Question:
Some preachers claim that Prophet Lut (AS)’s (AS) wife committed the sin of her people. Is this correct? They cite the Quran, but this seems wrong.
Answer:
Every messenger of Allahﷻ came to the world to confess the main oath of Islamic community i.e. la illaha illallah (there is no god but Allah) but each and every prophet has faced and tried to eradicate many internal issues in their lifetime.
For example, if we look into Shoaib (AS) period, he was against the Weights and Measures Fraud. So, he did preach not to involve in such fraudulent activities as well as inculcating the Thowheed principles.
Likewise, Lut (AS) faced many homosexual activities happened during his time which was deeply condemned by him. So, he preached his people like “you people are crossing your limits in relationships by having unwanted male-male attractions“. This was mentioned in Quran 7:81.
Another narration in Qur’an 26:165 states that, Lut (AS) has questioned his people like “Are you leaving behind your wives which was blessed by Allahﷻ and getting into same sex relationships?“. These narrations proves that homosexual incidents have happened during his period. So, the society which involved in such activities were completely destroyed by Allahﷻ which includes Lut (AS) wife.
As far as the above narrations are concerned, it is an ignorant claim to say Prophet Lut (AS)’s wife committed sodomy. This is physically impossible for a woman. What the Quran says is that she betrayed her husband. In Surah At-Tahrim (66:10), Allahﷻ gives the example of the wives of Nuh (AS) and Lut (AS). “They were under two of Our righteous servants but betrayed them.” This betrayal was not marital infidelity in the sexual sense. Their betrayal was in terms of faith. They sided with their disbelieving people against their Prophetic husbands. They rejected the core message of Tawheed (monotheism) that their husbands brought. They may have supported the evil acts of their people, but it is impossible to claim they committed the act of male homosexuality. The Quranic description of their betrayal is one of faith and loyalty, not participation in a physically impossible act for a woman.