15-61 So when the messengers came to Lot’s followers,
فَلَمَّا جَآءَ ءَالَ لُوطٍ ٱلْمُرْسَلُونَ (۶۱)
15-62 He said: Surely you are an unknown people.
قَالَ إِنَّكُمْ قَوْمٌۭ مُّنكَرُونَ (۶۲)
15-63 They said: Nay, we have come to thee with that about which they disputed.
قَالُوا۟ بَلْ جِئْنَـٰكَ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ فِيهِ يَمْتَرُونَ (۶۳)
15-64 And we have come to thee with the truth, and we are surely truthful.a
وَأَتَيْنَـٰكَ بِٱلْحَقِّ وَإِنَّا لَصَـٰدِقُونَ (۶۴)
15-64a: Prophet Lot also considered the messengers to be humans: Just as Prophet Abraham did not consider these messengers to be angels, Prophet Lot did not consider them to be angels either. This can be concluded from the fact that prophets would not call angels strangers or unknown people. Further, the messengers reassuring Prophet Lot that they are truthful clearly shows that these were humans because angels have no need to give such reassurance.
أَتَيْنَـٰكَ بِٱلْحَقِّ – This can mean that they have brought news of an event, the Divine chastisement which truly befalls people. However, this conversation is not suitable for a prophet but is directed towards his nation. Hence I (the author, Muhammad Ali) have adopted the alternative meaning that we have come to you under the demands of reason and wisdom to give you a final warning. If after this, you persist and intensify your mischief then you will not be granted any further leeway. The events mentioned here have already been narrated in the seventh section of Surah Hud. See 11-77a to 11-82a.
15-65 So travel with thy followers for a part of the night and thyself follow their rear; and let not anyone of you turn round, and go whither you are commanded.a
فَأَسْرِ بِأَهْلِكَ بِقِطْعٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلَّيْلِ وَٱتَّبِعْ أَدْبَـٰرَهُمْ وَلَا يَلْتَفِتْ مِنكُمْ أَحَدٌۭ وَٱمْضُوا۟ حَيْثُ تُؤْمَرُونَ (۶۵)
15-65a: Prophet Lot told to follow in the rear: This is the practice of prophets that they take the lead in facing the gravest danger. The Holy Prophet sent his Companions ahead of him to Madinah and himself migrated last so that no poor, helpless Muslim would get left behind on their own. The instruction not to turn around is given because they were in a dangerous area and waiting around to see what kind of chastisement was going to be inflicted was not prudent. The command to go where directed was given to Prophet Lot separately. It is possible that the entire narration starting from فَأَسْرِ بِأَهْلِكَ is a revelation to Prophet Lot as there is a clear reference in the next verse to Prophet Lot’s revelation.
15-66 And We made known to him this decree, that the roots of these should be cut off in the morning.a
وَقَضَيْنَآ إِلَيْهِ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْأَمْرَ أَنَّ دَابِرَ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ مَقْطُوعٌۭ مُّصْبِحِينَ (۶۶)
15-66a: قَضَيْنَآ – The meaning of قضا is فصل امر to decide a thing definitely and this word is also spoken where Divine revelation decides a matter definitely, as is the case here and in وَقَضَيْنَآ إِلَىٰ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ فِى ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ : And We made known to the children of Israel in the Book (17:4) where قضاء is to give information based on definitive knowledge (R).
This verse shows that the coming of the messengers and Divine revelation are two separate events. If these messengers were angels, then there was no need for a separate Divine revelation to Prophet Lot, as the coming of the angels would have been enough. Because prophets act only on their own revelation, hence Prophet Lot received Divine revelation as well.
15-67 And the people of the town came rejoicing.
وَجَآءَ أَهْلُ ٱلْمَدِينَةِ يَسْتَبْشِرُونَ (۶۷)
15-68 He said: These are my guests, so disgrace me not,a
قَالَ إِنَّ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ ضَيْفِى فَلَا تَفْضَحُونِ (۶۸)
15-68a: تَفْضَحُونِ – The meaning of فضح is to expose, unmask, to disclose, shame, and disgrace, to publicly expose a flaw.
15-69 And keep your duty to Allah and shame me not.
وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَلَا تُخْزُونِ (۶۹)
15-70 They said: Did we not forbid thee from (entertaining) people?a
قَالُوٓا۟ أَوَلَمْ نَنْهَكَ عَنِ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ (۷۰)
15-70a: In Genesis 19:9, it is stated: This one fellow came in to sojourn, meaning thereby that he was not from their tribe. It appears that it was for this reason that the people of the town had prohibited Prophet Lot from having guests, so no strangers could come there.
15-71 He said: These are my daughters, if you will do (aught).
قَالَ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ بَنَاتِىٓ إِن كُنتُمْ فَـٰعِلِينَ (۷۱)
15-72 By thy life! they blindly wandered on in their frenzy.a
لَعَمْرُكَ إِنَّهُمْ لَفِى سَكْرَتِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ (۷۲)
15-72a: لَعَمْرُكَ – عَمۡر and عُمُر have the same meaning for which see 2-96a. The word عَمۡر is used to take an oath but who is taking the oath and what does it mean? Most commentators are of the opinion that it is Allah taking an oath on the life of the Holy Prophet. Some commentators think that it is Prophet Lot’s guests who are swearing by the life of Prophet Lot. Although the latter requires the use of قالو or, they said, which is omitted, this later explanation is preferable given the context. We see similar dialogue in several places in the Quran.
What is the purpose of Allah taking an oath on the life of the Holy Prophet? When a person swears by Allah, the purpose is generally making Allah a witness of the motive. So, the purpose of Allah taking an oath is simply that something is being presented as a testament. In the present situation, the life of the Holy Prophet is presented as a testimonial. It is true that the life of a righteous person, and in particular that of the chief of righteous persons, is a witness of the blind and frenzied wandering of those who get immersed in evil. Lisan al Arab has cited the saying of Ibn Abbas that Allah has sworn here by the life of the Holy Prophet and has not sworn by the life of any other. It also records a different point of view, and stated that others have interpreted this as: لَدۡیۡنُك الذی تَعۡمُرُ : I take an oath by the religion that you establish.
15-73 So the cry overtook them at sunrise;a
فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ ٱلصَّيْحَةُ مُشْرِقِينَ (۷۳)
15-73a: مُشْرِقِينَ – The meaning of شَرَقت الشَّمۡسَ is that the sun rose, and the meaning of اَشۡرَقَ is to light up, as in بِٱلْعَشِىِّ وَٱلْإِشْرَاقِ : at nightfall and sunrise (38:18). مَشۡرِق is from where the sun rises, as in مَكَانًۭا شَرْقِيًّۭا : eastern place (19:16).
15-74 Thus We turned it upside down, and rained upon them hard stones.
فَجَعَلْنَا عَـٰلِيَهَا سَافِلَهَا وَأَمْطَرْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ حِجَارَةًۭ مِّن سِجِّيلٍ (۷۴)
15-75 Surely in this are signs for those who take a lesson.a
إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَـَٔايَـٰتٍۢ لِّلْمُتَوَسِّمِينَ (۷۵)
15-75a: مُتَوَسِّمِينَ – The meaning of وَسُم is to mark, to impress, and سِمة is a mark or sign. This is also the meaning of سِيمَا as in سِيمَاهُمْ فِى وُجُوهِهِم : Their marks are on their faces (48:29) and تَعْرِفُهُم بِسِيمَـٰهُمْ : Thou canst recognize them by their mark (2:273) (Here the place of فا is taken by عین). The meaning of وَسَم یسم is marked it with something that marks, as in سَنَسِمُهُۥ عَلَى ٱلْخُرْطُومِ : We shall brand him on the snout (68:16). The meaning of تَوسمَّ is to expect (a lot of) good of, set (great) hopes on, insight, discernment, intelligence and wisdom, and مَتَوَسِّمِ is one who learn a lesson or acts with wisdom (R).
15-76 And it is on a road that still abides.a
وَإِنَّهَا لَبِسَبِيلٍۢ مُّقِيمٍ (۷۶)
15-76a: مُقِيمٍ – One of the meaning of اِقَامَة is دوام that is endures, eternal, perpetual, as in عَذَابٌۭ مُّقِيمٌۭ : lasting chastisement (5:37) (R). The meaning here is a road that abides.
The destroyed villages of the people of Prophet Lot are on a path that is perpetually traversed and hence these destroyed habitations keep appearing in view along the route. The route is still in existence and in use.
15-77 Verily therein is a sign for the believers.
إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَـَٔايَةًۭ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ (۷۷)
15-78 And the dwellers of the grove were indeed iniquitous:a
وَإِن كَانَ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلْأَيْكَةِ لَظَـٰلِمِينَ (۷۸)
15-78a: أَيْكَةِ – It is a forest where the branches of the trees are intertwined and is also used for a place where such a grove of trees exists (L). أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلْأَيْكَةِ refers either to people who lived where there was a grove of trees or أَيْكَةِ is the name of the town in which they dwelled.
Who were the dwellers of the grove? They are also mentioned in Chapter Sad (38:13) and in Chapter Qaf (50:14) along with the mention of the people of Prophet Lot, and in each case the mention is very brief. However, in Chapter 26 Al-Shuara (The Poets) there is a detailed mention of these people after the mention of the People of Prophet Lot. It is mentioned there that their prophet was Shuaib and another place makes it clear that Prophet Shuaib was sent to the People of Midian as stated in وَإِلَىٰ مَدْيَنَ أَخَاهُمْ شُعَيْبًۭا: And to Midian (We sent) their brother Shuaib (7:85). The question is whether this is a case of the same nation being called by two different names, or are there two different nations? The chastisement of the People of Midian is called ٱلصَّيْحَةُ or the cry, in Chapter Hud (11: 94) while the chastisement of the dwellers of the grove is called عَذَابُ يَوْمِ ٱلظُّلَّةِ or, chastisement of the day of Covering, in Chapter Al-Shuara (26:189). On this basis, and on the basis of a hadith in Ibn Asakar, it was concluded that these were two different people. However, along with the fact mentioned above that the same problems existed in both the people, and that in the Quran where there is a mention of the People of Midian there is no mention of the dwellers of the grove and where there is a mention of the dwellers of the grove, there is no mention of the People of Midian, it is reasonable to assume that the mention is of the same nation. It is erroneous to assume from the different words used for the chastisement that these were different chastisements. ٱلصَّيْحَةُ is used for an earthquake, and an earthquake caused by the eruption of a volcano in which there is a shower of rocks can be called عَذَابُ يَوْمِ ٱلظُّلَّةِ or ,chastisement of the day of Covering. So, this is either a single nation or two sub-sections of the same nation.
15-79 So We inflicted retribution on them. And they are both on an open high road.a
فَٱنتَقَمْنَا مِنْهُمْ وَإِنَّهُمَا لَبِإِمَامٍۢ مُّبِينٍۢ (۷۹)
15-79a: Because one follows a road hence a road is also called إِمَامٍۢ .
By both means the dwellings of the people of Prophet Lot and Prophet Shuaib because they are located on the same road.
Bayan-ul-Quran 