Lot lived among a people who practiced naked lewdness; they went lustfully after men instead of women. God chose him as His messenger to tell them to give up their perversity and fear Him. He told them: My people, ask forgiveness of your Lord and repent for your evil ways. [27:55]

But instead of listening to him, they jeered at him, calling him and his family 'these despicable, puritan folk'. They hounded them out of the town. God rescued all of them except Lot's wife, who turned back and decided to be with the unbelievers. Suddenly a rain of fire and stones fell on the inhabitants of the place and they were destroyed.

The Koran reminds: In your travels either by morning light or the fain glimmer of the fall of night you can see their ruins as you pass by. [37:136-138]