The Quran

Preface

قالوا يا لوطُ إِنّا رُسُلُ رَبِّكَ لَن يَصِلوا إِلَيكَ ۖ فَأَسرِ بِأَهلِكَ بِقِطعٍ مِنَ اللَّيلِ وَلا يَلتَفِت مِنكُم أَحَدٌ إِلَّا امرَأَتَكَ ۖ إِنَّهُ مُصيبُها ما أَصابَهُم ۚ إِنَّ مَوعِدَهُمُ الصُّبحُ ۚ أَلَيسَ الصُّبحُ بِقَريبٍ

Yusuf Ali

(The Messengers) said: “O Lut! We are Messengers from thy Lord! By no means shall they reach thee! now travel with thy family while yet a part of the night remains, and let not any of you look back: but thy wife¹ (will remain behind): To her will happen what happens to the people. Morning is their time appointed: Is not the morning nigh?”

Even in Lot’s household was one who detracted from the harmony of the family. She was disobedient to her husband, and he was here obeying God’s Command. She looked back and shared the fate of the wicked inhabitants of the Cities of the Plain: see also 66:10. The Biblical narrative suggests that she was turned in to a pillar of salt (Gen. 19:26).