Prophet Ibrāhīm: Part 2 — A Nation by Himself, the House and Lūṭ
Section 18 of 21 · Lives of the Prophets
These Are My Guests
وَجَآءَهُۥ قَوْمُهُۥ يُهْرَعُونَ إِلَيْهِ وَمِن قَبْلُ كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ ٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتِ ۚ قَالَ يَـٰقَوْمِ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ بَنَاتِى هُنَّ أَطْهَرُ لَكُمْ ۖ فَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَلَا تُخْزُونِ فِى ضَيْفِىٓ ۖ أَلَيْسَ مِنكُمْ رَجُلٌ رَّشِيدٌ
“And his people came to him, rushing upon him. They were already habitual to commit evil deeds. He said, “These are my daughters. They are purer for you.So, have fear of Allah and do not disgrace me in respect of my guests. Is there no reasonable man among you?”” (11:78)
Lūṭ came out to his people. Allah (swt) says: and his people came rushing towards him.
قَالَ إِنَّ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ ضَيْفِى فَلَا تَفْضَحُونِ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَلَا تُخْزُونِ قَالُوٓا۟ أَوَلَمْ نَنْهَكَ عَنِ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ قَالَ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ بَنَاتِىٓ إِن كُنتُمْ فَـٰعِلِينَ
“He (LūT) said, “They are my guests; so do not put me to shame, and fear Allah and do not disgrace me.” They said, “Had we not forbidden you from (being the guardian of) the whole world?” He said, “These are my daughters, if you are to do something.”” (15:68–71)
Lūṭ told these people: qāla inna hāʾulāʾi ḍayfī fa-lā tafḍaḥūn, wa-ttaqū Allāha wa lā tukhzūn. Verily, these are my guests; do not shame me. Wa-ttaqū Allāha wa lā tukhzūn: and fear Allah, and do not disgrace me. What is this disgrace you're going to cause on me? These are my guests.
They told him: qālū a-wa lam nanhaka ʿan al-ʿālamīn. Didn't we prohibit you from hosting any guests? By their corrupt law, by their law, they have already placed some restrictions on Lūṭ. They told him: you are not allowed to host any guests.
And then Lūṭ told them: qāla hāʾulāʾi banātī in kuntum fāʿilīn. Here are my daughters; marry them. He's not talking about his own daughters; he's talking about the daughters of the Ummah, because he is like their father. He said: here are the daughters.
قَالُوا۟ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ مَا لَنَا فِى بَنَاتِكَ مِنْ حَقٍّ وَإِنَّكَ لَتَعْلَمُ مَا نُرِيدُ
“They said, “You know that we have no claim on your daughters, and you know well what we want.”” (11:79)
They said: mā lanā, we don't have any need in your daughters. You know what we want. Innaka la-taʿlamu mā nurīd: you know what we want. We want your guests.