This article narrates the command of the angels to Prophet Luth to take his family out of the city of Sodom before the punishment was sent down, as well as the destruction of that city and all its inhabitants except Prophet Luth's wife who was also destroyed.
The Story of Prophet Luth: The Destruction of the City of Sodom
The angels turned to Prophet Luth and commanded him to take his family out in the middle of the night. They heard a very terrifying sound that would shake the mountains. What is this punishment? This is a punishment of a strange form. The angels informed him that his wife was among those who opposed him. His wife was a disbeliever like them, so if punishment came upon them, she would receive it as well.
Go out, O Luth, for your God's decision has been made. Prophet Luth asked the angels: 'Will punishment come upon them now?' The angels informed him that they would be struck with punishment at the time of Fajr. Is not the time of Fajr very near? Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) said:
'Depart with your family in the depth of night and do not turn back any of you—except your wife. Indeed, she will be struck by that which strikes them. Their appointment is for the morning. Is not the morning near? (QS. Hud: 81)'
Prophet Luth went out with his daughters and his wife. They went out at night. And when the dawn came, the command of Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) came:
'So when Our punishment came, We made the highest part of the city its lowest and rained upon them stones of baked clay, one after another. (QS. Hud: 82-83)'
The Story of Prophet Luth: The Destruction of the City of Sodom
Prophet Luth left his house after midnight, with his family consisting of a wife and two daughters, walking quickly to leave the city, not looking to the right or to the left in accordance with the guidance of the angels who were his guests.
However, his wife, who was an enemy beneath the garb to Prophet Luth, was not able to abandon her people. She was behind the group of Prophet Luth walking slowly, not as fast as her husband's steps, and constantly looking back because she wanted to know what would befall her people, as if she doubted the truth of the threat from the angels which she herself had heard.
And when the steps of Prophet Luth and his two daughters passed the boundaries of the city of Sodom, as dawn broke, the earth shook terribly beneath the feet of the people of Sodom, including Prophet Luth's hypocritical wife. The tremor preceded a strong and fierce earthquake accompanied by a strong wind and rain of baked stones that suddenly destroyed the city of Sodom and all its inhabitants. Thus were the miracles and signs of Allah sent down to be a lesson and example for His servants to come.
The scholars said: 'Jibril destroyed the seven cities with the tip of his wing. Jibril lifted them all to the sky so that the angels heard the sound of their chickens and the barking of their dogs. Jibril turned the seven cities over and scattered them to the earth. When the destruction occurred, the sky rained upon them stones from the fire of Hell. These were hard and strong stones that came in succession. The fire of Hell continued to rain upon them so that Luth's people were completely destroyed.'
There was no one there. All the cities were destroyed and swallowed by the earth so that water gushed forth from the earth. Luth's people were destroyed and their cities disappeared. Prophet Luth heard terrifying sounds. His wife saw the source of the sound and she too was destroyed."
'So We saved him and his family, except for his wife; she was of those who remained behind. (QS. Al A'raf: 83)'
'And We rained upon them a rain [of stones]. Then see how was the end of the criminals. (QS. Al A'raf: 84)'
The Story of Prophet Luth: The Destruction of the City of Sodom
Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) said about Luth's cities:
'And We brought out from that city believers from among the believers. But We found not therein except a family of Muslims. And We left for those who fear the punishment of their God a sign: the morning of the punishment. (QS. adh-Dhāriyāt: 35-37)'
'And indeed, the city was passed right on their path during the morning. (QS. al-Hijr: 76)'
'And indeed, you pass by them in the morning and [at] night. Then will you not use reason? (QS. ash-Shaffat: 137-138)'
That is, it is evident evidence of the power of Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He). The scholars said: 'The seven cities became a strange lake where its water was salty and its flow was greater than the flow of the salt sea. And in this lake there were floating stones that melted. This indicates that the stones that were rained upon Luth's people resembled grains of blazing fire. Some say that the lake that is now called the Dead Sea located in Palestine is the cities of Luth's people.'
The account of Luth's people ended from the earth. Finally, Prophet Luth met Prophet Ibrahim. He told him the news about his people. He was amazed when he heard that Prophet Ibrahim also knew about it. Prophet Luth continued his mission of preaching to the way of Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) like Prophet Ibrahim. They both continued to spread Islam on the face of the earth.
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