• The people had been exhorted by Hud, to believe in and serve none but God

• They rejected Hud’s admonition and thus they were destroyed

Hud Verses 50 – 60

وَإِلَىٰ عَادٍ أَخَاهُمْ هُودًا قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مَا لَكُمْ مِنْ إِلَٰهٍ غَيْرُهُ إِنْ أَنْتُمْ إِلَّا مُفْتَرُونَ

And unto (the people) ‘Ad (We sent) their brother Hud.1Said he: “O’ my people! Worship ye (the Only) God, ye have no god other than He; ye are but forgers.”2(11:50)

يَا قَوْمِ لَا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا إِنْ أَجْرِيَ إِلَّا عَلَى الَّذِي فَطَرَنِي أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ

“O’ my people! I ask you not on it any recompense; my recompense is only with Him Who created me; What! then ye understand not?” (11:51)

وَيَا قَوْمِ اسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ ثُمَّ تُوبُوا إِلَيْهِ يُرْسِلِ السَّمَاءَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِدْرَارًا وَيَزِدْكُمْ قُوَّةً إِلَىٰ قُوَّتِكُمْ وَلَا تَتَوَلَّوْا مُجْرِمِينَ

“And O’ my people! Ask ye the forgiveness of your Lord and then turn ye repentant unto Him, He sendeth clouds3on you pouring down abundant rain and addeth He strength to your strength, and turn ye not back as guilty ones.” (11:52)

قَالُوا يَا هُودُ مَا جِئْتَنَا بِبَيِّنَةٍ وَمَا نَحْنُ بِتَارِكِي آلِهَتِنَا عَنْ قَوْلِكَ وَمَا نَحْنُ لَكَ بِمُؤْمِنِينَ

Said they: “O’ Hud! thou hast not brought unto us any clear sign (of your truthfulness) and we will desert not our gods on thy word! and nor are we believers in thee!” (11:53)

إِنْ نَقُولُ إِلَّا اعْتَرَاكَ بَعْضُ آلِهَتِنَا بِسُوءٍ قَالَ إِنِّي أُشْهِدُ اللَّهَ وَاشْهَدُوا أَنِّي بَرِيءٌ مِمَّا تُشْرِكُونَ

“We say nothing but that have smitten thee some of our gods with evil;” said he4: “Verily I call God to witness, and bear ye also witness that I am clear5of what ye associate,” (11:54)

مِنْ دُونِهِ فَكِيدُونِي جَمِيعًا ثُمَّ لَا تُنْظِرُونِ

“Besides Him, and then conspire ye against me all of you and give ye no respite.” (11:55)

إِنِّي تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى اللَّهِ رَبِّي وَرَبِّكُمْ مَا مِنْ دَابَّةٍ إِلَّا هُوَ آخِذٌ بِنَاصِيَتِهَا إِنَّ رَبِّي عَلَىٰ صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ

“Verily I rely on God, my Lord and your Lord; there is no living creature but He holdeth it (in His control) by its forelock; Verily my Lord is on the Right6path. (11:56)

فَإِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَقَدْ أَبْلَغْتُكُمْ مَا أُرْسِلْتُ بِهِ إِلَيْكُمْ وَيَسْتَخْلِفُ رَبِّي قَوْمًا غَيْرَكُمْ وَلَا تَضُرُّونَهُ شَيْئًا إِنَّ رَبِّي عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ حَفِيظٌ

“But if ye turn back, then indeed have I conveyed unto you that which I have been sent with unto you, and my Lord will make to succeed you, people other than you; and ye can not do harm unto Him in any way7at all; Verily my Lord is over all things the (ever) Protecting.” (11:57)

وَلَمَّا جَاءَ أَمْرُنَا نَجَّيْنَا هُودًا وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَعَهُ بِرَحْمَةٍ مِنَّا وَنَجَّيْنَاهُمْ مِنْ عَذَابٍ غَلِيظٍ

And when Our decree came (to pass), We delivered Hud and those who believed with him by a mercy from Us; and We delivered them from a (very) severe torment. (11:58)

وَتِلْكَ عَادٌ جَحَدُوا بِآيَاتِ رَبِّهِمْ وَعَصَوْا رُسُلَهُ وَاتَّبَعُوا أَمْرَ كُلِّ جَبَّارٍ عَنِيدٍ

And this was (the people) ‘Ad, they denied the signs of their Lord, and disobeyed His apostles, and followed the bid dings of every insolent tyrant. (11:59)

وَأُتْبِعُوا فِي هَٰذِهِ الدُّنْيَا لَعْنَةً وَيَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أَلَا إِنَّ عَادًا كَفَرُوا رَبَّهُمْ أَلَا بُعْدًا لِعَادٍ قَوْمِ هُودٍ

“And they were followed in this world by a curse and on the Resurrection Day (also); Behold! verily (the people) ‘Ad disbelieved in their Lord; Behold! away with ‘Ad the people of Hud.” (11:60)8

Commentary

Verses 57 - 60

‘Qummi’ relates in his commentary that the ‘Ad’ were a people of strong build and huge stature. They lived in the forests. They worshipped idols. However much the Apostle Hud exhorted them to give up idol-worship and embrace Islam, they paid no heed to his advice. God caused a drought and for years together not a drop of water rained from heaven. At last a group of the people gathered at the door of Hud and a black woman with ugly face and a bald head came out and coming to know that the people had assembled to pray to God for rain, said: “What! if the prayer of Hud was so sure to be heard by God, he would have prayed for himself, for his own cornfields are totally burnt and destroyed by the sun.

The people however requested Hud to pray for rain. Hud prayed and told the people to return to their villages saying, “Go Ye! it has rained in your places and again the food hast come cheaper.” The people then asked who the old ugly woman was, who appeared at his door and spoke to them. Hud said that she was his wife for whom he prayed to God to give her the longest life possible. When they asked as to why he prayed so, Hud replied: “God created not a believer but with an enemy.” She is my enemy. It is better to have an enemy under us than being under an enemy.” After the rain the people prospered very much but never did they amend their faith, their conduct or character. At last they were wiped out of existence.9

• 1. Refer to verses 7:65, 53:50 & 89:6.
• 2. Of false creeds.
• 3. Lit- Skies
• 4. Hud.
• 5. detach myself from what you associate.
• 6. Never unjust to anyone.
• 7. In any thing or in the least.
• 8. Refer to verse 38:12.
• 9. See verses 7:65; 53:50; 89:6.