۞ فَمَا كَانَ جَوَابَ قَوْمِهِۦٓ إِلَّآ أَن قَالُوٓا۟ أَخْرِجُوٓا۟ ءَالَ لُوطٍ مِّن قَرْيَتِكُمْ ۖ إِنَّهُمْ أُنَاسٌ يَتَطَهَّرُونَ 56
Translations
But the answer of his people was not except that they said, "Expel the family of Lot from your city. Indeed, they are people who keep themselves pure."
Transliteration
Fama kana jawaba qawmihi illa an qalu akhrijoo ala Luti min qaryatikum innahum unasun yatatahharun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the rejection of Lot's people when he warned them against their abominable practices, showing that instead of accepting his message, they mockingly demanded that he and his family leave their city. The people's sarcastic reference to Lot's family as 'people who purify themselves' reveals their stubborn denial and contempt for righteousness, as Ibn Kathir notes that they mocked those who sought purity from their sinful ways. This response demonstrates the typical pattern of rejection that prophets face from those committed to their transgressions.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the broader narrative in Surah An-Naml recounting the story of Prophet Lot and his struggle with his people's immorality. The surah, revealed in Mecca during the early period of Islam, uses these historical examples to strengthen the Prophet Muhammad and the believers against persecution and rejection they faced from the Quraysh.
Related Hadiths
The story of Lot is referenced in Sahih Bukhari and other collections regarding the severity of the sin of homosexuality. Hadith in Sunan Ibn Majah warns of the punishment that befell Lot's people, emphasizing the gravity of their transgression and rejection of divine guidance.
Themes
Key Lesson
The ayah reminds us that those deeply entrenched in sin often mock and reject those who call them to righteousness, and that standing firm in faith may result in ridicule and opposition—yet the believer must persist in upholding moral truth regardless of societal mockery.