BEWARE of Becoming like the People of Loot‼
Our beloved Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said, ‘Certainly the thing I fear most on my ummah is the (wicked) practice of the people of Loot.’ (Tirmizi, Ahmad, Ibn Hajr Al-Haysami, Ad-Duri and Al-Aajuri) (Hadith Hasan)
Hadrat Ali bin Abi Taalib (radhiyallahu anhu) relates, ‘Whoever allows himself to be used sexually (by becoming a homosexual or sodomite), Allah Ta’ala will expel from him the (natural) desire for women.‘
Najeeb As-Sirri (AR) says, ‘They (i.e. our pious elders) would even dislike looking at handsome young boys’.
Once Abul Aswad (AR) brought a letter which he showed to one of his students and said, ‘I bear witness that this letter was dictated by Ali bin Abi Taalib (RA) to Abul Aswad: When men (i.e. homosexuals) will sexually satisfy themselves with men and women (i.e. lesbians) with women, then earthquakes will occur, faces will become transformed and stones will rain down from the skies.’
Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) has also said “May Allah curse him who does what the people of Loot (alayhis salaam) did.” (Ibn Hibbaan)
He (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) has also said, “Lesbianism by women is adultery between them.” (Tabraani)
A LESSON FROM HISTORY
It is a well-known fact that when this wretched disease spread among one nation in the past, Allah Ta’ala caused punishments to rain down from the skies upon them. Allah mentions their story in many places in the Qur’an. At one place, He says,
“And (We also sent) Loot (as a Messenger). ‘Behold, he said to his people, do you do what is shameful even though you see (that it is wrong)? Would you really approach men in your lusts rather than women? Nay, you are a grossly ignorant people!’
But his people gave no other answer but this: They said, ‘Drive out the followers of Loot from your city. These are indeed men who want to be clean and pure!’
But We saved him and His family except his wife: We destined her to be of those who lagged behind.
And We rained down on them a shower (of stones). And evil was the shower on those who were admonished (but failed to heed).” (Surah an-Naml, 54-58)
At yet another place, Allah Most High says: Do you approach the males of humanity, leaving the wives Allah has created for you? But you are a people who transgress. (Surah ash-Shu’raa: 165 &166)
From the first aayah, we learn that these people had themselves admitted that the family of Loot (AS) who had Imaan (belief in Allah) was decent, chaste and morally pure. They also acknowledged that the family of Loot (Alyhis salaam) refrained from this filthy practice. They realised this since it is natural for every person to immediately recognise the pure way of life inspired by Allah Ta’ala when they see it and also to make out any type of unnatural and perverted behaviour.In the Tafseer (commentary) of these verses it is mentioned that the people of Loot (Alyhis Salaam) were practicing both homosexuality and lesbianism. When Allah decided to punish them, He commanded Jibraeel (AS) to lift the village of Loot (AS) to the extent that the angels of the first heaven (sky) could actually hear the barking of their dogs. Jibraeel then turned them over and dropped them from this tremendous height. Thereafter, Allah Ta’ala caused scorching hot stones to rain down upon them. This is how this nation ended up being an example for the rest of mankind until the Day of Qiyaamah.
Imaam Al-Aajuri (AR) has said, ‘Allah Ta’ala has informed you about the despicable act of homosexuality committed by the people of Loot (AS) and how He punished them by first snatching away their eyesight. Jibraeel (AS) was then instructed to uproot their cities with all the inhabitants until they were high up into the sky and then turn over their cities upon them. Thereafter they were pelted with stones of clay.’ Such was their punishment that not a single citizen or traveller could save himself from the stones and from being completely destroyed.
It is said that they were four million in number. (Tafseer Ibn Katheer p.471 vol. 2)
Let us reflect! Why did Allah Ta’ala punish them so severely in such a manner that He had never punished any other nation before? Surely their sin must have been really serious for Allah Ta’ala to have punished and destroyed them in this way.
DISGRACE IN THIS WORLD
The acts of homosexuality and lesbianism are certainly a perversion and a serious deviation from the inherent nature of man. These acts of defiance against human nature are also even viler and uglier than adultery. There is consensus among both Muslims and the followers of other religions that lesbianism and homosexuality are evil and filthy practices. This is why it is not surprising to find that Islam so vehemently prohibits it and adopts such a harsh attitude against it.
The punishment awaiting such people in the Hereafter has already been explained, but what about their punishment in this world?
Since such type of behaviour was previously totally unknown to the Arab people, there is no record of any such incident having occurred during the time of Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) or that he was faced with a case of this nature. However, it has been confirmed that Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said,
“Kill the one who sodomizes and the one to who lets it be done to him.” (Tirmizi)
Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu anhu) had passed such a ruling and Hadrat Ali (RA) was very severe in his ruling against such a crime. It is established that once Sayyiduna Khaalid bin Waleed (radhiyallahu anhu) found a man in the frontiers of Arabia marrying another man in the way a woman marries a man, so he wrote about it to Abu Bakr (RA). When Abu Bakr (RA) consulted with the Sahaabah, Ali (RA) who was the severest in his condemnation of it said, ‘Only one out of the many nations had indulged in it and you all know how Allah Ta’ala had dealt with them. I feel that he should be destroyed by fire.’ So Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu anhu) wrote back to Sayyiduna Khaalid (radhiyallahu anhu) who then put the man to death by means of fire.Ibn Qassaar and Ibn Taymiyyah (AR) have said: All the Sahaabah (radhiallaahu anhum) were unanimous that he should be killed though some of them differed in the manner in which it should be done.
Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu anhu) said that he should be executed by being thrown from a great height.
Another view of Hadrat Ali (radhiyallahu anhu) was that a wall should be dropped upon him.
Hadrat Ibn Abbaas, Ali, Jaabir bin Zaid, Abdullah bin Mamar, Imaam Zuhri and Imaam Maalik (radhiallaahu anhum) have said that those who commit the evil deed of the people of Loot (AS) should be stoned to death, whether they be married or unmarried. This is also one of the narrations of Imaams Ahmad, Shaafiee and Abu Sawr (AR).
Hadrat Ibn Abbaas (radhiyallahu anhu) was once asked about the punishment for the homosexual. He replied, “He should be taken to the top of the highest building in the town and thrown headlong from there. Then he should be pelted with stones.”
Jaabir bin Zaid used to say, “The prohibitive decree of the anus is far more serious than the prohibitive decree of the vagina.” In other words, the prohibition against anal intercourse is far more severe than the prohibition against illegitimate sexual intercourse (with a woman).
ITS DANGERS IN THIS WORLD
Among the evil consequences of this sin are the many deadly and contagious diseases that result from it. Some of these illnesses are such that medical science — with all its might, power and advanced technology – has failed to combat or even fully comprehend, let alone cure it. Certainly no one is able to rise above the Will of Allah Ta’ala and escape His wrath!
Some of these fatal diseases are:
AIDS: There is no cure for it. It is contracted and spread through unlawful sexual intercourse and perverted sexual acts like homosexuality.
GONORRHEA: which causes inflammation of the testicles, blockage of the urethra, inflammation of the joints and sterility.
SYPHILIS: This is a type of venereal disease commonly known among the Arabs as ‘the English Disease’ since its origin lies in European societies where free intermingling of the sexes and immorality is rife. It results in insanity, paralysis, blindness, and other nerve disorders. Also leads to blood vessel damage and death.
GENITAL ULCERS: which causes inflammation of the lymphatic glands. It also gives rise to chronic festering of tumours, inflammation of the urethra, severe pain in the joints and swelling of the limbs.
HEPATITIS B: Its symptoms include fever, fatigue, nausea and jaundice. It results in chronic hepatitis or liver cancer.
These are only a few of the many deadly diseases caused by perverted sexual behaviour. Could anyone ever desire contracting any of them?
May Allah Ta’ala protect all of us from all types of evil!
