Tafseer of The Moon · Al-Qamar · 54:37
And they had demanded from him his guests, but We obliterated their eyes, [saying], "Taste My punishment and warning."
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
Muḥammad ibn Saʿd related to me, saying: my father related to me, saying: my paternal uncle related to me, saying: my father related to me, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning His words "And they had indeed sought to lure him away from his guests, so We blotted out their eyes" (54:37), he said: Allah made the angels invisible to their eyes when they entered upon Lūṭ.
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His words "And they had indeed sought to lure him away from his guests, so We blotted out their eyes": And it has been mentioned to us that Jibrīl, peace be upon him, asked his Lord for permission to punish them on the night they came to Lūṭ, and that they were tugging at the door to force their way in upon him, whereupon he struck them with his wing and left them blind, wandering about.
Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said, concerning the words of Allah "And they had indeed sought to lure him away from his guests, so We blotted out their eyes," he said: These were the people of Lūṭ, when they sought to lure him away from his guests; Allah blotted out their eyes. For he had forbidden them their filthy deed which they used to commit, whereupon they said: We will not abandon our deed, so beware of letting anyone alight or receiving anyone as a guest or letting anyone lodge with you, for we will not desist, nor will we give up our deed. He said: When the messengers came to him, his wretched wife went out through a crack, came to them, called them, and said to them: Come, for people have arrived more handsome of face than any I have ever seen, with finer garments and a more pleasant scent. He said: Then they came hastening to him. He said: These are my guests, so fear Allah and do not disgrace me regarding my guests. They said: Have we not forbidden you the people of the worlds? He said: These are my daughters, they are purer for you. Then Jibrīl, peace be upon him, said to him: What causes you to be so distressed by these people? He said: Do you not see what they want? He said: We are the messengers of your Lord; they shall not reach you. Do not fear and do not grieve; we shall save you and your family, except your wife. You shall indeed carry out this matter in secret, and in it there will be a trial. He said: Then Jibrīl, peace be upon him, spread out one of his wings and with it took away their sight; he blotted out their eyes, whereupon they began to wander about in confusion among one another. Those are the words of Allah "so We blotted out their eyes; so taste My punishment and My warnings" (54:37).
It was related to me on the authority of al-Ḥusayn, he said: I heard Abū Muʿādh say: ʿUbayd informed us, saying: I heard al-Ḍaḥḥāk say concerning His words "And they had indeed sought to lure him away from his guests": The angels came in the form of men — and thus they used to come — and the people of Lūṭ saw them when they entered the city. And it is said: they took up lodging with Lūṭ, whereupon they came to them, desiring them. Lūṭ went out to meet them and adjured them by Allah not to disgrace him regarding his guests, but they refused him and came to force their way in upon him. Then the messengers said to Lūṭ: Let them enter freely, for we are the messengers of your Lord; they shall not reach you. They entered the house, and Allah blotted out their sight, so that they no longer saw them. And they said: We saw them when they entered the house, where then have they gone? And they saw them no more and turned back.
And His words "so taste My punishment and My warnings" (54:37): The Exalted, whose remembrance is exalted, says: Taste then, O company of the people of Lūṭ from Sodom, My punishment which has come down upon you, and My warning with which I warned communities other than you, of exemplary punishment and chastisements.
