⦗26-27⦘ “So Lot believed him. He said, ‘I am emigrating to my Lord. He alone is the Almighty, the All-Wise.’ * We granted him Isaac and Jacob, placed prophethood and Scripture among his descendants, and gave him his reward in this world. And in the Hereafter he will surely be among the righteous.”
That is, Abraham—peace be upon him—continued to call his people while they persisted in their obstinacy. Yet Lot accepted his call and believed him; Allah later made Lot a prophet and sent him to his people, as will be mentioned.
“He said”: When Abraham saw that calling his people was of no benefit to them, he said, “I am emigrating to my Lord.” That is, he left the land of evil and emigrated to the blessed land—the Levant. “He alone is the Almighty”—the One possessed of all might. He was fully able to guide you, but He is All-Wise, and His wisdom did not require it. After Abraham withdrew from them and departed while they remained as they were, Allah did not ⦗630⦘ mention that He destroyed them with a punishment; He mentioned only Abraham’s withdrawal from them and his departure from their midst.
As for what is related in the Israelite reports—that Allah Most High unleashed mosquitoes upon his people, which drank their blood, devoured their flesh, and destroyed every last one of them—this cannot be asserted without scriptural evidence, and none exists. Had Allah eradicated them by punishment, He would have mentioned it just as He mentioned the destruction of the other nations that rejected their messengers. Perhaps one of the reasons behind this is that Abraham, the intimate friend of Allah—peace be upon him—was among the most compassionate, excellent, [forbearing], and eminent of all creation. He did not pray against his people as others did, and Allah would not bring about a general punishment on his account.
One indication of this is that Abraham appealed to the angels concerning the destruction of Lot’s people, argued with them, and pleaded in their defense, even though they were not his own people. Allah knows best the true state of affairs.
“We granted him Isaac and Jacob”—after he had emigrated to the Levant—“and placed prophethood and Scripture among his descendants.” Thus, every prophet who came after him was from among his descendants, and every Scripture revealed thereafter was revealed to one of them, until their line culminated in the Prophet (1), Muhammad—may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him and upon them all.
This is [one] of the greatest virtues and honors: that the sources of guidance, mercy, happiness, and success should lie among his descendants. Through them, those who were guided found guidance, those who believed attained faith, and the righteous became righteous. “And We gave him his reward in this world”: a wife of surpassing beauty, abundant provision, children who brought him joy, knowledge of Allah, love for Him, and constant devotion to Him.
“And in the Hereafter he will surely be among the righteous.” Indeed, he and Muhammad—may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon them both—are the very best of the righteous and the highest of them in rank. Allah thus combined for him the happiness of this world and the Hereafter.