Sermon Title: The Action of the People of Lot
Themes of the sermon:
1. The wisdom of creating male and female.
2. The obscenity of the people of Lot.
3. The punishment of the people of Lot.
4. The punishment of those who did the act of the people of Lot and the legal ruling of those who consider it lawful.
5. The West's activity in spreading the obscenity of the people of Lot.
6. The obligation to forbidding evil.
Praise be to Allah, and may Allah exalt and send peace to the Messenger of Allah, and to his family, companions, and those who follow him.
To proceed:
O servants of Allah, fear Allah, as He should be feared, and be mindful of Him in secret and in your private conversations:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ
“O you who have believed, fear Allah as He should be feared and do not die except as Muslims [in submission to Him].” [3: 102]
O Servants of Allah, Allah has made for us a reminder and an admonition in the stories of the past, and among the greatest and most mentioned in the Book of Allah is the story of the people of Lot (peace be upon him), who permitted themselves the most wicked of immoral acts and the most abominable and unclean forbidden desires.
Indeed, Allah created male and female and instilled each with a desire for the other, then regulated their relationship through marriage. This is how sound nature works.
However, the people of Sodom and the neighboring towns had a corrupted nature, and their souls were immersed in the filth of evil. Men's desires were directed towards other males rather than the wives that Allah had created for them. They believed they had the right and freedom to do as they pleased and choose whatever they desired. This immorality was unprecedented among the children of Adam and had never crossed their minds until these cursed people committed it.
How could it not be, as it goes against nature and human disposition? Umayyad Caliph al-Walid bin Abdul Malik said, “Had Allah not told us the story of the people of Lot, I would never have thought that a male would desire another male!”
Thus, Allah sent His noble Prophet Lot (peace be upon him) to the people of Sodom to warn them of Allah's punishment, denounce their wicked deeds, and clarify their excesses in disobedience, aggression, and tyranny. Their response was only to threaten and intimidate him, saying, “Expel Lot's family from your town, for they are a people who seek to purify themselves!”
The only believers in that town were the family of Lot (peace be upon him), except for his wife, who followed the ways of her people. When the angels came as messengers from Allah to Lot (peace be upon him) in the form of handsome men with the best human features, his wife turned to her people, directing them to her husband's guests. They came rushing to him, their desires intoxicating them, and their devils leading them. May Allah curse and humiliate them.
Allah Almighty says about Ibrahim, who is the uncle of Lot, informing us about the conversation between him and the angels when they visited him before going to Lot:
قَالَ فَمَا خَطْبُكُمْ أَيُّهَا الْمُرْسَلُونَ * قَالُوا إِنَّا أُرْسِلْنَا إِلَى قَوْمٍ مُجْرِمِينَ * إِلَّا آلَ لُوطٍ إِنَّا لَمُنَجُّوهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ * إِلَّا امْرَأَتَهُ قَدَّرْنَا إِنَّهَا لَمِنَ الْغَابِرِينَ * فَلَمَّا جَاءَ آلَ لُوطٍ الْمُرْسَلُونَ * قَالَ إِنَّكُمْ قَوْمٌ مُنْكَرُونَ * قَالُوا بَلْ جِئْنَاكَ بِمَا كَانُوا فِيهِ يَمْتَرُونَ * وَأَتَيْنَاكَ بِالْحَقِّ وَإِنَّا لَصَادِقُونَ * فَأَسْرِ بِأَهْلِكَ بِقِطْعٍ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ وَاتَّبِعْ أَدْبَارَهُمْ وَلَا يَلْتَفِتْ مِنْكُمْ أَحَدٌ وَامْضُوا حَيْثُ تُؤْمَرُونَ * وَقَضَيْنَا إِلَيْهِ ذَلِكَ الْأَمْرَ أَنَّ دَابِرَ هَؤُلَاءِ مَقْطُوعٌ مُصْبِحِينَ * وَجَاءَ أَهْلُ الْمَدِينَةِ يَسْتَبْشِرُونَ * قَالَ إِنَّ هَؤُلَاءِ ضَيْفِي فَلَا تَفْضَحُونِ * وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَلَا تُخْزُونِ * قَالُوا أَوَلَمْ نَنْهَكَ عَنِ الْعَالَمِينَ * قَالَ هَؤُلَاءِ بَنَاتِي إِنْ كُنْتُمْ فَاعِلِينَ * لَعَمْرُكَ إِنَّهُمْ لَفِي سَكْرَتِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ * فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ الصَّيْحَةُ مُشْرِقِينَ * فَجَعَلْنَا عَالِيَهَا سَافِلَهَا وَأَمْطَرْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ حِجَارَةً مِنْ سِجِّيلٍ * إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِلْمُتَوَسِّمِينَ * وَإِنَّهَا لَبِسَبِيلٍ مُقِيمٍ * إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَآيَةً لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
“[Abraham] said, “Then what is your business [here], O messengers?” They said, “Indeed, we have been sent to a people of criminals, except the family of Lot; indeed, we will save them all. Except his wife.” Allah decreed that she is of those who remain behind. And when the messengers came to the family of Lot, He said, “Indeed, you are people unknown.” They said, “But we have come to you with that about which they were disputing. And we have come to you with truth, and indeed, we are truthful. So set out with your family during a portion of the night and follow behind them and let not anyone among you look back and continue on to where you are commanded.” And We conveyed to him [the decree] of that matter: that those [sinners] would be eliminated by early morning. And the people of the city came rejoicing. [Lot] said, “Indeed, these are my guests, so do not shame me. And fear Allah and do not disgrace me.” They said, “Have we not forbidden you from [protecting] people?” [Lot] said, “These are my daughters – if you would be doers [of lawful marriage].” By your life, [O Muhammad], indeed they were, in their intoxication, wandering blindly. So the shriek seized them at sunrise. And We made the highest part [of the city] its lowest and rained upon them stones of hard clay. Indeed in that are signs for those who discern. And indeed, those cities are [situated] on an established road. Indeed in that is a sign for the believers. [15:57-77]
And He, the Exalted, said:
وَلُوطًا إِذْ قَالَ لِقَوْمِهِ إِنَّكُمْ لَتَأْتُونَ الْفَاحِشَةَ مَا سَبَقَكُمْ بِهَا مِنْ أَحَدٍ مِنَ الْعَالَمِينَ * أَئِنَّكُمْ لَتَأْتُونَ الرِّجَالَ وَتَقْطَعُونَ السَّبِيلَ وَتَأْتُونَ فِي نَادِيكُمُ الْمُنْكَرَ فَمَا كَانَ جَوَابَ قَوْمِهِ إِلَّا أَنْ قَالُوا ائْتِنَا بِعَذَابِ اللَّهِ إِنْ كُنْتَ مِنَ الصَّادِقِينَ * قَالَ رَبِّ انْصُرْنِي عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْمُفْسِدِينَ * وَلَمَّا جَاءَتْ رُسُلُنَا إِبْرَاهِيمَ بِالْبُشْرَى قَالُوا إِنَّا مُهْلِكُو أَهْلِ هَذِهِ الْقَرْيَةِ إِنَّ أَهْلَهَا كَانُوا ظَالِمِينَ * قَالَ إِنَّ فِيهَا لُوطًا قَالُوا نَحْنُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَنْ فِيهَا لَنُنَجِّيَنَّهُ وَأَهْلَهُ إِلَّا امْرَأَتَهُ كَانَتْ مِنَ الْغَابِرِينَ * وَلَمَّا أَنْ جَاءَتْ رُسُلُنَا لُوطًا سِيءَ بِهِمْ وَضَاقَ بِهِمْ ذَرْعًا وَقَالُوا لَا تَخَفْ وَلَا تَحْزَنْ إِنَّا مُنَجُّوكَ وَأَهْلَكَ إِلَّا امْرَأَتَكَ كَانَتْ مِنَ الْغَابِرِينَ * إِنَّا مُنْزِلُونَ عَلَى أَهْلِ هَذِهِ الْقَرْيَةِ رِجْزًا مِنَ السَّمَاءِ بِمَا كَانُوا يَفْسُقُونَ * وَلَقَدْ تَرَكْنَا مِنْهَا آيَةً بَيِّنَةً لِقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ
“(And [mention] Lot, when he said to his people, “Indeed, you commit such immorality as no one has preceded you with from among the worlds. Indeed, you approach men and obstruct the road and commit in your meetings [every] evil.” And the answer of his people was not but they said, “Bring us the punishment of Allah, if you should be of the truthful.” He said, “My Lord, support me against the corrupting people.” And when Our messengers came to Abraham with the good tidings, they said, “Indeed, we will destroy the people of that Lot’s city. Indeed, its people have been wrongdoers.” [Abraham] said, “Indeed, within it is Lot.” They said, “We are more knowing of who is within it. We will surely save him and his family, except his wife. She is to be of those who remain behind.” And when Our messengers came to Lot, he was distressed for them and felt for them great discomfort. They said, “Fear not, nor grieve. Indeed, we will save you and your family, except your wife; she is to be of those who remain behind. Indeed, we will bring down on the people of this city punishment from the sky because they have been defiantly disobedient.” And We have certainly left of it a sign as clear evidence for a people who use reason.” [29:28-35]
Allah punished them; He is the Almighty, the Most Powerful, the Severe in punishment and retribution, the One who takes revenge and inflicts painful punishment. Yes, He did not hasten their punishment, but rather granted them respite and delayed it, so that they might return and follow the Messenger. However, they defied him, demanded punishment, and transgressed the command of Allah, even though they were His created servants, enjoying His sustenance and dwelling on His earth. How could they break free from His law when they are in need of Him and submissive to His authority?
When the punishment decree was justified and the time came for it, Allah saved His messenger Lot (peace be upon him) and the believers from among his family before Fajr and left behind the wicked, corrupt, and sinful people to face their fate in the morning, which they had earned with their actions. So, how bad was their morning, and how terrible was their fate!
Allah punished them in a way that no other nation had been punished before. Indeed, He sent the angel Gabriel (peace be upon him) upon them, who lifted up with his right wing the cities of Sodom and its surroundings, which were four cities, each containing nearly one hundred thousand wicked souls. He lifted them up until the inhabitants of the heavens could hear the barking of their dogs and the crowing of their roosters, then he flipped them upside down and caused the earth to swallow them.
And Allah sent upon those who were traveling outside their village a severe hail of clay stones, arranged and consecutive, one following the other, marked by Allah, meaning labeled and sealed in the heavens, with each stone bearing the name of the person it was meant to kill, until they were all destroyed. Allah says:
وَمَا هِيَ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ بِبَعِيدٍ
“And Allah 's punishment is not from the wrongdoers [very] far.” [11:83]
Thus, this punishment is not far from the wrongdoers, and He is the Almighty, the All-Wise, whose command is executed, and His punishment is severe. And if He delays it for a people, then the punishment of the Hereafter is more severe and lasting, more painful and disgraceful.
كَذَلِكَ الْعَذَابُ وَلَعَذَابُ الْآخِرَةِ أَكْبَرُ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ
“Such is the punishment [of this world]. And the punishment of the Hereafter is greater, if they only knew.” [68:33]
O Brothers and Sisters in Faith:
The actions of the people of Lot were the epitome of wickedness and degradation, a display of extreme depravity and regression. The entire Muslim community, and indeed all divine laws, agree upon its prohibition. Worse than committing and engaging in such acts is considering them lawful and permissible.
This heinous act is one of the grossest indecencies and major sins for which Allah has prescribed a severe punishment. Ahmad and the collectors of as-Sunan reported on the authority of Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “If you find someone engaging in the act of the people of Lot, then kill the one who does it and the one to whom it is done.” This hadith has been declared authentic by al-Albani.
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said, “The companions of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) agreed upon killing the person who commits this act, and there was no disagreement among them. They only differed in the manner of his execution.” This is the ruling for the doer.
As for the one who considers this act lawful and believes that it is permissible, even if he does not engage in it, he is a denier of the clear revelation. And whoever denies the clear revelation is considered an apostate from the religion of Islam by the consensus of the scholars, as he is inviting upon himself disbelief and dissolution.
Whoever claims that this act is personal freedom and that an individual has the right to choose it, allowing a male to choose another male as a partner or a female to choose another female, is not a Muslim, regardless of whether he prays and fasts. For his denial of the Quran nullifies his claimed faith and demonstrates his ingratitude and disbelief. May Allah protect us from His wrath.
May Allah bless me and all of you through the Great Quran, and benefit us from its verses and wise reminders. I say this statement, and I ask Allah for forgiveness for me, you, and all Muslims for every sin, so seek His forgiveness, for He is the Most-Forgiving, the Most-Merciful.
The Second Sermon
Praise be to Allah, and may Allah exalt and send peace to the Messenger of Allah, and to his family, his companions, and those who follow him. To proceed:
O Servants of Allah:
Our Ummah (Muslim community) is currently suffering from the onslaught of Western ideological warfare that seeks to destroy its foundations, shake the faith of its weak members, and erase its identity and existence.
Atheism and irreligion in the West continue to lead their people into a deep abyss of decay, animalistic behavior, and humiliation, constantly presenting us with new types of disbelief, immorality, injustice, and ignorance.
One of the products of their abhorrent irreligion is the call to embrace the perversity of the people of Lot, known as homosexuality, under hollow slogans such as freedom and human rights. However, human rights are determined by the Creator’s Divine Law and His right to be obeyed and submitted to, for all power of decision does rest with the One who creates, provides, bestows, and enriches. The lawful is what Allah has permitted, the unlawful is what Allah has forbidden, religion is what Allah has prescribed, and ruling is what Allah has decreed. There is no one to alter His judgment or reject His Law. Indeed, creation and command belong to Him; blessed be Allah, the Lord of the worlds.
The Muslim who venerates his Lord must undoubtedly reject such immoral calls that invite deviation from the Divine Law of the Lord of the worlds, advocate the abandonment of all values and virtues, and replace them with perversity and vices. The Prophet ﷺ said, “Whoever among you sees an evil, let him change it with his hand; if he is unable to do so, then [let him change it] with his tongue; if he is unable to do so, then with his heart, and that is the weakest level of faith.” [Narrated by Muslim].
When evil is left unchecked, it becomes bolder until it is considered normal—even a right and an obligation. At that point, the wrath of the Almighty and the curse of the Sovereign King befall everyone. Part of rejecting evil is to avoid Western movies and channels that glamorize the forbidden and cunningly call people to abandon Islam, transforming the rejected evil into something familiar and acceptable. Consequently, the heart’s light is quenched, faith disappears, and certainty is shaken.
It is the responsibility of parents, educators, and leaders to instill the rejection of evil in the hearts of the young and the youth so that they grow up abhorring it, and neither the wicked dare to display it nor the devilish aspire to advocate for it.
O Allah, exalt and send peace to Your servant and Messenger, Muhammad, and be pleased with the Rightly-Guided Caliphs, the Companions, and all those who follow them righteously until the Day of Judgment. O Allah, support us and do not support others against us; grant us victory and do not grant others victory over us; plot for us and do not plot against us; guide us and make guidance easy for us; and grant us victory over those who transgress against us. O Allah, guide our leader to what You love and are pleased with, and lead him by the forelock to righteousness and piety. Our Lord, grant us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.
O Servants of Allah: Remember Allah with abundant remembrance, and glorify Him morning and evening. And our final prayer is that all praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds.
