Does the interpretive difference in reading the verse, ﴿فَأَسْرِ بِأَهْلِكَ بِقِطْعٍ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ وَلَا يَلْتَفِتْ مِنْكُمْ أَحَدٌ إِلَّا امْرَأَتَكَ إِنَّهُ مُصِيبُهَا مَا أَصَابَهُمْ﴾ [Then set out with your family during a portion of the night and let not any among you look back, except your wife; indeed, what befell them will befall her], stem from a difference in Qira'at (readings) or a difference in interpretation, especially concerning the case of "امرأتَك" (your wife, accusative)? Is the Hafs reading the only correct one, or is the interpretation incorrect, and the difference does not alter the meaning? Is "امرأتَك" connected to "إِنَّهُ مُصِيبُهَا مَا أَصَابَهُمْ" [indeed, what befell them will befall her] and not to "فَأَسْرِ بِأَهْلِكَ" [Then set out with your family]? Does the absence of codifying Arabic grammar after the Quran affect the interpretation of the verses? And can both readings mean the same thing with a difference in dialect, such that both indicate that Lot took his wife, and "امرأتَكَ" focuses on her fate, while "امرأتُكَ" (your wife, nominative) focuses on her disobedience?

The Holy Quran was revealed in a clear Arabic tongue. Some Quranic recitations (Qira'at) differ in pronunciation and meaning, or in pronunciation only. Irregular recitations (Qira'at Shadhdhah) are used as evidence in the Arabic language.

Regarding the verse: (So depart with your family during a portion of the night and let not any of you look back, except your wife; indeed, that which strikes them will strike her) [Hud: 81].

The word "امرأتك" (your wife) has been recited with both a نصب (nasb - accusative) and a رفع (raf‘ - nominative) vowel ending. Both are correct and widely transmitted (mutawatir) recitations. For the nasb recitation, there are two approaches: that the exception is continuous (muttaṣil) and "امرأتك" is an exception from "أهلك" (your family), or that it is discontinuous (munqaṭi‘) meaning: "but as for your wife, indeed, that which strikes them will strike her."

As for the raf‘ recitation, it is said that the exception is continuous and "امرأتك" is a substitute for "أحد" (any of you), or that it is discontinuous and "امرأتك" is the subject (mubtada’) whose predicate (khabar) is "إنه مصيبها ما أصابهم" (indeed, that which strikes them will strike her).

The stronger opinion is that the exception is discontinuous. This aligns with other verses in the Quran that clarify that Lot's wife was not saved from the punishment; she was among those destined to perish, whether she remained behind or departed with Lot.