Then in the time of Hud, the Pharaohs appeared. The first of them to appear were Ad and Sodom, who is used as a parable for his judgments by the commoners; when a ruler is unjust to them, they say: "This is a Sodomite judgment," yet they know him not. After them, appearing with Salih—exalted be his glory—was Qaydar ibn Sharif, the hamstringer of the she-camel.

(362) It is related from our Master al-Sadiq—exalted be his glory—that he said: "God never raised a prophet except that he was Muhammad, nor a successor to a prophet except that he was Ali, nor two opposites except that they were the First and the Second."

Then the Name—exalted be his glory—manifested as Lot, who is Lot ibn Haran. The Meaning—exalted be His praise—was manifest as Luqman—exalted be his glory—and he is an Exemplary Meaning. The Gate was Yail ibn Fatin, as he was in the time of Noah—exalted be his glory.

The saying of Lot—exalted be his glory: {And his people came hastening to him, and before they had been doing evil deeds. He said, "O my people, these are my daughters; they are purer for you. So fear God and do not disgrace me concerning my guests. Is there not among you a right-minded man?"}¹ The "daughters" here are the students who heard the Call of Truth and accepted it; they were purer than the men who were destitute of knowledge.

And His word: {Do you indeed approach men with desire instead of women? Rather, you are a people who are ignorant}². "Women" here refers to those who have found intimacy with Knowledge; in the view of the People of Reality, they are men, not females.