149 – ‘Abd Allāh narrated to us; he said: Azhar ibn Marwān al-Raqāshī told me; he said: Jaʿfar ibn Sulaymān related to us; he said: Abū ʿImrān al-Jawnī narrated—and I know it only through ʿAbd Allāh ibn Rabāḥ, from Kaʿb—who said:
“Abraham, upon him be peace, used to stand overlooking Sodom every day and say, ‘Woe to you, Sodom, the day you are destroyed!’ Then the messengers came to Abraham, peace be upon him. Concerning this the Almighty said: ‘Our messengers came to Abraham with glad tidings. They said, “Peace.” He answered, “Peace,” and before long he brought a roasted calf’ (Hūd 69). He began to call out, thinking they were ordinary men. Then Allah says: ‘When he saw that their hands did not reach for it, he felt uneasy about them’ (Hūd 70), up to His words: ‘and his wife was standing by and she laughed’ (Hūd 71)… for Allah’s sake regarding them. ‘So We gave her good news of Isaac, and after Isaac, Jacob.’ He commented, “That means a grandchild.” She exclaimed: ‘Alas for me! Shall I give birth while I am an old woman?’ (Hūd 72), up to His words: ‘Ever-Praiseworthy, All-Glorious’ (Hūd 73).⦗100⦘
He continued: “Abraham pleaded with them about the people of Lot.” They replied: ‘O Abraham, turn away from this’ (Hūd 76). ‘And when Our messengers came to Lot, he was distressed on their account’ (Hūd 77)—their presence weighed heavily on him—‘and he felt powerless for them and said, “This is a crushing day”’ (Hūd 77), meaning: a terrible day for me because of my people. He led them to his house, whereupon his wife alerted the townsfolk. ‘His people came rushing toward him’ (Hūd 78). ‘He said, “My people, here are my daughters; they are purer for you”’ (Hūd 78)—marry them—‘Is there not a single right-minded man among you?’ (Hūd 78) … until His words: ‘You surely know what we want’ (Hūd 79).”
Abū ʿImrān said: “Lot placed the guests inside his house, sat down at the doorway and said, ‘If only I had strength to resist you, or could take refuge in some mighty support’ (Hūd 80)—that is, a clan to protect me.”
Abū ʿImrān added: “It has reached me that Allah never sent a prophet after Lot except that he enjoyed honor and backing among his people. When the messengers saw what Lot had endured because of them, they said: ‘Lot, we are messengers from your Lord; they will never reach you. Set out with your family in a part of the night’ (Hūd 81) up to His words: ‘very near’ (Hūd 81).”⦗101⦘
Gabriel, peace be upon him, then appeared to them and struck their faces with his wing, obliterating their eyes—obliteration meaning that the eye disappears until the place becomes level. Gabriel then lifted up their towns—or words to that effect—so high that the inhabitants of the lowest heaven heard the barking of their dogs and the crowing of their cocks; after that he turned them upside down. ‘And We rained down upon it stones of baked clay’ (Hūd 82) upon their desert dwellers, their herdsmen, and their travellers, so that not a single person escaped.