It is recorded in Holy Quran as a note of warning that an extreme of transgression of Divine norms has to have retribution. Divine wrath comes into play, the calamity that visits transgressing nations stands noted in the Holy Verse:
‘’And We rained down a rain on (those who lagged behind); and evil indeed is the rain on those who have been warned’’ (27:58)
It has been explained by all commentators that Lot’s nation (Quam-e-Lout) was destroyed by rain and this was not a flood (flash floods resulting from cloudburst can wipe off vast populated areas).
It might be difficult for unbelievers to accept that rain without causing flash floods could be disruptive enough to wipe an entire nation off the face of earth, but the rain descending from radioactive cloud could wreak death and destruction.
In early August 1945, it was seen in Hiroshima and Nagasaki—two Japanese island cities shinning like emeralds in the middle of the Ocean.
We may not need scientific authentication of verses in Holy Quran. Holy Quran descended as a blessing of heavens, much before scientific revelations came to fore.
Allah (SwT) the possessor of infinite powers has within the realm of His authority, the command of universal forces, much beyond human imagination.
We may not stress that it was radioactive krypton—the death rain that destroyed Lout’s nation (Quam-e-Lout). Allah (SwT) alone knows the secret of divine wrath that visited Houd and Ad, the example of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was quoted only to exhibit to sceptics—the unbelievers that rain without causing flash floods could be destructive enough to wipe nations off the face of earth.
Ibn Arabi (RA) submits an elegant interpretation for Lout’s nation that with rain, relief was on the way.
The great saint says, ‘’of course death is a relief for them, since their blasphemous condition would be terminated.’’
Maulana Rumi (RA) says, ‘’When death came near, the nation of Lout saw the truth and understood that cloud of death was a relief to them’’