;
[وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ
لَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الرَّحِيمُ ]
(And verily, your Lord, He is indeed the All-Mighty, the Most Merciful. )
[كَذَّبَ أَصْحَـبُ
لْـَيْكَةِ الْمُرْسَلِينَ - إِذْ قَالَ لَهُمْ شُعَيْبٌ أَلاَ تَتَّقُونَ إِنِّى
لَكُمْ رَسُولٌ أَمِينٌ ]
فَاتَّقُواْ اللَّهَ
وَأَطِيعُونِ- وَمَآ أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أَجْرٍ إِنْ أَجْرِىَ إِلاَّ عَلَى
رَبّ الْعَـلَمِينَ-]
(176. The companions of Al-Aykah denied the Messengers.) (177. When Shu`ayb
said to them: "Will you not have Taqwa'') (178. "I am a trustworthy Messenger to
you.'') (179. "So, have Taqwa of Allah, and obey me.'') (180. "No reward do I
ask of you for it; my reward is only from the Lord of Al-`Alamin.'')