Sūrah hii inatoa historia fupi ya watu waliopewa dhamana ya ardhi baada ya zama za Nuhu. Inataja jamii fulani ambazo zilipokea baraka za Mwenyezi Mungu, na nyingine ambazo zilipata ghadhabu yake na kustahili adhabu yake. Sasa tunapata rejea ya sehemu ya hadithi ya Ibrahimu ambamo tunashuhudia baraka za Mwenyezi Mungu. Hii inaongoza kwenye hadithi ya watu wa Lutu ambao walipata mwisho wenye uchungu. Katika hadithi zote mbili, ahadi mbili alizompa Nuhu Mwenyezi Mungu zinatimia. Ahadi ya Mwenyezi Mungu ilikuwa kama ifuatavyo:

This sūrah gives a brief history of the people who were left in charge of the earth after Noah’s time. It refers to certain communities which received God’s blessings and to others which incurred His displeasure and deserved His punishment. We now have a reference to a part of Abraham’s story in which we witness God’s blessings. This leads to the story of Lot’s people who suffered a painful end. In both stories the dual promise God made to Noah is fulfilled. God’s promise ran as follows:

"Ikasemwa: Ee Nuhu, shuka kwa amani kutoka kwetu, na baraka zetu ziwe juu yako na juu ya vizazi vya wale walio pamoja nawe. Lakini watu wengine tutawaacha wafurahie kwa muda, kisha watawafikia adhabu chungu kutoka kwetu." (Aya ya 48)

“The word was spoken: Noah, disembark in peace from Us, and with Our blessings upon you as well as upon generations from those who are with you. As for other folk, We shall let them have enjoyment, and then there will befall them grievous suffering from Us.’” (Verse 48)

Hivyo, baadhi ya uzao wa wale waliookolewa katika safina walipaswa kupokea baraka za Mungu, wakati jamii nyingine ziliachwa kufurahia maisha kwa muda kabla adhabu kali haijawapata kwa sababu ya matendo yao maovu. Baraka hizo zilitolewa kwa Ibrahimu na uzao wake kupitia wanawe wawili: Isaka na watoto wake, ambao walikuwa manabii wa Waisraeli, na Ishmaeli ambaye uzao wake ulijumuisha Muhammad ﷺ, mtume wa mwisho wa Mungu.

Thus, some of the offspring of those saved in the ark were to receive God’s blessings, while other communities were left to enjoy themselves for a while before terrible punishment overwhelmed them for their misdeeds. The blessings are given to Abraham and his seed through both his sons: Isaac and his children who were the Israelite prophets, and Ishmael whose offspring included Muĥammad, the last of God’s messengers.

Akaunti ya Ibrahim inaanza hapa kwa kueleza kwamba alikuwa atapokea habari njema: "Na hakika Wajumbe wetu walimjia Ibrahim kwa bishara." (Aya ya 69) Hatuambiwi mara moja habari hiyo njema ilikuwa nini. Hilo lingekuja wakati unaofaa, mke wake alipokuwepo. Wajumbe hao walikuwa malaika, ambao utambulisho wao umebaki kuwa siri.

The account of Abraham opens here with the fact that he was to receive good news: “Our messengers came to Abraham with good news.” (Verse 69) We are not told immediately what the good news was. This would come at the right moment, when his wife was present. The messengers were angels whose identity is left a mystery.

Ingawa baadhi ya wafasiri wa Qur'ani wanataja majina na idadi, sisi tunapendelea kutokubashiri, kwani hatuna ushahidi wowote wa kuthibitisha madai kama hayo.

Although some commentators on the Qur’ān mention names and numbers, we prefer not to speculate, since we have no evidence to support such contentions.

"Wakamsalimia amani, naye akajibu: 'Amani [iwe juu yenu].'" (Aya ya 69) Ibrahim alikuwa amehama kutoka mahali alipozaliwa huko Iraq, akavuka Yordani na kukaa katika nchi ya Wakanaani ambayo kwa sehemu kubwa ilikuwa jangwa. Kwa kufuata desturi ya Waarabu wa jangwani ya ukarimu, Ibrahim mara moja alianza kuandaa chakula kwa wageni wake. "Akaenda haraka akawaletea ndama aliyenona akamchoma" (Aya ya 69) Akapata ndama mnene, akamchoma na kumuandaa.

“They bade him peace, and he answered: ‘Peace [be to you].’” (Verse 69) Abraham had emigrated from his birthplace in Iraq, crossed the Jordan and settled in the land of the Canaanites which was largely a desert. Following the Bedouin tradition of hospitality, Abraham immediately went about preparing food for his guests. “He then hastened to bring them a roasted calf” (Verse 69) He gets a fat calf, roasts and prepares it.

Anawaletea chakula hicho wageni wake ambao, kama tulivyokwisha sema, walikuwa malaika. Lakini malaika hawali kile ambacho wanadamu wanakula. Kwa hiyo, hawakuweza kula nyama ya ndama, na hili lilimtia Ibrahim wasiwasi: "Alipoona mikono yao haikufikia chakula hicho, aliona tabia yao ni ya ajabu na akaanza kuwashuku." (Aya ya 70) Mgeni asiyekula chakula alichopewa huleta wasiwasi. Humfanya mwenyeji wake kuwa na hofu kwamba anakusudia aina fulani ya hiana. Hadi leo, watu wa mashambani na Waarabu wa jangwani wanaona kuwa ni kosa kubwa kutenda hiana dhidi ya mtu ambaye wameshiriki naye chakula. Kwa hiyo, mtu akikataa kula chakula cha mwenyeji wake, kitendo chake kinaashiria kwamba anakusudia kumdhuru au kwamba hana imani na nia za mwenyeji. Hivyo, wajumbe walimfunulia Ibrahim utambulisho wao na kumwambia kuhusu dhamira yao: "Wakasema: Usiogope. Sisi tumetumwa kwa watu wa Lut." (Aya ya 70)

Hakuna jambo lolote analofanya Mungu linalopaswa kuonekana la ajabu. Pale ambapo ni kawaida kwa jambo fulani kutokea kwa namna fulani, haimaanishi kwamba namna hiyo haiwezi kubadilika. Kawaida hiyo inaweza kuvunjwa Mungu anapotaka, kwa kusudi fulani Alilonalo. Kusudi hapa ni kuwapa rehema Yake na baraka alizoahidi waumini wa kaya hiyo. Hata hivyo, kawaida inapovunjwa, chochote kinachotokea kutokana na hilo hutokea kulingana na sheria za jumla za maumbile za Mungu, ambazo hatuzijui kikamilifu. Hatuwezi kuhukumu sheria za Mungu kwa kuzingatia kile kinachotokea katika kipindi kifupi na kidogo cha muda.

Nothing that God does should be considered strange. When it is the norm for something to happen in a particular fashion, this does not mean that that fashion is unchangeable. The norm can be broken when God so chooses, for a particular purpose of His own. The purpose here is to bestow His mercy and promised blessings to the believers in that household. Yet, when the norm is broken, whatever takes place as a result occurs in accordance with the overall divine laws of nature which we do not know in full. We cannot judge God’s laws according to what happens during a short, limited period of time.

Wale wanaojaribu kukifunga mapenzi ya Mungu ndani ya sheria za maumbile wanazozijua wao wenyewe hawajui uhalisia wa Uungu kama ulivyoelezwa na Mungu katika kitabu chake. Kila alichokisema Mungu ni kweli. Akili zetu za kibinadamu hazina nafasi yoyote katika haya yote. Hata wale wanaokifunga mapenzi ya Mungu ndani ya kile alichojitangazia mwenyewe kuwa ni sheria yake, nao pia hawajui kwa kweli asili halisi ya Uungu. Mapenzi ya Mungu ni huru, wala hayafungwi na sheria zake.

Those who try to restrict God’s will to the laws of nature familiar to them are ignorant of the reality of Godhead as stated by God in His book. Whatever God states is true. Our human minds have no say in all this. Even those who restrict God’s will to what He Himself has stated to be His law are again unaware of the true nature of Godhead. God’s will is free and not restricted by His laws.

Ni kweli kwamba Mungu huendesha mambo ya ulimwengu huu kulingana na sheria alizoweka kwa ajili yake. Hata hivyo, hili ni tofauti na kuufunga mapenzi ya Mungu ndani ya sheria hizi za kimaumbile baada ya kuwekwa kuanza kufanya kazi. Sheria za maumbile hufanya kazi kwa mapenzi ya Mungu wakati wote. Hazijiendeshi zenyewe. Wakati wowote, Mungu anaweza kuchagua kusababisha sheria zake za kimaumbile zifanye kazi kwa namna tofauti. Kila hili linapotokea, sheria za maumbile zitabadilika kuwa mtindo mpya ambao Mungu ameuamua. Sheria kuu ya maumbile inayosimamia utendaji wa sheria nyingine zote ni ile inayosema kwamba mapenzi ya Mungu ni huru na yasiyo na mipaka.

It is true that God conducts the affairs of this universe according to the laws He has set for it. This is, however, different from restricting God’s will to these natural laws after they have been set in operation. The laws of nature work by God’s will all the time. They are not automatic. At any time, God may choose to cause His natural laws to operate in a different way. Whenever this happens natural laws will change to the new fashion God has determined. The overall law of nature which governs the operation of all other laws is that which states that God’s will is free and absolute.

Wakati Wajumbe wetu walipomjia Lutu, alihuzunika kwa ajili yao, kwani hakuwa na uwezo wa kuwalinda. Akasema: "Hii ni siku ya taabu."

When Our messengers came to Lot he was troubled on their account, for he was powerless to offer them protection. He said: ‘This is a woeful day.’ (Verse 77)

Lutu alijua upotovu wa watu wake, ambao walipendelea kutosheleza matamanio yao ya kingono kwa wanaume badala ya wanawake. Kwa kufanya hivyo waliasi dhidi ya maumbile, ambayo yanatumia hekima ya Mungu katika kuumba viumbe wote kwa jozi ili uzazi na uzalishaji viweze kutokea. Maumbile yasiyopotoshwa hupata furaha ya kweli kwa kufuata hekima hii, kwa asili na kwa silika.

Lot was aware of the perversity of his people, who preferred to satisfy their sexual desires with men instead of women. In so doing they rebelled against nature, which avails itself of God’s wisdom in creating all species in pairs so that procreation and regeneration can take place. Undistorted nature finds true pleasure in conforming to this wisdom, naturally and instinctively.

Kuna aina zote za upotovu hakika. Hata hivyo, kisa cha watu wa Lut ni cha kipekee. Kinaonyesha kwamba matatizo ya kisaikolojia yanaambukiza, kama magonjwa ya mwili. Inawezekana kwamba tatizo la kisaikolojia kama lile la watu wa Sodoma likaenea kutokana na kuvurugika kwa maadili katika jamii fulani na kuwepo kwa mifano mibaya, jambo linaloleta mazingira yasiyo na afya. Inawezekana pia kwamba tatizo kama hilo la kisaikolojia likaenea licha ya ukweli kwamba linapingana na maumbile, ambayo yanatawaliwa na sheria ile ile inayotawala uhai wenyewe. Sheria hii inaamua kwamba maumbile yaliyo sawa huona furaha yake katika yale yanayotimiza mahitaji ya uhai na kuhakikisha uendelevu wake, si katika yale yanayoukandamiza uhai. Upotovu wa kingono ni wa aina ya pili kwa sababu hupanda mbegu za uhai kwenye udongo mbaya usiofaa kwa ukuaji wake. Kwa sababu hii, maumbile ya binadamu yaliyo na afya huchukia kwa silika, si kimaadili tu, matendo ya watu wa Lut. Maumbile ya binadamu yaliyo sahihi yanatii sheria ya Mungu, anayetoa uhai, na ameweka furaha yenye afya ikiambatana na yale yanayoboresha uhai.

There are indeed all kinds of perversion. The case of Lot’s people, however, is singular. It suggests that psychological disturbances are infectious, like physical illnesses. It is possible that a psychological disorder such as that of the people of Sodom may spread as a result of a disturbance of values in any particular society and the presence of bad examples which produces an unhealthy environment. It is possible that such a psychological disorder spreads despite the fact that it is in conflict with nature which is subject to the same law that governs life itself. This law determines that upright nature finds its pleasure in what meets the requirements of life and ensures its continuity not in what stifles life. Sexual perversion is of the latter sort because it puts the seeds of life in a wicked soil that is not conducive to their growth. For this reason, healthy human nature instinctively, not only morally, finds the practices of Lot’s people repulsive. Sound human nature is subject to God’s law who grants life and who has made healthy pleasure attendant on what enriches life.