History of the Prophets
by Maulana Muhammad Ali
Lot
Lot was contemporaneous with Abraham, according to the Quran as well as the Bible, but while the former recognizes him as a prophet, the latter does not. He is however considered as a righteous servant of God and it was on account of his righteousness that he was saved from the punishment which overtook Sodom and Gomorrah. In 2 Peter 2:7–8, he is called just Lot whose soul was vexed with the filthy deeds of the Sodomites. Genesis, 19:30–38 which speaks of Lot’s incestuous intercourse with his daughters in a state of intoxication is, however, a clear denial of his righteousness and shows that the Bible record is not trustworthy in this matter. The Holy Quran does not accept this story and plainly speaks of Lot as one of the prophets of God on several occasions:
“And (We sent) Lot when he said to his people: Surely you are guilty of an abomination which none of the nations has done before you. Do you come to males and commit robbery on the highway, and evil deeds in your assemblies?” (The Holy Quran, 29:28–29)
“The people of Lot gave the lie to the messengers. When their brother Lot said to them: Will you not guard against evil? Surely I am a faithful messenger to you.” (The Holy Quran, 26:160–162)
The punishment which overtook Lot’s people, though sometimes called simply a rain, is plainly stated to be a rain of stones (The Holy Quran, 11:82; 15:74). In 15:73, it is called a rumbling, and thus it is shown clearly that it was an earthquake, and hence the place is said to have been “turned upside down.” (15:74)
As regards Lot’s wife, the Holy Quran simply says that she was destroyed along with the Sodomites as she did not go with Lot (7:83), and does not accept the Bible statement that she was turned into a pillar of salt.
References mentioned above:
“And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:
(For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)” (2 Peter 2:7–8)
“And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters.
And the firstborn said unto the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth:
Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.
And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.
And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.
And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.
Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father.
And the first born bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day.
And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Benammi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day.” (Genesis, 19:30–38)
“So when Our decree came to pass, We turned them upside down, and rained on them stones, as decreed, one after another,” (The Holy Quran, 11:82)
“Thus We turned it upside down and rained upon them hard stones.” (The Holy Quran, 15:74)
“So the cry overtook them at sunrise;” (The Holy Quran, 15:73)