وَتَذَرُونَ مَا خَلَقَ لَكُمْ رَبُّكُم مِّنْ أَزْوَٰجِكُم ۚ بَلْ أَنتُمْ قَوْمٌ عَادُونَ 166
Translations
And leave what your Lord has created for you as mates? But you are a people transgressing."
Transliteration
Wa-tathroona ma khalaqa lakum rabbukum min azwajikum, bal antum qawmun 'adoon.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah addresses the people of Lot, rebuking them for abandoning the natural wives that Allah has created for them and instead pursuing men in an unnatural manner. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari emphasize that this verse condemns the rejection of the divine blessing of marriage between men and women, and highlights that such behavior constitutes transgression ('udwan) against Allah's natural order (fitrah). The ayah underscores that choosing to act contrary to one's natural inclination and Allah's design is a grave deviation.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the story of Prophet Lot (Lut) in Surah Ash-Shu'ara, which recounts how his people were among the first to commit an unnatural sin. The broader context of this Meccan surah presents the stories of various prophets and their people's rejection of divine guidance, with the Lot narrative serving as a stark warning against moral corruption and deviation from Allah's created order.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The worst of people are those who are cursed by Allah and by His Messenger, those who act like the people of Lot.' (Tirmidhi, classified as Hasan Gharib). Additionally, 'Whoever you find doing the action of the people of Lot, execute the one who does it and the one to whom it is done.' (Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud)
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that Allah's creation of complementary genders and the institution of marriage represent divine wisdom and a blessing; straying from this natural order constitutes a serious transgression. It emphasizes the importance of adhering to Islamic moral teachings and recognizing that fulfilling desires in permissible ways through lawful marriage is part of following the straight path.