Prophet Ibrāhīm: Part 2 — A Nation by Himself, the House and Lūṭ
Section 19 of 21 · Lives of the Prophets
If Only I Had a Source of Power to Lean On
Allah (swt) describes this difficult, critical situation. Crowds celebrating outside, and rioting outside the house of Lūṭ, pushing the door to come in. Lūṭ said: hādhā yawmun ʿaṣīb. This is a distressful, difficult day. What a difficult day! The pressure was building on Lūṭ, building and building and building. He is carrying all of this pressure on his shoulders. He then said: hādhā yawmun ʿaṣīb, this is a distressful day. He is trying his best, but he is losing ground.
And when he felt that this is a hopeless case, and that he's losing this battle, he wanted help. But Lūṭ did not belong to that town, so he didn't have any family to help him. He didn't have a tribe to support him. And Lūṭ didn't have any sons; he had daughters. He didn't have any men to fight with him. He was alone.
قَالَ لَوْ أَنَّ لِى بِكُمْ قُوَّةً أَوْ ءَاوِىٓ إِلَىٰ رُكْنٍ شَدِيدٍ
“He said, “Would that I had some power over you, or could seek refuge in a strong support!”” (11:80)
In that moment of difficulty, in that critical moment and extreme moment of distress, Sayyidunā Lūṭ said the following statement: qāla law anna lī bikum quwwatan aw āwī ilā ruknin shadīd. If only I had a source of power to lean on. I wish that I had a source of power to lean on, so that I can fight you: family, or tribe, or men, or sons.
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) says: yarḥamu Allāhu Lūṭā, may Allah have mercy on Lūṭ. He had the strongest source of power with him: Allah (swt).
قَالُوا۟ يَـٰلُوطُ إِنَّا رُسُلُ رَبِّكَ لَن يَصِلُوٓا۟ إِلَيْكَ ۖ فَأَسْرِ بِأَهْلِكَ بِقِطْعٍ مِّنَ ٱلَّيْلِ وَلَا يَلْتَفِتْ مِنكُمْ أَحَدٌ إِلَّا ٱمْرَأَتَكَ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ مُصِيبُهَا مَآ أَصَابَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّ مَوْعِدَهُمُ ٱلصُّبْحُ ۚ أَلَيْسَ ٱلصُّبْحُ بِقَرِيبٍ
“They (the angels) said, “O LūT, we are emissaries of your Lord. They shall never reach you. So, move with your family in a part of night, and none of you shall turn to look back; except your woman. There has to befall her whatever will befall them. Their deadline is the morning. Is it not that the morning is near?”” (11:81)
In that particular moment, when Lūṭ said that statement, I wish that I can lean on some source of power, in that moment Allah (swt) says that the angels said: qālū yā Lūṭu innā rusulu rabbika lan yaṣilū ilayk. O Lūṭ, we are the messengers of Allah; they will not reach you and harm you.
These three men finally spoke out in that moment, just one second before the defeat of Lūṭ. Because that's it: these men were crowding, and were breaking in. And in that moment in which Lūṭ said, I wish that I have a source of power to lean on — the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said he had the strongest power with him; he had Allah (swt) on his side — the angels then spoke up and said: O Lūṭ, we are the messengers of Allah; do not fear, and they will not reach you.
And then they said: fa-asri bi-ahlika bi-qiṭʿin min al-layl. Leave with your family in the darkness of the night. Wa lā yaltafit minkum aḥad: and nobody of you look back. When you leave, do not look back. Illā-mraʾatak: except your wife. There are two interpretations on this. One interpretation is that: do not take your wife with you; leave her in town. The other interpretation is that she would leave with you, but then she would look back, and she would be killed. Innahu muṣībuhā mā aṣābahum: she would be punished with the same punishment they are punished. And then they said: inna mawʿidahumu al-ṣubḥ, a-laysa al-ṣubḥu bi-qarīb. Their appointed time is morning; isn't morning soon?