لَعَمْرُكَ إِنَّهُمْ لَفِى سَكْرَتِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ 72
Translations
By your life, [O Muḥammad], indeed they were, in their intoxication, wandering blindly.
Transliteration
La'amruka innahum lafee sakratihim ya'mahoon
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah swears by the life of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) that the people of Lot were indeed lost in their intoxication and delusion, wandering blindly in their deviation and sin. The phrase 'sakratihim' (their intoxication) refers to their spiritual drunkenness and heedlessness toward the truth, not literal intoxication. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir interpret this as describing the spiritual blindness and confusion of the people of Lot, who persisted in their abominable practices despite the prophet's warnings, unable to perceive or accept the guidance presented to them.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Al-Hijr's discussion of the story of Prophet Lot and the destruction of his people due to their rejection of divine guidance and persistence in forbidden acts. The surah, revealed in Mecca during the early period of Islamic preaching, uses this historical example to illustrate the consequences of stubbornness and deviation from Allah's path.
Related Hadiths
While no hadith directly quotes this ayah, related hadiths about spiritual blindness include: 'The worst blindness is the blindness of the heart' (Tirmidhi). Also relevant is the hadith on those who turn away from guidance: 'Whoever Allah wishes to guide, He opens their chest to Islam; and whoever He wishes to leave astray, He makes their chest tight and constricted' (Sahih Muslim 2644).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds us that those who persist in sin often become spiritually intoxicated and unable to perceive truth, emphasizing the importance of seeking guidance early and remaining receptive to divine messages before our hearts become sealed to wisdom.