Surah Ash-Shu'ara, Ayah 170

Lut's Denunciation of His People's Deeds, Their Response and Their Punishment

The Prophet of Allah forbade them from committing evil deeds and intercourse with males, and he taught them that they should have intercourse with their wives whom Allah had created for them. Their response was only to say:

لَئِن لَّمْ تَنتَهِ يلُوطُ

(If you cease not, O Lut,) meaning, `if you do not give up what you have brought,'

لَتَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْمُخْرَجِينَ

(verily, you will be one of those who are driven out!) meaning, `we will expel you from among us.' This is like the Ayah,

فَمَا كَانَ جَوَابَ قَوْمِهِ إِلاَّ أَن قَالُواْ أَخْرِجُواْ ءَالَ لُوطٍ مِّن قَرْيَتِكُمْ إِنَّهمْ أُنَاسٌ يَتَطَهَّرُونَ

Commentary

Unnatural act is unlawful even with one's own wife

وَتَذَرُ‌ونَ مَا خَلَقَ لَكُمْ رَ‌بُّكُم مِّنْ أَزْوَاجِكُم

And leave what your Lord has created for you, that is, your wives? - 26:166

In the phrase مِّنْ أَزْوَاجِكُم the word مِّنْ (min) Min could be descriptive (which is translated above as 'that is1) if taken in the technical sense, which would mean that in order to satisfy your lust you go after the homosexual men instead of your wives, whom Allah has given you to meet your natural urge. This is indeed a proof of malignity. The other possibility is that the letter 'Min' is used to mean 'from' or 'out of; then the meaning of the verse would be that it is a special part in the body of your wives which is created for the satisfaction of your natural urge. But you indulge in unnatural act with them, which is totally unlawful. Thus according to this second interpretation, it has also been made clear that it is not permitted to have unnatural intercourse with one's wife. In a hadith Holy Prophet ﷺ has cast curse on such a person. نَعُذ باللہ منۃ (Ruh al-Ma’ ani).

The community in which Lot appeared, had crossed all limits in debauchery. Not being content with their wives, they had started indulging in homosexuality. Lot taught them God-worship and piety and attempted to dissuade them from indulging in evil deeds. Lot appeared in the community as a preacher whose personality was entirely free of falsehood and he never indulged in loose talk. Also, he completely abstained from raising matters of material interest. These events were enough to establish that Lot was fully serious about whatever he was saying. But as he spoke out against the behaviour of the community, they became his enemies. For Lot’s words to carry any weight, it was necessary for the people to fear God. But the people of his community had become completely devoid of this very virtue. Then, how could they pay attention to the prophet’s teachings?