The point is that Lot’s wife was not a believer, nor was she among those brought out and saved. Thus, she was not included in His words:

“So We brought out those believers who were there.”

She was, however, a member of the Muslim household and among those found there. Hence the Most High says:

“But We found there only one household of Muslims.”

This reveals the wisdom of the Quran in mentioning faith when speaking of bringing them out, and Islam when speaking of finding them there.

The Most High also says:

“Indeed, the Muslim men and Muslim women, the believing men and believing women…”

He thus distinguishes between the two. These, then, are three passages in the Quran.

It is also established in the two Sahīh collections that Sa‘d ibn Abī Waqqās said:

“The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, gave to some men but did not give to another man. I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, you gave to so-and-so but left out so-and-so, although he is a believer.’ He said, ‘Or a Muslim?’ Then my feelings overcame me, and I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, you gave to so-and-so and so-and-so but left out so-and-so, although he is a believer.’ He said, ‘Or a Muslim?’”

This occurred twice or three times. The remainder of the hadith mentions that he gives to some men while leaving out others whom he loves more, for fear that Allah might cast the former headlong into the Fire.

Al-Zuhrī said: “They used to consider Islam to be the declaration of faith, and faith to be action.”

Thus, the Prophet answered Sa‘d in two ways. First: The man whose faith you have attested to may be a Muslim without being a believer.

Second: Even if he is a believer and better than those others, I may give to someone whose faith is weaker, lest being deprived lead him to apostasy and Allah cast him into