People of Ad – Prophet Hud References

 

References Al-A'raaf 7:65-72 Hud 11:50-60 Al-Mu'minun 23:31-38 Al-Ahqaf 46:21-26 69:6-7

 

Al-A'raaf 7:65-72

 

And to 'AdEN7:51 We sent their brother Hud: he said, "O my people, worship Allah: you have no deity other than He.  Will you not, then, refrain from wrong ways?"  7:65

 

EN7:51 Ad was one of the most ancient tribes of Arabia.  Their stories were well known and were related all over the country.  The stories of their power and wealth had become proverbial and their utter annihilation also was cited as an example.  Their notoriety helped to produce some new words akin to their name.  Every ancient thing is called 'adi and archaeological remains are called 'adiyyat.  The land which has no owner left and thus becomes fallow, is called 'adi-ul-ard.  This tribe is often mentioned in the ancient Arabic poetry.  The experts in the art of genealogy of the Arab tribes mention 'Ad as the first of the extinct tribes of Arabia.  The tribe of 'Ad lives in Ahqaf, surrounded by Hijaz over a vast territory that extended from the western coast of Yaman and 'Umman and Hadarmaut to 'Iraq.  Tough their remains have become quite extinct from the historical point of view, yet there are some remnants in Southern Arabia that are ascribed to 'Ad. At one place in Hadrmaut, there is a tomb which is said to be of Prophet Hud.

 

The chiefs of his people who rejected his Message, answered, "We clearly see that you are of unsound mind and we think that you are a liar." 7:66

He replied, "O my people, I am not of unsound mind, but in fact, I am a Messenger from the Lord of the worlds.  7:67

I convey the Message of my Lord to you and I am a trust-worthy well-wisher of yours.  7:68

Do you think it strange that admonition from your Lord should come to you through a man among your own people so that he may warn you?  Do not forget that after Noah's people your Lord made you his successors and made you very robust.  So remember the wonderful manifestations of Allah's powers: EN7:52 It is expected that you will attain success."  7:69

 

EN7:52 The Arabic word ala means (1) "blessings", (2) Demonstrations of nature and (3) Praiseworthy qualities.  Thus the verse could mean, "Remember the blessings and favors of Allah and do not forget that He also has the power to take away these favors from you."

 

They replied, "Have you come to us (with the demand) that we should worship Allah alone and discard those whom our forefathers have been worshipping? EN7:53  Well, bring on us the scourge with which you have been threatening us, if you are truthful."  7:70

 

EN7:53 The people of Hud were neither ignorant of the existence of Allah nor did they deny Him nor did the refuse to worship Him.  What they refused to accept was the invitation of Prophet Hud to worship Allah alone, without associating anyone else with Him. 

 

To this, he replied, "You already have incurred the curse of Allah and His wrath.  Do you dispute with me about mere names which you and your forefathers have invented, EN7:54 and for which Allah has sent down no authority? EN7:55  Well, you may wait an I, too, will wait with you."  7:71

 

EN7:54 That is, "You call one "the lord of rain' the other 'the lord of air or 'lord of wealth' or 'lord of disease', when in fact, none of these is lord of anything.  These are mere names that you have invented."  IN our time they call one "the remover of difficulties' and the other 'the bestower of treasures', whereas he has no treasure to bestow on anyone.  The have mad one 'the giver', when he owns nothing to give, and so on.  In fact, such titles are empty words without any corresponding possessor of such qualities, entitling anyone to these titles.  Therefore, if one argues to justify these titles, he, in fact, raises disputes over mere names that have no reality behind them.

 

EN7:55 That is, "Allah, Whom you yourselves acknowledge to be the Overlord, has not delegated to any of these gods the powers of a lord or god.  He has never said that He has delegated a part of Hid Godhead to such and such one. , or has He sent command authorizing anyone with the powers of 'giver' or 'remover of difficulties'.  You yourselves have, of your own accord, bestowed such titles on the ones you pleased."

 

Ultimately, We saved Hud and his companions with Our Mercy, and We cut off the roots of those who treated Our Revelations as lies, and did not intend to believe. EN7:56 7:72

 

EN7:56 "We destroyed them so completely that no sign of theirs was left in the world."  The archaeological remains bear testimony that the people of the "First 'Ad" were so completely annihilated that even their monuments were effaced from the world.  The followers of Hud were saved and were known as "Second 'Ad".

 

Hud 11:50-60 

 

And to 'Ad We sent their brother Hud;EN11:54he said, "O my people! Serve Allah: you have no god other than He: it is nothing but falsehood that you have forged. EN11:55 11:50

 

EN11:54 Keep in view EN11:56

 

EN11:55 That is, "You have forged falsehood about all the deities you worship besides Allah, for in fact they possess no powers and no qualities that might entitle them to Godhead.  As they have nothing in them which might make them the objects of worship and service, you have put in them false hopes that they would fulfill your desires and needs."

 

O brethren! I do not ask of you any recompense for this service; my recompense is with Him who has created me.  Do you not then use your common-sense? EN11:56 11:51

 

EN11:56 That is, "You are taking a superficial view of my Message and rejecting it without paying due and deep consideration to it.  I have absolutely no personal interests.  I am suffering hardships in conveying the Message which cannot bring any benefit to me or the members of my family.  Why don't you then use your common-sense before rejecting the Message out-right.?"

 

And O my People, beg forgiveness of your Lord; then turn to Him in repentance, and He will open the gates of the heavens for you and add more strength to your present strength. EN11:57Do not turn away as guilty people. 11:52

 

EN11:57 Moral values not count not only in the life of Hereafter but also determine the rise and fall of nations in this world.  The fate of the community hangs on the Message which He sends to it through His Prophet.  I fit accepts the message, He opens the gates of His favors and blessings for it, but it rejects the Message, then it is destroyed.

 

They answered, "O Hud! You have not brought us any clear evidence, EN11:58 and we are not going to give up our gods at your word, nor are we going to believe in you.  11:53

 

EN11:58 That is, "You have not brought a clear Sign as evidence to prove conclusively to us that you have been sent by Allah and that the Message you are presenting before us is the Truth."

 

We rather believe that some of our gods have smitten you with some evil. EN11:59 Hud replied, "I bring Allah's evidence. EN11:60 And you should bear witness to it that I have nothing to do with the gods you have set up beside Allah in His Godhead. EN11:61 11:54

 

EN11:59 That is, "It appears that you had behaved rudely towards a god or goddess or saint: Consequently you have been smitten with madness and are being abused, dishonored and pelted with stones in the same streets in which you were respected and honored."

 

EN11:60 "You say that I have brought no evidence to prove that I have been sent by Allah Who is a standing witness everywhere in His universe and giving evidence with the phenomena of Nature to show that the truths I have stated before you are absolutely correct."

 

EN11:61 "Note it well that I, too, feel a strong disgust at the gods you have set up besides Allah."

 

So all of you may do whatever you can against me and give me no respite; EN11:62 11:55

 

EN11:62 This is the answer to their threat.

 

I have full trust in Allah Who is my Lord and your Lord as well.  There is no living creature which He does not hold by its forelock. Indeed, straight is the way of my Lord! EN11:63 11:56

 

EN11:63 That is, "Whatever my Lord does is always right and correct for all His ways are straight and just, and the judgment he passes are based entirely on truth and justice.  Therefore, you cannot come out successful in your conflict with me: for you have deviated from the Right Way and are committing wicked deeds, while I am on the Right Way."

 

You may turn away, if you will; now that I have conveyed to you the Message with which I was sent to you, my Lord will raise up some other community in your place, and you shall not be able to do Him any harm whatsoever. EN11:64 Indeed my Lord keeps watch over everything.  11:57

 

EN11:64 This is the answer to their obdurate denial.

 

Al-Mu'minun 23:31-38

 

After them We raised a people of another generation.EN23:34 23:31

 

EN23:34 The people of 'Ad were raised to power after the people of Noah.

 

Then We sent to them a Messenger from among themselves, (who said,) "Worship Allah alone: you have no other deity than Him.  Are you not afraid (of disbelief)?" 23:32

 

Those of the chiefs of his people, who had rejected the Message and denied the life in the Hereafter and whom we had given prosperity in this worldly life, EN23:35 said, "This person is no more than a human being like yourselves, for he eats of what you eat and drinks of what you drink. 23:33

 

EN23:35 It should be noted that all those who opposed the Messengers had three common characteristics: (1) they were the chiefs of their people, (2) they denied life in the "Hereafter"., and (3) they were prosperous in the worldly life.  Obviously they had the life of this world and could never conceive that their way of life, which had made them chiefs and brought prosperity, could be wrong.  Therefore, they opposed the Messengers, who took away their peace of mind by preaching that there was a life-after death and they shall have to render an account to Allah of what they did in this world.

 

Now if you submit to a human being like yourselves, you shall indeed be losers. EN23:36 23:34

 

EN23:36 When the chiefs felt that the Message was spreading among the common people and there was a great danger that they would be influenced by the pure character of the Messenger and then superiority then would automatically come to an end, they began to delude them by raising such objections against him.  Both the chiefs of the people of Noah and the chiefs of people of 'Ad accused their Messengers of the "lust for power" but as regards themselves, they thought that power and prosperity were their inherent rights and they were in every aspect entitled to be the chiefs of their people.

 

What! Does he tell you that after you are dead and turned into dust and become mere bones, you shall be brought out alive (from graves)? 23:35

 

Impossible! Just impossible is that which you are being threatened with.  23:36

There is no other life than this worldly life.  We will live here and die here and will not be raised up again. 23:37

This man is merely an imposter, who is inventing lies in the name of Allah, EN23:36a and we are not going to believe in what he says".23:38

 

EN23:36a The people of 'Ad too, were not disbelievers in the existence of God.  They too were involved in the sin of shirk.

 

Al-Ahqaf 46:21-26

 

And relate to them the story of the brother of 'Ad (Hud), when he warned his people in AhqafEN46:25 - and such warners had preceded as well as followed him - saying, "Worship none but Allah.  I fear for you the torment of a dreadful day."  46:21

 

EN46:25 The story of 'Ad is being related to them about whom it was well known that they had been the mightiest people in Arabia.  Literally, Ahqaf  are long dunes of sand less in height than mountains, but technically it is name given to the south-western part of the Arabian desert (Ar-rub' ul-khali) which is wholly inhabited.  The territory of 'Ad extended from Oman to Yaman.  The people of 'Ad actually belonged to Al-Ahqaf from where they spread to the adjoining lands and subdued weak nations.  One-hundred and twenty-five miles to the north of the present-day city of Mukallah there is a place in Hadramaut, whre the people have built a tomb to the Prophet Hud, and the place is well known as the Grave of Hud.  A religious festival is held there on the 15th of Sha'ban. There are several ruins in Hadramaut which the natives still call by the name of Dar-'Ad (Abode of 'Ad).

 

They said, "Have you come to seduce us away from our own gods?  Well, bring down your torment with which you have threatened us, if you are really truthful."  46:22

 

He said, "The knowledge of this is with Allah.EN46:26  I am only conveying to you the message with which I have been sent.  But I see that you are a people sunk in ignorance."EN46:27 46:23

 

EN46:26 That is, "Allah alone knows as to when the torment will descend on you and for how long you will be granted respite."

 

EN46:27 That is, "You are taking my this warning as a joke in your ignorance and demanding the torment for fun.  You have no idea of how dreadful is God's torment and how near at hand it might have approached because of your misdeeds."

 

Then, when they saw the torment coming towards their valleys, they said, "This is a cloud that will give us much rain." - Nay,EN46:28 but this is the same thing which you asked to be hastened.  This is a storm of a wind bringing a painful torment.  46:24

 

EN46:28 Here, there is no indication as to who gave them this answer.  However, the style shows explicitly that was the answer they were given by the existing conditions.  They thought it was a cloud which was coming to give rain to their valleys, but in reality it was a windstorm that was coming on to completely exterminate them.

 

It will destroy everything by the Command if its Lord.  Consequently, there remained nothing to be seen except their (empty) dwelling places.  Thus do we recompense the culprits.EN46:29  46:25

 

EN46:29 See Al-araf 65-72

 

We had given them that which We have not given you.EN46:30  We had given them ears, eyes and hearts, but nothing did their ears and their eyes and their hearts avail them, because they denied the Revelations of Allah,EN46:31 and they were encompassed by the same thing that they mocked. 46:26

 

EN46:30 That as, "you are no match for them as far as wealth, power, authority and other things are concerned: your sphere of authority is restricted to the bounds of Makkah, but they had dominated a large part of the earth."

 

EN46:31 It is only the Revelations of Allah which give the right knowledge and understanding of the truth and reality to man.  If man has this understanding and knowledge he sees the right thing with his eyes, hears the right thing with his ears, thinks the right thing with his mind and intellect and takes the right decisions.  But when he refuses to see the truth in spite of the eyes, becomes deaf to every word of admonition in spite of the ears, and misuses the blessings of the minds and intellect that God has granted him, and goes on drawing wrong conclusions one after the other; so much so that he starts using all his capabilities for his own destruction.