Al-Bidayah wa an-Nihayah - Ibn Kathir - (1/264)

Al-Bidayah wa an-NihayahIbn Kathir

—God, the Praiseworthy, the Glorious—answering their prophet by carrying out his sound directive, they said: “You certainly know that we have no claim on your daughters, and you know well what we desire” (Hūd 11:79). Upon them be the curses of Allah! They were saying, “Lot, you know we have no interest in our women; you know exactly what we are after and what we intend.” With these foul words they confronted their noble messenger, having no fear of the might of the Almighty, the One whose punishment is painful.

Therefore he, peace be upon him, declared: “If only I had strength against you—or could seek refuge in a mighty support!” (Hūd 11:80). He longed for power, or for kin and protection that could aid him against them, so that he might bring down upon them the punishment their words deserved.

Al-Zuhrī related—from Saʿīd ibn al-Musayyib and Abū Salamah—from Abū Hurayrah that the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, said: “We have more right to doubt than Abraham. May Allah have mercy on Lot: he sought refuge in a mighty support. And had I remained in prison as long as Joseph, I would have answered the summoner.” (1) Abū al-Zinād transmitted it through al-Aʿraj from Abū Hurayrah.

Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr ibn ʿAlqamah also reported—from Abū Salamah, from Abū Hurayrah—that the Messenger of Allah, ﷺ, said: “May Allah’s mercy be upon Lot! He did seek refuge in a mighty support—meaning Allah, Exalted is He—and after him no prophet was ever sent without enjoying the backing of his people.” (2)

The Exalted further says: “The people of the city came exultant. (67) He said, ‘These are my guests; do not disgrace me. (68) Fear Allah and do not shame me.’ (69) They said, ‘Did we not forbid you to entertain anyone?’ (70) He said, ‘Here are my daughters, if you must do something.’” (al-Ḥijr 15:67-71). Thus he directed them to their own women and warned them against persisting in their ways and their misdeeds, but they neither desisted nor took heed. The more he advised them, the more eager they became to seize the guests and spurred one another on, unaware of the divine decree that was about to overtake them, and that at dawn they would be returned to Him.

Accordingly, the Most High swore by the life of His Prophet Muḥammad—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—saying, “By your life, they were wandering blindly in their intoxication” (al-Ḥijr 15:72).

He also said: “They had already been warned of Our onslaught, but they disputed the warnings. (36) They even sought to seduce him concerning his guests, so We blotted out their eyes. ‘Taste My punishment and My warnings!’ (37) And an abiding punishment overtook them at daybreak.” (al-Qamar 54:36-38).

The exegetes (3) and others relate that the Prophet of Allah, Lot—peace be upon him—kept pushing his people back to prevent their entry. The door was locked, yet they strove to force it open and burst in, while he admonished and forbade them from behind the door; but they pressed on with ever-growing insistence and aggression. When matters became tight and the situation desperate, he said, “If only I had strength against you—or could seek refuge in a mighty support!” (Hūd 11:80), so that he might inflict exemplary punishment upon them.

The angels then told him: “Lot, we are messengers from your Lord; they will never reach you” (Hūd 11:81). They report that Gabriel, peace be upon him, then went out

(1) Reported by al-Bukhari (Hadith no. 3372) in the chapter “The Prophets.” (2) Reported by al-Bukhari in al-Adab al-Mufrad (no. 605), by at-Tirmidhi in his Tafsir (no. 3116), and by al-Hakim in al-Mustadrak (vol. 2, p. 561). (3) See at-Tabari’s Tafsir (vol. 7, pp. 85–86). (4) Infaj: an inflated sense of greatness and arrogance.

الله الحميد المجيد - مجيبينَ لنبيِّهما فيما أمرَهم به من الأمر السديد ﴿لَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ مَا لَنَا فِي بَنَاتِكَ مِنْ حَقٍّ وَإِنَّكَ لَتَعْلَمُ مَا نُرِيدُ﴾ [هود: ٧٩] يقولون - عليهم لعائن الله - لقد علمتَ يا لوط إنه لا أربَ لنا في نسائنا، وإنك لتعلَمُ مُرادنا وغَرضنا. واجهوا بهذا الكلام القبيح رسولَهم الكريم، ولم يخافوا سَطْوةَ العظيم، ذي العذاب الأليم، ولهذا قال (عليه السلام) : ﴿لَوْ أَنَّ لِي بِكُمْ قُوَّةً أَوْ آوِي إِلَى رُكْنٍ شَدِيدٍ﴾ [هود: ٨٠] ودَّ أن لو كان له بهم قوَّة، أو منعة وعشيرة ينصرونه عليهم، ليحل بهم ما يستحفونه من العذاب على هذا الخطاب. وقد قال الزُّهري: عن سعيد بن المسيب، وأبي سلمة: عن أبي هريرة مرفوعًا: "نحنُ أحقُّ بالشكُ من إبراهيم، ويرحمُ اللّه لوطًا لقد كان يأوي إلى ركن شديد، ولو لَبِثتُ في السجن ما لبثَ يوسف لأجبتُ الداعي" (١) ورواه أبو الزِّناد: عن الأعرج، عن أبي هريرة. وقال محمد بن عمرو بن علقمة: عن أبي سلمة، عن أبي هريرة، أنَّ رسولَ اللّه ﷺ قال: "رحمةُ الله على لوط، لقد كان يأوي إلى ركن شديد - يعني اللّه (عز وجل) فما بعثَ الله بعدَه من نبيٍّ إلا في ثروة من قومه" (٢) . وقال تعالى: ﴿وَجَاءَ أَهْلُ الْمَدِينَةِ يَسْتَبْشِرُونَ (٦٧) قَالَ إِنَّ هَؤُلَاءِ ضَيْفِي فَلَا تَفْضَحُونِ (٦٨) وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَلَا تُخْزُونِ (٦٩) قَالُوا أَوَلَمْ نَنْهَكَ عَنِ الْعَالَمِينَ (٧٠) قَالَ هَؤُلَاءِ بَنَاتِي إِنْ كُنْتُمْ فَاعِلِينَ﴾ [الحجر: ٦٧ - ٧١] فأمرهم بقُربان نسائِهم وحذَّرهم الاستمرار على طريقتهم وسيِّآتهم، هذا وهم في ذلك لا ينتهون ولا يرعوون، بل كلَّما نصحَ لهم يُبالغون في تحصيل هؤلاء الضِّيفان ويُحرِّضون، ولم يعلموا ما حُمَّ به القَدَرُ مما هم إليه صائرون، وصبيحةَ ليلتهم إليه مُنقلبون، ولهذا قال تعالى مقسمًا بحياة نبيِّه محمد صلوات اللّه وسلامه عليه: ﴿لَعَمْرُكَ إِنَّهُمْ لَفِي سَكْرَتِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ﴾ [الحجر: ٧٢] . وقال تعالى: ﴿وَلَقَدْ أَنْذَرَهُمْ بَطْشَتَنَا فَتَمَارَوْا بِالنُّذُرِ (٣٦) وَلَقَدْ رَاوَدُوهُ عَنْ ضَيْفِهِ فَطَمَسْنَا أَعْيُنَهُمْ فَذُوقُوا عَذَابِي وَنُذُرِ (٣٧) وَلَقَدْ صَبَّحَهُمْ بُكْرَةً عَذَابٌ مُسْتَقِرٌّ﴾ [القمر: ٣٦ - ٣٨] ذكرَ المفسرون (٣) وغيرُهم: أن نبيَّ اللّه لوطًا (عليه السلام) جعلَ يُمانعُ قومَه الدخولَ، ويُدافعُهم، والبابُ مغلقٌ، وهم يرومون فتحَه وولوجَه، وهو يعظُهم وينهاهُم من وراء الباب، وكل ما لهم في إلحاح وإنفاج (٤) ، فلما ضاقَ الأمرُ وعَسُرَ الحالُ، قال: ﴿لَوْ أَنَّ لِي بِكُمْ قُوَّةً أَوْ آوِي إِلَى رُكْنٍ شَدِيدٍ﴾ [هود: ٨٠] ، لأحللتُ بكم النَّكال. قالت الملائكة: (﴿يَالُوطُ إِنَّا رُسُلُ رَبِّكَ لَنْ يَصِلُوا إِلَيْكَ﴾ [هود: ٨١] وذكروا أن جبريلَ (عليه السلام) خرجَ

(١) أخرجه البخاري (٣٣٧٢) في الأنبياء. (٢) أخرجه البخاري في الأدب المفرد (٦٠٥) والترمذي (٣١١٦) في التفسير، والحاكم في المستدرك (٢/ ٥٦١). (٣) انظر تفسير الطبري (٧/ ٨٥ - ٨٦). (٤) إنفاج: تعاظم وتكبُّر.