Hud — Verse 79

The Coming of the Angels to Lut, His Grief, and His Discussion with His People Allah, the Exalted, informs about the coming of His messenger angels. After they informed Ibrahim of their mission to destroy the people of Lut, they left him and set out to destroy Lut's people that very night. After leaving Ibrahim, they came to Lut. Some say that they came to him while he was on a piece of land that belonged to him. Others say that they came to him while he was in his home. They approached him while they were in the most handsome of forms. They appeared in the forms of young men with handsome faces. This was a test from Allah that contained much wisdom and a firm evidence. Their appearance saddened him (Lut) and he felt grief in his soul because of them. He was afraid that if he did not host them as his guests, someone else of his people would host them and harm them. وَقَالَ هَـذَا يَوْمٌ عَصِيبٌ (He said: "This is a distressful day.") Ibn `Abbas and others said that this means, "A severe test for him." This was because he knew that he would have to defend them and it would cause great problems for him. Qatadah said, "They came to him while he was on a piece of land that belonged to him. They requested him to host them. He agreed, but he was shy of them and he walked in front of them. On the way to his home he said to them in attempt to convince them to go away, `By Allah, I do not know any people on the face of the earth more wicked and disgusting than these people of this town.' Then he walked on a little further. Then he repeated the same statement to them. He continued doing this until he had repeated the same thing four times." Then Qatadah said, "They were ordered not to destroy them until their Prophet testified against them of this." Concerning Allah's statement, يُهْرَعُونَ إِلَيْهِ (rushing towards him.) meaning, they made haste and rushed due to their delight of this (new young men). Concerning the statement, وَمِن قَبْلُ كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ السَّيِّئَاتِ (and since aforetime they used to commit crimes.) This means that this did not cease being their behavior until they were seized (by Allah's torment) and they were still in the same condition. قَالَ يقَوْمِ هَـؤُلاءِ بَنَاتِى هُنَّ أَطْهَرُ لَكُمْ (He said: "O my people! Here are my daughters (the women of the nation), they are purer for you...") This was his attempt to direct them to their women, for verily the Prophet is like a father for his nation. Therefore, he tries to guide them to that which is better for them in this life and the Hereafter. This is similar to his statement to them in another verse, أَتَأْتُونَ الذُّكْرَانَ مِنَ الْعَـلَمِينَ - وَتَذَرُونَ مَا خَلَقَ لَكُمْ رَبُّكُمْ مِّنْ أَزْوَجِكُمْ بَلْ أَنتُمْ قَوْمٌ عَادُونَ (Go you in unto the males of the nation, and leave those whom Allah has created for you to be your wives Nay, you are a trespassing people!)26:165-166 Allah said in another verse, قَالُواْ أَوَلَمْ نَنْهَكَ عَنِ الْعَـلَمِينَ (They (the people of the city) said: "Did we not forbid you from entertaining any of the `Alamin")15:70 This means, "Didn't we forbid you from hosting men (male) guests" قَالَ هَـؤُلآءِ بَنَاتِى إِن كُنْتُمْ فَـعِلِينَ - لَعَمْرُكَ إِنَّهُمْ لَفِى سَكْرَتِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ (Lut said: "These (the girls of the nation) are my daughters, if you must act (so)." Verily, by your life, in their wild intoxication, they were wandering blindly.)15:71-72 Then, Allah said, in this noble verse, هَـؤُلاءِ بَنَاتِى هُنَّ أَطْهَرُ لَكُمْ (Here are my daughters, they are purer for you.) Mujahid said, "Actually, they were not his daughters, but they were from among his nation. Every Prophet is like a father to his nation." A similar statement has been reported from Qatadah and others. Concerning the statement, فَاتَّقُواْ اللَّهَ وَلاَ تُخْزُونِ فِى ضَيْفِى (So have Taqwa of Allah and disgrace me not with regard to my guests!) This means, "Accept what I command you by limiting the fulfillment of your desires to your women." أَلَيْسَ مِنْكُمْ رَجُلٌ رَّشِيدٌ (Is there not among you a single right-minded man) This means, "Is there not a good man among you who will accept what I am enjoining upon you and abandon what I have forbidden for you" قَالُواْ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ مَا لَنَا فِى بَنَاتِكَ مِنْ حَقٍّ (They said: "Surely, you know that we have no need of your daughters...") This means, "Verily, you know that we do not want our women, nor do we desire them." وَإِنَّكَ لَتَعْلَمُ مَا نُرِيدُ (and indeed you know well what we want!) This means, "We only want males and you know that. So what need is there for you to continue speaking to us about this" قَالَ لَوْ أَنَّ لِى بِكُمْ قُوَّةً أَوْ آوِى إِلَى رُكْنٍ شَدِيدٍ

They said ‘You know full well that we have no right to no need of your daughters and you know well what we desire’ in the way of sexual intercourse with men.

قال قوم لوط له: لقد علمتَ من قبلُ أنه ليس لنا في النساء من حاجة أو رغبة، وإنك لتعلم ما نريد، أي لا نريد إلا الرجال ولا رغبة لنا في نكاح النساء.

قالوا لقد علمت ما لنا في بناتك من حق" أي إنك لتعلم أن نساءك لا أرب لنا فيهن ولا نشتهيهن "وإنك لتعلم ما نريد" أي ليس لنا غرض إلا في الذكور وأنت تعلم ذلك فأي حاجة في تكرار القول علينا في ذلك ؟ قال السدي "وإنك لتعلم ما نريد" إنما نريد الرجال.

( قَالُواْ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ مَا لَنَا فِي بَنَاتِكَ مِنْ حَقٍّ وَإِنَّكَ لَتَعْلَمُ مَا نُرِيدُ )أى : قال قوم لوط له بسفاهة ووقاحة : لقد علمت يا لوط علما لا شك معه ، أننا لا رغبة لنا فى النساء . لا عن طريق الزواج ولا عن أى طريق آخر ، فالمراد بالحق هنا : الرغبة والشهوة .قال الشوكانى : قوله ( مَا لَنَا فِي بَنَاتِكَ مِنْ حَقٍّ ) أى : ما لنا فيهن من شهوة ولا حاجة ، لأن من احتاج إلى شئ فكأنه حصل له فيه نوع حق ، ومعنى ما نسبوه إليه من العلم أنه قد علم منهم المكالبة على إتيان الذكور وشدة الشهوة إليهم ، فهم من هذه الحيثية كأنهم لا حاجة لهم إلى النساء .ويمكن أن يريدوا : أنه لا حق لنا فى نكاحهن . . .وقولهك ( وَإِنَّكَ لَتَعْلَمُ مَا نُرِيدُ ) إشارة خبيثة منهم إلى العمل الخبيث الذى ألفوه ، وهو إتيان الذكور دون النساء أى : وإنك لتعلم علماً يقينيا الشئ الذي نريده فلماذا ترجعنا؟!وقولهم هذا الذى حكته الآية الكريمة عنهم ، يدل دلالة واضحة على أنهم قد بلغوا النهاية فى الخبث والوقاحة وتبلد الشعور . . .

القول في تأويل قوله تعالى : قَالُوا لَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ مَا لَنَا فِي بَنَاتِكَ مِنْ حَقٍّ وَإِنَّكَ لَتَعْلَمُ مَا نُرِيدُ (79)قال أبو جعفر : يقول تعالى ذكره: قال قوم لوط للوط: (لقد علمت) ، يا لوط (ما لنا في بناتك من حق) ، لأنهن لَسْنَ لنا أزواجًا، (34) كما:-18385- حدثنا ابن حميد قال ، حدثنا سلمة، عن ابن إسحاق قال: (قالوا لقد علمت ما لنا في بناتك من حق) ، أي من أزواج ، (وإنك لتعلم ما نريد).* * *وقوله: (وإنك لتعلم ما نريد) ، يقول: قالوا: وإنك يا لوط لتعلم أنَّ حاجتنا في غير بناتك، وأن الذي نُريد هو ما تنهانَا عنه.* * *وبنحو الذي قلنا في ذلك قال أهل التأويل.* * **ذكر من قال ذلك :18386- حدثني موسى قال ، حدثنا عمرو قال ، حدثنا أسباط، عن السدي : (وإنك لتعلم ما نريد) ، إنا نريد الرجال.18387- حدثنا ابن حميد قال ، حدثنا سلمة، عن ابن إسحاق: (وإنك لتعلم ما نريد) ، أي : إن بغيتنا لغير ذلك. فلما لم يتناهوا، ولم يردَّهم قوله، ولم يقبلوا منه شيئًا مما عرض عليهم من أمور بناته، قال : لَوْ أَنَّ لِي بِكُمْ قُوَّةً أَوْ آوِي إِلَى رُكْنٍ شَدِيدٍ .--------------------(34) في المطبوعة والمخطوطة : " ليس لنا أزواجا " ، والصواب ما أثبت .

( قالوا لقد علمت ) يا لوط ، ( ما لنا في بناتك من حق ) أي : لسن أزواجا لنا فنستحقهن بالنكاح . وقيل : معناه ما لنا فيهن من حاجة وشهوة . ( وإنك لتعلم ما نريد ) من إتيان الرجال .

فصلت جملة { قالوا } عن التي قبلها لوقوعها موقع المحاورة مع لوط عليه السّلام .و { لقد علمت } تأكيد لكونه يعلم . فأكد بتنزيله منزلةَ من ينكر أنه يعلم لأن حالة في عرضه بناته عليهم كحال من لا يعلم خُلقهم ، وكذلك التوكيد في { وإنك لتعلَم ما نريد } ، وكلا الخبرين مستعمل في لازم فائدة الخبر ، أي نحن نعلم أنك قد علمت ما لنا رغبة في بناتك وإنك تعلم مرادنا .ومثله قوله حكاية عن قوم إبراهيم { لقد علمت ما هؤلاء ينطقون } [ الأنبياء : 65 ].و { ما } الأولى نافية معلّقة لفعل العلم عن العمل ، و { ما } الثانية موصولة .والحق : ما يحقّ ، أي يجب لأحد أو عليه ، فيقال : له حق في كذا ، إذا كان مستحقاً له ، ويقال : ما له حق في كذا ، بمعنى لا يستحقه ، فالظاهر أنه أطلق هنا كنايةً عن عدم التعلّق بالشيء وعن التجافي عنه . وهو إطلاق لم أر مثله ، وقد تحيّر المفسرون في تقريره . والمعنى : ما لنا في بناتك رغبة .

فـ { قَالُوا } له: { لَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ مَا لَنَا فِي بَنَاتِكَ مِنْ حَقٍّ وَإِنَّكَ لَتَعْلَمُ مَا نُرِيدُ } أي: لا نريد إلا الرجال، ولا لنا رغبة في النساء.

قوله تعالى : قالوا لقد علمت ما لنا في بناتك من حق روي أن قوم لوط خطبوا بناته فردهم ، وكانت سنتهم أن من رد في خطبة امرأة لم تحل له أبدا ; فذلك قوله تعالى : قالوا لقد علمت ما لنا في بناتك من حق وبعد ألا تكون هذه الخاصية . فوجه الكلام أنه ليس لنا إلى بناتك تعلق ، ولا هن قصدنا ، ولا لنا عادة نطلب ذلك .وإنك لتعلم ما نريد إشارة إلى الأضياف .

The angels who had come to Lot were the angels of retribution. But they entered the town in the shape of very handsome youths. This was intended to establish the guilt of Lot’s community quite finally. When a man continuously indulges in an evil, he becomes completely insensitive about it. This was the case with Lot’s community. They were now openly indulging in evil deeds. So, when they saw that handsome young men had come to Lot’s house, they rushed to his house full of lustful, lewd feelings. With utter shamelessness, they started demanding that the young men be handed over to them. When Lot saw the miscreants coming in this manner, he was extremely ashamed. He said, ‘Here are the daughters of the community. You may marry any of them you like and satisfy your natural instincts.’ The elderly persons of a community speak of the daughters of the community as if they were their own offspring. In this sense, Lot referred to the daughters of the community as his own daughters. But they rejected Lot’s legitimate offer, and continued to press for what was illegitimate. This finally established that these were evil, guilty people and certainly deserved to be destroyed. So, thereafter, all of them were annihilated. ‘Is there not a single right-minded man among you?’ This is generally the last utterance of a servant of God who has no material power to restrain miscreants, when all rational persuasion has failed to hold them back. At that time, by uttering such words, he invokes the prestige of the community and awakens its conscience. In spite of this, if his hearers remain insensitive, it means that there is not an iota of humanity or honour left in them.

Things turned out as Sayyidna Lut (علیہ السلام) had first apprehended. This finds mention in the second verse (78): وَجَاءَهُ قَوْمُهُ يُهْرَ‌عُونَ إِلَيْهِ (And his people came to him, rushing upon him) - and they were already used to committing evil deeds. It has been hinted here that such was the curse of their evil deed that they had lost all sense of modesty and propriety, so much so that they did not hesitate to storm even the home of Sayyidna Lut (علیہ السلام) for a purpose that sinister. When Sayyidna Lut (علیہ السلام) realized that it was difficult to protect his guests, he tried to divert the attention of his people from their evil advances by telling them that he would give his daughters in marriage to their chiefs, if they were to stop their evil-mongering. The marriage of a believing girl with a disbelieving man was permissible at that time. The practice had continued up to the early period of the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، therefore, he had given two of his daughters in marriage to ` Utbah ibn Abi Lahab and Abu al-‘As ibn al-RabI', though both of them were disbelievers. Later came the verses that prohibited the marriage of Muslim women with disbelieving men as حرام Haram. (Qurtubi) According to some commentators, ` my daughters' at this place means the daughters of the whole community because every prophet is like a father to his people and the whole community is his spiritual progeny. It is supported by the noble verse: أُمَّهَاتُهُمْ النَّبِيُّ أَوْلَىٰ بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ مِنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ ۖ وَأَزْوَاجُهُ. (The Prophet comes first with the believers against their own selves and his wives are (like) their mothers - 33:6). This should be seen with the additional words: وَ ھُوَ اَبُ لَّھُم (and he is [ like ] a father for them) as they appear in the rendition (Qira'ah) of Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn Masud ؓ where the Holy Prophet ﷺ has been identified as a father to the entire Muslim Ummah. According to this Tafsir, the statement of Sayyidna Lut (علیہ السلام) would mean, ` you leave this evil habit of yours, behave like gentlemen, marry girls from your people and have them as your wives.' After that, it was to warn them against Divine punishment that Sayyidna Lut (علیہ السلام) said: فَاتَّقُوا اللَّـهَ (So, fear Allah). Then he pleaded with them: وَلَا تُخْزُونِ فِي ضَيْفِي (do not disgrace me in respect of my guests) and then wondered: أَلَيْسَ مِنكُمْ رَ‌جُلٌ رَّ‌شِيدٌ(Is there not a single right man among you?), someone who would listen to his plaint. But, there was no trace of gentility or even humanness left in any of them. So, in acid wickedness, they all responded: لَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ مَا لَنَا فِي بَنَاتِكَ مِنْ حَقٍّ وَإِنَّكَ لَتَعْلَمُ مَا نُرِ‌يدُ (You know that we have no claim on your daughters, and you know well what we want.'

(They said: Well thou knowest) O Lot (that we have no right to your daughters) that we have no need for your daughters, (and well thou knowest what we want) they mean their evil practice.