Hadithi ya Nabii Lutu na watu wake inatajwa hapa, ingawa kihistoria inapaswa kuunganishwa na hadithi ya Ibrahimu. Lakini mpangilio wa kihistoria si wa muhimu katika sura hii, ambayo inalenga umoja wa ujumbe wa Mungu, mbinu ambayo manabii wote walifuata, na hatima ya jamii ambazo ujumbe huu ulielekezwa kwao. Kwa hiyo, kuokolewa kwa waumini kunasisitizwa pamoja na maangamizi yaliyowapata wale waliopinga wajumbe wa Mungu na kukataa ujumbe wao.
The story of the Prophet Lot and his people is mentioned at this juncture, although from a historical point of view it should link up with Abraham’s story. But the historical sequence is not of importance in this sūrah which concentrates on the unity of the divine message, the method followed by all prophets and the fate of the communities addressed by these messages. Hence, the saving of the believers is highlighted alongside the doom suffered by those who opposed God’s messengers, denying their messages.
Lutu anaanza na watu wake kwa namna ile ile aliyofanya Nuhu, Hūd na Şāliĥ, akikemea kutojali kwao, akijaribu kuamsha dhamiri zao, na kuwakumbusha kwamba wanapaswa kumcha Mungu. Anawaita wamwamini Mungu na kumtii, akiwahakikishia kwamba hatawatoza chochote kwa kuwaongoza kwenye njia iliyo sawa. Kisha anafuatisha na kulaani waziwazi upotovu wao mbaya uliowafanya kuwa kundi lililotengwa katika historia ya binadamu.
Lot begins with his people in the same way as Noah, Hūd and Şāliĥ, denouncing their carelessness, trying to awaken their consciences, and reminding them that they need to be God-fearing. He calls on them to believe in God and to obey him, assuring them that he will not charge them anything for guiding them to the right path. He follows this with a clear denunciation of their wicked perversion which made them a community apart in human history:
Je, miongoni mwa viumbe vyote duniani, mnawaendea wanaume kwa tamaa, na kuwaacha wake zenu ambao Mungu amewaumbia? Hakika ninyi ni watu wanaovuka mipaka yote.
Of all the creatures in the world, will you lustfully approach males, and eschew the wives God has created for you? You are indeed people who transgress all bounds.
(Aya 165-166)
(Verses 165-166)
Watu wa Lutu, waliokuwa wakiishi katika vijiji kadhaa vya Bonde la Yordani, walijulikana kwa tabia yao ya dhambi ya ushoga, ambayo inadhihirisha upotovu mbaya wa asili ya binadamu. Mungu amewaumba wanaume na wanawake, na kila jinsia imeumbwa kwa asili kuelekea nyingine ili maisha ya binadamu yaendelee kupitia uzazi. Mvuto huu wa pande mbili ni sehemu ya sheria ya kiulimwengu inayohakikisha usawaziko na maelewano miongoni mwa viumbe vyote vya ulimwengu, viwe hai au visivyo hai, na inawafanya washirikiane katika kutekeleza mapenzi ya Mungu yanayotawala ulimwengu wote. Mwanamume anapofanya tendo la ndoa na mwanamume mwenzake, tendo lao halitimizi lengo lolote wala halitumikii maumbile ya ulimwengu na sheria zake. Ni jambo la ajabu kweli kwamba mtu yeyote aone raha katika tendo kama hilo. Raha ambayo mwanamume hupata pamoja na mwanamke ndiyo njia ambayo kupitia kwayo asili ya binadamu hutimiza mapenzi ya Mungu. Kwa hiyo, upotovu wa kuiacha sheria ya kiasili uko wazi katika matendo ya watu wa Lutu. Kwa sababu hiyo, ilikuwa lazima wajizuie na upotovu wao, au waangamizwe.
Lot’s people, who inhabited several villages in the Jordan Valley, were known for their sinful practice of homosexuality, which reflects a wicked perversion of human nature. God has created human males and females, making each sex naturally inclined to the other in order for human life to progress through procreation. This mutual inclination is, then, part of the universal law that ensures balance and harmony among all creatures in the universe, whether animate or inanimate, and makes them cooperate in the fulfilment of God’s will that governs the entire universe. When a man has sex with another man, their practice neither fulfils any objective nor serves the nature of the universe and its laws. It is indeed singular that anyone should find pleasure in such a practice. The pleasure a man finds with a woman is indeed the means through which human nature fulfils God’s will. Thus, the deviation from natural law is clear in Lot’s people’s actions. Hence, it was inevitable that they should refrain from their deviation or be destroyed.
Kuangamizwa kwao kulitokana na ukweli kwamba walikuwa wamejitenga na njia ya kawaida ya maisha na mstari sahihi wa maumbile ya binadamu. Waliiacha kabisa lengo la kuwepo kwao, ambalo ni kuhifadhi uhai wa binadamu kupitia ndoa na kuzaa.
Their destruction was due to the fact that they had opted out of the normal way of life and the right line of human nature. They abandoned the very purpose of their existence, which is the preservation of human life through marriage and procreation.
Wakati Lutu alipowalingania waache uchafu wao, akiwakemea kwa kuwapuuza wake walioumbwa na Mungu kwa ajili yao na kwa uvamizi wao dhidi ya maumbile ya kibinadamu, jibu lao lilionyesha wazi kwamba hawakuwa tayari kurudi kwenye njia iliyohakikisha kuendelea kwa maisha ya mwanadamu: “Wakasema: Ewe Lutu! Ukiacha kutukataza, bila shaka utafukuzwa.” (Aya 167)
When Lot called on them to abandon their perversion, denouncing their neglect of the spouses God created for them and their aggression against human nature, their response clearly showed that they were not ready to return to the path that ensured the continuity of human life: “Said they: Lot! If you will not desist, you will most certainly be expelled.” (Verse 167)
Lut hakuwa mmoja wao kwa ukoo. Alikuwa amemfuatana na mjomba wake, Ibrahimu, alipojitenga na watu wake na kuhama. Ibrahimu, Lut, na kikundi kidogo cha watu waliomwamini pamoja nao walivuka Mto Yordani. Kisha aliishi miongoni mwa watu hao hadi Mungu alipomchagua kuwa mjumbe wake, akimtaka awaite watu warudi kwenye njia iliyo sawa. Jibu lao lilikuwa ni tishio kwamba wangemfukuza katika miji yao asipoacha wito wake.
Lot did not belong to them by lineage. He had accompanied his uncle, Abraham, when the latter withdrew from his people and migrated. Abraham, Lot and the small number of people who believed with them crossed the Jordan. He then lived among those people until God chose him as His messenger, requiring him to call on people to return to the right path. Their response was a threat that they would drive him out of their towns unless he abandoned his call.
Wakati mambo yalipofikia hatua hii na tishio likawa zito, Lutu alisema kwa sauti, akionyesha wazi kwamba alichukizwa vikali na uovu wao mchafu: "Akasema: Hakika mimi ni mwenye kuchukia sana matendo yenu." (Aya ya 168) Alitumia maneno yanayoeleza kwa uwazi chuki yake kubwa kwa mwenendo wao, kisha akaongeza dua kwa Mwenyezi Mungu amwokoe yeye na familia yake na uovu kama huo: "Mola wangu! Niokoe mimi na watu wangu na yale wanayotenda." (Aya ya 169)
When things reached this point and the threat became serious, Lot spoke out loud, making it clear that he loathed their disgusting perversion: “He said: I am one who utterly abhors your doings.” (Verse 168) He used words that vividly describe his repugnance of their practices, before adding a prayer to God to save him and his family from such evil: “My Lord! Save me and my family from what they do.” (Verse 169)
Hakufanya kama walivyofanya, bali kwa asili yake iliyo nyoofu aliona kuwa huo ni mwenendo wa maisha unaoelekea kwenye maangamizi. Kwa kuwa alikuwa katikati yao, alimwomba Mungu amwokoe yeye pamoja na familia yake na yale yaliyokuwa yanakaribia kutokea kama matokeo ya kitendo kama hicho.
He did not do what they did, but by his upright nature he felt it to be a way of life leading to ruin. Since he was in their midst he prayed that God would save him and his family from what was bound to come about as a result of such action.
Mungu alijibu dua yake: "Basi tukamwokoa yeye na jamaa yake yote isipokuwa mwanamke mzee, aliyekuwa miongoni mwa waliobaki nyuma." (Aya 170-171) Mwanamke huyu mzee alikuwa mke wake, kama inavyotajwa katika sura nyingine. Alikuwa mwanamke mbaya sana aliyewasaidia wengine katika uovu wao.
God responded to his prayer: “So We saved him and all his family except an old woman, who was among those who stayed behind.” (Verses 170-171) This old woman was his wife as mentioned in other sūrahs. She was a terrible woman who helped others in their wickedness.
"Kisha Tukawaangamiza wengine, na Tukawanyeshea mvua [ya maangamizi]."
“Then We utterly destroyed the others, and rained down upon them a [devastating] rain.
"Mvua ilikuwa mbaya kabisa iliyowanyeshea wale waliokuwa wameonywa [bila faida]." (Aya 172-173) Imepokewa kwamba miji yao ilizama ardhini na kufunikwa na maji. Mmoja wao ni Sodoma, ambayo magofu yake yanadhaniwa kuwa chini ya Bahari ya Chumvi (Dead Sea) nchini Yordani. Baadhi ya wanajiolojia wanathibitisha kwamba Bahari ya Chumvi inafunika miji ambayo wakati fulani ilikuwa na watu wengi. Baadhi ya wanaakiolojia wamegundua mabaki ya ngome karibu na Bahari ya Chumvi, pamoja na madhabahu karibu nayo ambapo sadaka zilitolewa.
Dire indeed was the rain that fell upon those who were warned [to no avail].” (Verses 172- 173) It is reported that their villages were sunk into the ground and covered with water. One of these was Sodom, the ruins of which are thought to be under the Dead Sea in Jordan. Some geologists confirm that the Dead Sea covers towns that were fully populated at one time. Some archaeologists have discovered the remains of a fort close to the Dead Sea, as well as an alter close to it where offerings were made.
Hata hivyo, Qur'ani inatupa simulizi ya Lut, na chochote Qur'ani inachoeleza ni ukweli unaoeleza kwa usahihi kilichotokea. Mwisho wao unafuatwa na kauli ya kawaida: "Hakika katika hilo mna ishara; lakini wengi wao hawaamini. Na hakika Mola wako Mlezi ndiye Mwenye nguvu, Mwenye kurehemu." (Aya 174-175)
However, the Qur’ān gives us Lot’s story and whatever the Qur’ān states is the truth telling exactly what happened. Their end is followed by the usual comment: “Indeed, there is in this a sure sign; yet most of them will not believe. And indeed it is your Lord who is the Mighty One, the Merciful.” (Verses 174-175)