Does the statement of the exegetes, that Lot believed in Abraham after his salvation from the fire, confirm that Lot did not believe in Abraham before that, and what was his religion?
The majority of Sunni scholars hold that prophets are infallible, protected from polytheism and disbelief, even before their prophethood. However, a minority view allows for the possibility of such occurrences before prophethood, but not after.
As for the noble verse, (And Lot believed him), it does not indicate that Lot, peace be upon him, was in a state of disbelief before this. Rather, it speaks of his affirmation of Abraham's message after his salvation from the fire. His belief in Abraham's message does not imply that he was not a monotheist before that. Commentators such as Ibn Abbas, Qatadah, and Muqatil have stated that the meaning of "And Lot believed him" is "Lot affirmed Abraham."
Al-Alusi, Al-Khazin, and Al-Shawkani clarified that Lot's belief here is his affirmation of Abraham's prophethood or of all his statements, and not his belief in monotheism, which he had already adhered to before that, because prophets are exalted above disbelief.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
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