An-Naml · Makki · ayah 56 of 93

An-Naml 27:56

۞ فَمَا كَانَ جَوَابَ قَوْمِهِۦٓ إِلَّآ أَن قَالُوٓا۟ أَخْرِجُوٓا۟ ءَالَ لُوطٍ مِّن قَرْيَتِكُمْ ۖ إِنَّهُمْ أُنَاسٌ يَتَطَهَّرُونَ

“But the answer of his people was not except that they said, "Expel the family of Lot from your city. Indeed, they are people who keep themselves pure."”

Saheeh International

Essence

The twin of 7:82, but here the mob names Lut's family outright and calls the town 'yours', making his household strangers to be removed.

A reflection

A charge sheet that reads like praise

This answer appears almost word for word at 7:82, where its fuller treatment belongs. Two small changes mark this telling.

At 7:82 the mob says 'expel them'. Here it says 'expel the family of Lut', naming him. And both times the town is 'your town'. One linguistic commentary notes that the possessive makes expulsion feel easy. The place is ours. He is the outsider.

Then comes the reason: 'they are people who keep themselves pure.' A theological commentary points out the strangeness. The very quality given for throwing them out should have earned them honour. Most commentaries add that it was said in mockery.

A trainee nurse refuses to backdate the controlled drugs log with everyone else. Within a month she is moved to another ward. The word on the old one is that she thinks she is better than them. Nobody claims she was wrong.

When the complaint against someone is their cleanness, the complaint is really a confession.

The full entry has 2 more reflections, questions to sit with, and "Live it today" - with the words, the roots and the tafsir alongside. Free, no account, works offline.