(74–75) “And to Lot We gave sound judgment and knowledge, and We saved him from the town whose people practiced abominations. They were indeed an evil, defiantly disobedient people. And We admitted him into Our mercy. He was truly one of the righteous.”

This is Allah’s praise of His messenger Lot (peace be upon him) for his knowledge of the divine law and for judging between people rightly and wisely. Allah sent him to his people to call them to worship Allah and forbid the shameful acts they were committing. He continued calling them, but they did not respond to him. Allah therefore overturned their dwellings upon them and punished every last one of them, because they were “an evil, defiantly disobedient people.” They rejected the one who called them and threatened to expel him. Allah saved Lot and his family, commanding him to take them away by night so that they would be far from the town. They departed by night and were saved by Allah’s grace and favor toward them.

“And We admitted him into Our mercy.” Whoever enters that mercy is safe from every fear and attains every good, happiness, virtue, joy, and praise. This was because he was among the righteous—those whose deeds became righteous, whose conditions became pure, and whose faults Allah rectified. Righteousness is the means by which a servant enters Allah’s mercy, just as corruption is a cause of being deprived of mercy and goodness. The most righteous of all people are the prophets (peace be upon them), which is why Allah describes them as righteous. Solomon (peace be upon him) said, “And admit me, by Your mercy, among Your righteous servants.”