وَلَقَدْ رَٰوَدُوهُ عَن ضَيْفِهِۦ فَطَمَسْنَآ أَعْيُنَهُمْ فَذُوقُوا۟ عَذَابِى وَنُذُرِ 37
Translations
And they had demanded from him his guests, but We obliterated their eyes, [saying], "Taste My punishment and warning."
Transliteration
Wa-laqad rawwadūhu 'an ḍayfih fa-ṭamasna a'yunahu fathhāqū 'adhābī wa-nudhur
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refers to the people of Lot who attempted to seduce Lot's guests (the angels), so Allah blinded them as punishment for their wickedness and rejection of His warnings. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, the blinding (ṭamas) was a miraculous affliction that prevented them from seeing, representing both literal blindness and spiritual blindness to guidance. The ayah emphasizes that those who persistently reject divine warnings and commit grave sins taste the punishment of Allah in this life and face greater torment in the Hereafter.
Revelation Context
Surah Al-Qamar, revealed in Mecca, contains multiple stories of rejected prophets and their peoples' punishments. This specific ayah is part of the narrative of Prophet Lot and the destruction of his people due to their transgression, a theme repeated several times in the Quran to warn the Meccan disbelievers of the consequences of rejecting the Prophet Muhammad and divine revelation.
Related Hadiths
The story of Lot's people is referenced in various hadiths condemning sodomy. A relevant hadith from Sunan Ibn Majah and Sunan At-Tirmidhi states that the Prophet (ﷺ) said the worst of sins includes the actions of Lot's people, emphasizing the gravity of their transgression mentioned in this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
When people persistently reject divine warnings and persist in grave sins, Allah's punishment becomes inevitable—both in this world through various afflictions and in the Hereafter. Modern readers should reflect on how rejecting moral guidance leads to spiritual blindness and loss of discernment, and should prioritize obedience to Allah's commands while there is still time for repentance.