hazrat hud alaihis salam

Identity of hazrat hud (as).

Hazrat Hud (a.s.) was sent to the fierce and powerful nation of ‘Ad. Among the six major nations of the world destroyed by the wrath of Allah, the people of “Ad were the second after the people of Noah. Hud (as) was their descendant. ‘Ad and Thamud were the descendants of Sam, the son of Nuh (as) and the fifth or eighth male subordinate of Nuh.

The descendants of Iram’s son ‘Ad are known as ‘Ad Ula’ or the first ‘Ad and the descendants of the other son’s son Thamud are known as ‘Ad Chani or the second ‘Ad. [1] Both the tribes of ‘Ad and Thamud are two branches of Iram. Therefore the word ‘Iram’ is equally applicable to both ‘Ad and Thamud tribes. For this reason, the words ‘Ad Ula’ (Nazm 50) and ‘Iram Yatil ‘Imad’ (Fajr 7) are used somewhere in the Quran.

There were 13 families or tribes of the “Ad community. They had settlements starting from Amman to Hazaramout and Yemen. [2] Their farms were very lively and rich in crops. They had almost all kinds of bug gardens. They were well-built and big-boned. Allah Ta’ala opened the door of favor to them. But due to crookedness, these things became their day. They themselves went astray and led others astray. They became drunk with power and began to show arrogance saying ‘Who is stronger than us’ (Fuchsalat/Hameem Sajdah 15).

They abandoned the worship of Allah and re-introduced the polytheism of idolatry that had been abandoned during the time of Noah (pbuh). They obliviously forgot about Noah’s all-consuming flood that happened only a few men ago. As a result, Allah sent Hud (a.s.) as a prophet among them to guide them. Note that they were the first to start worshiping idols after Noah’s flood.

Hazrat Hud (a.s.) and Qawme ‘Ad are described in 73 verses in 17 Surahs of the Holy Quran.[3]

The invitation of Hud (as).

Allah says in Surah A’raf verses 65-72:

وَإِلَى عَادٍ أَخَاهُمْ هُوْداً قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ اعْبُدُوا اللهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَـهٍ غَيْرُهُ أَفَلاَ تَتَّقُوْنَ؟ قَالَ الْمَلأُ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا مِنْ قَوْمِهِ إِنَّا لَنَرَاكَ فِيْ سَفَاهَةٍ وِإِنَّا لَنَظُنُّكَ مِنَ الْكَاذِبِيْنَ، قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ لَيْسَ بِيْ سَفَاهَةٌ وَلَكِنِّيْ رَسُولٌ مِّن رَّبِّ الْعَالَمِيْنَ، أُبَلِّغُكُمْ رِسَالاتِ رَبِّيْ وَأَنَا لَكُمْ نَاصِحٌ أَمِيْنٌ، أَوَعَجِبْتُمْ أَنْ جَاءَكُمْ ذِكْرٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ عَلَى رَجُلٍ مِّنْكُمْ لِيُنْذِرَكُمْ وَاذْكُرُوْا إِذْ جَعَلَكُمْ خُلَفَاءَ مِن بَعْدِ قَوْمِ نُوْحٍ وَزَادَكُمْ فِي الْخَلْقِ بَسْطَةً فَاذْكُرُوْا آلآءَ اللهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُوْنَ،

قَالُوْا أَجِئْتَنَا لِنَعْبُدَ اللّهَ وَحْدَهُ وَنَذَرَ مَا كَانَ يَعْبُدُ آبَاؤُنَا فَأْتِنَا بِمَا تَعِدُنَا إِنْ كُنْتَ مِنَ الصَّادِقِيْنَ، قَالَ قَدْ وَقَعَ عَلَيْكُم مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ رِجْسٌ وَغَضَبٌ أَتُجَادِلُوْنَنِيْ فِيْ أَسْمَاءٍ سَمَّيْتُمُوْهَا أَنتُمْ وَآبَآؤكُم مَّا نَزَّلَ الله ُبِهَا مِنْ سُلْطَانٍ فَانتَظِرُوْا إِنِّيْ مَعَكُم مِّنَ الْمُنْتَظِرِيْنَ، فَأَنجَيْنَاهُ وَالَّذِيْنَ مَعَهُ بِرَحْمَةٍ مِّنَّا وَقَطَعْنَا دَابِرَ الَّذِيْنَ كَذَّبُوْا بِآيَاتِنَا وَمَا كَانُوْا مُؤْمِنِيْنَ- (الأعراف )-

Translation: And to the tribe of ‘Ad (we sent) their brother Hud. He said, O my community! Worship Allah. You have no god but Him. Then you will not be God-fearing? (A’raf 7/65). ‘The disbelieving leaders of his community said, ‘We see you indulging in ignorance and we consider you among the liars’ (66).

Hud said, O my community! There is no stupidity in me. Rather, I am only a messenger sent by the Lord of the world’ (67). “I convey to you the messages of my Lord and I am your benevolent and faithful” (68). Do you wonder that there has come to you a revelation from your Lord to one of you, that he may warn you? Remember when Allah anointed you to be leaders after Noah and created you in abundance. So remember the favors of Allah, that you may be successful’ (69).

They said, ‘Have you come to us only that we worship only Allah and abandon those whom our forefathers worshipped? Then bring to us (the punishment) of which you are telling us the bad news, if you are truthful’ (70). Hud said, Punishment and wrath from your Lord have been decreed upon you. Why do you dispute with me about the names which you and your forefathers named? Allah did not send down any evidence (Sultan) about those gods.

So wait, I am waiting with you’ (71). ‘Then We saved him and his companions by Our grace and eradicated those who falsified Our verses. Indeed, they were not believers’ (A’raf 7/65-72).

Then Allah described the event in Surah Hud verses 50-60. Namely,

وَإِلَى عَادٍ أَخَاهُمْ هُودًا قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ اعْبُدُوا اللهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَهٍ غَيْرُهُ إِنْ أَنتُمْ إِلاَّ مُفْتَرُوْنَ، يَا قَوْمِ لاَ أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا إِنْ أَجْرِيَ إِلاَّ عَلَى الَّذِيْ فَطَرَنِيْ أَفَلاَ تَعْقِلُوْنَ؟ وَيَا قَوْمِ اسْتَغْفِرُوْا رَبَّكُمْ ثُمَّ تُوْبُوْا إِلَيْهِ يُرْسِلِ السَّمَاءَ عَلَيْكُم مِّدْرَارًا وَيَزِدْكُمْ قُوَّةً إِلَى قُوَّتِكُمْ وَلاَ تَتَوَلَّوْا مُجْرِمِيْنَ، قَالُوْا يَا هُوْدُ مَا جِئْتَنَا بِبَيِّنَةٍ وَّمَا نَحْنُ بِتَارِكِيْ آلِهَتِنَا عَنْ قَوْلِكَ وَمَا نَحْنُ لَكَ بِمُؤْمِنِيْنَ، إِن نَّقُوْلُ إِلاَّ اعْتَرَاكَ بَعْضُ آلِهَتِنَا بِسُوْءٍ قَالَ إِنِّيْ أُشْهِدُ اللّهَ وَاشْهَدُوْا أَنِّيْ بَرِيْءٌ مِّمَّا تُشْرِكُوْنَ، مِنْ دُوْنِهِ فَكِيْدُونِيْ جَمِيْعًا ثُمَّ لاَ تُنْظِرُوْنِ، إِنِّيْ تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى اللهِ رَبِّيْ وَرَبِّكُم مَّا مِنْ دَآبَّةٍ إِلاَّ هُوَ آخِذٌ بِنَاصِيَتِهَا إِنَّ رَبِّيْ عَلَى صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيْمٍ،

فَإِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَقَدْ أَبْلَغْتُكُم مَّا أُرْسِلْتُ بِهِ إِلَيْكُمْ وَيَسْتَخْلِفُ رَبِّيْ قَوْمًا غَيْرَكُمْ وَلاَ تَضُرُّوْنَهُ شَيْئًا إِنَّ رَبِّيْ عَلَىَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ حَفِيْظٌ، وَلَمَّا جَاءَ أَمْرُنَا نَجَّيْنَا هُوْدًا وَالَّذِيْنَ آمَنُوْا مَعَهُ بِرَحْمَةٍ مِّنَّا وَنَجَّيْنَاهُم مِّنْ عَذَابٍ غَلِيْظٍ، وَتِلْكَ عَادٌ جَحَدُوْا بِآيَاتِ رَبِّهِمْ وَعَصَوْا رُسُلَهُ وَاتَّبَعُوْا أَمْرَ كُلِّ جَبَّارٍ عَنِيْدٍ، وَأُتْبِعُوْا فِيْ هَذِهِ الدُّنْيَا لَعْنَةً وَيَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أَلآ إِنَّ عَادًا كَفَرُوْا رَبَّهُمْ أَلآ بُعْدًا لِّعَادٍ قَوْمِ هُوْدٍ- (هود)-

Translation: And to the nation of ‘Ad (we sent) their brother Hud. He said to them, O my nation! Worship Allah. You have no god but Him. Indeed, all of you are lying about it’ (Hud 11/50). O my nation! (For this invitation of mine) I do not ask you for any exchange. My reward is with Him who created me. Then you do not understand? (51).

O my people! Seek forgiveness from your Lord and return to Him. He will send down upon you winds from heaven and increase your strength upon strength. Do not turn your back like criminals’ (52). They said, O Hud! You have not brought us any proof, and we cannot reject our gods as you say. Indeed, we do not believe in you’ (53).

‘Rather we mean that one of our gods (being angry at your unbelief) has cast an evil spell upon you. Hud said, “I bear witness to Allah, and you also bear witness that I am completely free from those whom you associate” (54) “Except Him.” Then all of you try to harm me and do not give me any respite’ (55). I trusted in Allah. Who is my Lord and your Lord. There is no creature that moves upon the earth, which is not under his dominion. My Lord is on the Straight Path’ (i.e. He is with those who follow the Straight Path)’ (56).

Even if you turn away after this, then (know that) I have conveyed to you that with which I was sent to you. My Lord will replace you with another nation, then you will not be able to harm them. Verily my Lord is the Guardian of every thing’ (57). “Then when Our command (Ghajab) appeared, We freed Hud and his fellow believers by Our grace and saved them from a severe punishment” (58).

They were ‘ad jati. Those who rejected the verses (signs) of their Lord and disobeyed the messengers sent to them and obeyed the orders of the arrogant and stubborn people’ (59). In this world, they are followed by misfortunes and will be on the Day of Resurrection. Know that the people of Ad disbelieved in their Lord. Know that the people of Hud are ‘a curse for the nation’ (Hud 11/50-60).

Hud (a.s.) warns his nation against their luxury and wrongdoing and despite this reminds them of Allah’s special favors, as stated in Surah Shu’ara verses 128-139,

أَتَبْنُوْنَ بِكُلِّ رِيْعٍ آيَةً تَعْبَثُوْنَ، وَتَتَّخِذُوْنَ مَصَانِعَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَخْلُدُوْنَ، وَإِذَا بَطَشْتُمْ بَطَشْتُمْ جَبَّارِيْنَ، فَاتَّقُوا اللهَ وَأَطِيْعُوْنِ، وَاتَّقُوا الَّذِيْ أَمَدَّكُمْ بِمَا تَعْلَمُوْنَ، أَمَدَّكُمْ بِأَنْعَامٍ وَّبَنِيْنَ، وَجَنَّاتٍ وَّعُيُوْنٍ، إِنِّيْ أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ عَظِيْمٍ، قَالُوْا سَوَاءٌ عَلَيْنَا أَوَعَظْتَ أَمْ لَمْ تَكُن مِّنَ الْوَاعِظِيْنَ، إِنْ هَذَا إِلاَّ خُلُقُ الْأَوَّلِيْنَ، وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمُعَذَّبِيْنَ، فَكَذَّبُوْهُ فَأَهْلَكْنَاهُمْ إِنَّ فِيْ ذَلِكَ لَآيَةً وَّمَا كَانَ أَكْثَرُهُم مُّؤْمِنِيْنَ- (الشعراء ১২৮-১৩৯)-

Translation: ‘Do you build unnecessary signs on every high place (26/128)? (such as tall towers, Shaheed Minar, memorials, etc.). ‘And you build great palaces, that you may live there forever’ (129)? (For example, rich people build large houses in the country and abroad without need). “Also, when you hit someone, hit like the cruel-tyrants (130)” (police torture in various countries is memorable). ‘So fear Allah and obey me (131)’.

“Fear ye the Great One who has helped you with the things you know” (132). ‘He has helped you with cattle and children (133)’ ‘and with gardens and springs (134)’. (Then Hud (A.S.) feared severe punishment and said,) “I fear for you the punishment of Great Day” (135). In response, the leaders of the people said, “Whether you give advice or not, it is all the same to us” (136).

‘These words of yours are nothing but the customs of the former people’ (137). ‘We will not be punished’ (138). (Allah says,) ‘Then (thus) they belied their Prophet. As a result, we also destroyed them. Among these are the (teaching) patterns. Indeed, most of them were not believers’ (Sho’ara 26/128-139).

In Surah Ha-Meem Sajdar verses 14-16, the descriptions of the illusory claims of the people of “Ad, their excessive pride and the punishment that befell them are as follows,

.. قَالُوْا لَوْ شَآءَ رَبُّنَا لَأَنْزَلَ مَلآئِكَةً فَإِنَّا بِمَا أُرْسِلْتُمْ بِهِ كَافِرُوْنَ، فَأَمَّا عَادٌ فَاسْتَكْبَرُوْا فِي الْأَرْضِ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ وَقَالُوْا مَنْ أَشَدُّ مِنَّا قُوَّةً أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا أَنَّ اللهَ الَّذِيْ خَلَقَهُمْ هُوَ أَشَدُّ مِنْهُمْ قُوَّةً وَكَانُوْا بِآيَاتِنَا يَجْحَدُوْنَ، فَأَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ رِيْحًا صَرْصَرًا فِيْ أَيَّامٍ نَّحِسَاتٍ لِّنُذِيْقَهُمْ عَذَابَ الْخِزْيِ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَلَعَذَابُ الْآخِرَةِ أَخْزَى وَهُمْ لاَ يُنْصَرُوْنَ- (حم السجدة

..They (the people of ‘Ad and Thamud) said, If our Lord had willed, He would have sent angels. So we disobeyed what was brought to you’ (41/14). Then the people of ‘Ad became arrogant in the world and said, “Who is more powerful than us?” Have they not noticed that Allah, who created them, is more powerful than them? Indeed, they used to deny Our signs’ (15).

‘Then We sent upon them the wind on several inauspicious days, that they might taste some of the punishment of humiliation in the life of the world. And the punishment of the Hereafter is even more humiliating. On the Day they will not be helped’ (Fuchsalat/Ha-Meem Sajdah 41/14-16).

Read more: Hazrat adam (peace be upon him)

In Surah Ahqaf verses 21-26 the type of punishment is described as follows, as Allah says,

وَاذْكُرْ أَخَا عَادٍ إِذْ أَنذَرَ قَوْمَهُ بِالْأَحْقَافِ وَقَدْ خَلَتْ النُّذُرُ مِن بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِ أَلاَّ تَعْبُدُوْا إِلاَّ اللَّهَ إِنِّيْ أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ عَظِيْمٍ، قَالُوْا أَجِئْتَنَا لِتَأْفِكَنَا عَنْ آلِهَتِنَا فَأْتِنَا بِمَا تَعِدُنَا إِنْ كُنْتَ مِنَ الصَّادِقِيْنَ، قَالَ إِنَّمَا الْعِلْمُ عِندَ اللَّهِ وَأُبَلِّغُكُم مَّا أُرْسِلْتُ بِهِ وَلَكِنِّيْ أَرَاكُمْ قَوْماً تَجْهَلُوْنَ، فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهُ عَارِضاً مُّسْتَقْبِلَ أَوْدِيَتِهِمْ قَالُوْا هَذَا عَارِضٌ مُّمْطِرُنَا بَلْ هُوَ مَا اسْتَعْجَلْتُمْ بِهِ رِيْحٌ فِيهَا عَذَابٌ أَلِيْمٌ، تُدَمِّرُ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ بِأَمْرِ رَبِّهَا فَأَصْبَحُوْا لاَ يُرَى إِلاَّ مَسَاكِنُهُمْ كَذَلِكَ نَجْزِي الْقَوْمَ الْمُجْرِمِيْنَ، وَلَقَدْ مَكَّنَّاهُمْ فِيْمَا إِن مَّكَّنَّاكُمْ فِيْهِ وَجَعَلْنَا لَهُمْ سَمْعاً وَّأَبْصَاراً وَّأَفْئِدَةً فَمَا أَغْنَى عَنْهُمْ سَمْعُهُمْ وَلاَ أَبْصَارُهُمْ وَلاَ أَفْئِدَتُهُم مِّنْ شَيْءٍ إِذْ كَانُوْا يَجْحَدُونَ بِآيَاتِ اللهِ وَحَاقَ بِهِم مَّا كَانُوْا بِهِ يَسْتَهْزِءُوْنَ- (الأحقاف ২১-২৬)-

And you narrate the brother of ‘Ad (Hud), when he warned his people in the sandy high valley, while many warners passed before him and after him, (that) you worship other than Allah. don’t do I fear for you the punishment of a great day’ (Ahqaf 46/21). They said, “Have you come to turn us away from our gods?” If you are truthful, bring us the punishment you fear?’ (22)

Hud said, this knowledge is only with Allah. I convey to you the matter with which I was sent. But I see you are a foolish people’ (23). Then when they saw the chastisement in the form of clouds towards their valleys, they said, “So many clouds, they will give us rain.” (Hud said) Nay, this is the thing which ye sought hastily. It is a wind, in which there is a sad doom’ (24).

He will destroy everything at the command of his Lord. Then in the morning they reached such a state that nothing was visible except empty dwellings. This is how we punish the criminal community’ (25). “We gave them authority in matters over which we have not given you authority. We gave them ears, eyes and hearts. But those ears, eyes and hearts were of no use to them, when they denied the verses of Allah and the chastisement overtook them, with which they mocked’ (Ahqaf 46/21-26).

Allah says in Surah Ha-Qaqbah verses 7-8 about that,

سَخَّرَهَا عَلَيْهِمْ سَبْعَ لَيَالٍ وَثَمَانِيَةَ أَيَّامٍ حُسُوْمًا فَتَرَى الْقَوْمَ فِيْهَا صَرْعَى كَأَنَّهُمْ أَعْجَازُ نَخْلٍ خَاوِيَةٍ- فَهَلْ تَرَى لَهُم مِّن بَاقِيَة؟- (الحاقة)

‘A great storm blew over them continuously for seven nights and eight days. (O Muhammad!) If you look, you will see that they have fallen like useless palm branches’ (7). ‘Do you (now) see any of their existence’? (Ha-Qaqbah 69/7-8).

In Surah Fajr verses 6-8, Allah told His last prophet about the valor of the tribe of ‘Ad.

اَلَمْ تَرَكَيْفَ فَعَلَ رَبُّكَ بِعَادٍ, اِرَمَ ذَاتِ الْعِمَادِ, الَّتِىْ لَمْ يُخلَقْ مِثْلُهَا فِى الْبِلادِ-

‘Do you not know how your Lord dealt with ‘Ade Iram (the first tribe of ‘Ad)’? (Fajr 6) ‘Those who were owners of high pillars (7). ‘And none like them was created in the towns’ (Fajr 89/6-8).

The essence of Hud’s (pbuh) invitation to the people of ‘Ad

The essence of Prophet Noah’s (a.s.) invitation to the people of Noah and the essence of Prophet Hud’s (a.s.) invitation to the people of ‘Ad are almost the same. The essence of the call of Hazrat Hud (a.s.) is described by Allah in verses 50, 51 and 52 of Surah Hud, which can be said in one word – Tawheed, Tabligh and Istighfar. First, he called upon his people to abandon their imaginary gods and return to the one and only God and worship Him sincerely, which is called ‘Tawheed Ibadat’.

After that, he selflessly invited people to free their lives from the tyranny of polytheism and various superstitions and conveyed the laws of Allah to them. His Da’wah and Tabligh were continuous and continuous and above all material interests. Then he called upon the people to repent of their Kufr, Shireki and other grave sins and seek forgiveness from Allah alone.

All the Prophets have invited in the above three matters. Basically, the welfare of people in this time and salvation in the hereafter are hidden in the above three things. Whenever people bow down to various deities including their imaginary gods and goddesses and idols and think of them as the source of liberation or the direct deliverer, then their superiority will be lost. Inferior creations even snakes and tulsi trees will receive his worship.

Alleviating human suffering and abandoning his service, he will engage in the service of an inanimate idol. Instead of giving food to a hungry brother or a helpless animal, he would offer milk-bananas and garlands to a crippled idol made with his own hands.

He will not even hesitate to perform human sacrifice or sati-dah to please the imaginary deity. On the other hand, whenever a person turns away from everything and believes only in Allah as his Creator, Sustainer, Suppressor, Lawgiver, Giver of life and death, then he will be freed from false allegiance to all other creations. Under the slave of Allah will begin to think of himself as free and the best of creation.

He will be motivated to establish his supremacy over everything on earth and water created for his service. As his knowledge and understanding increases, so does his obedience and devotion to Allah. His sense of responsibility towards humans and other creatures will be higher.

Second, when a person invites someone to the right path without any material interest, it influences the minds of others. If that call originates from his heart and is a call to the infallible path of truth sent by the Creator Allah, then it draws a line in the heart of others. Corrective invitations may cause reactions at first, but eventually bring beneficial results. Even though the religious leaders and social leaders of their respective eras caused adverse reaction to the call of the Prophets, the world has always respected the Prophets, not those evil-minded religious leaders and social leaders.

Thirdly, when a person repents, repents and seeks forgiveness from Allah, as well as his worldly life is affected by goodness, so his life hereafter becomes happy and he is blessed with the special grace of Allah. Hud (A.S.) said to his people in particular, ‘O my people! Ask Allah for forgiveness and turn to Him. Then He will send rain for you from the sky and increase your strength upon strength’ (Hud 11/52). Here ‘Shakti’ means physical strength, manpower and wealth. As a result of repentance and istegfar, all these things are possible, it is described in this verse.

The result of Hud’s invitation

Hazrat Hud (A.S.) called upon his people to abandon Shirk and establish Tawheed in their entire lives. He exhorted them to renounce idolatry and follow the path of justice and righteousness by avoiding oppression and tyranny. But being intoxicated by the lust of their riches and the pride of worldly power, they rejected the invitation of the Prophet.

They said, without seeing your announced punishment or any of your miracles, we cannot reject the gods and goddesses from the time of our fathers and grandfathers only by the words of your mouth. Rather, we suspect that because of blasphemy against our gods, you have been possessed by their curse and are deranged and talking like a madman. In response to their words, Hazrat Hud (A.S.) replied with a fearless voice that if you do not obey me, then be a witness that I do not obey your false gods except Allah alone.

You and your gods all try to harm me. Nothing will happen to me except by Allah’s command. He is my Lord. I put my trust in him. Allah helps those who follow the straight path.

They did not dare to touch his hair even though he had made such a fearless declaration alone against the proud and power-hungry nation. In fact, it was a special miracle of his. By this he showed that their imaginary gods and goddesses had no power. Then he said, I have conveyed to you the truth that Allah has given me the responsibility of conveying. Now if you continue to reject it and insist on stubbornness, then know that as an inevitable consequence of this, the severe punishment of Allah will descend upon you, for which you have repeatedly appealed to Me. So be careful. Still repent and return to the path of Allah.

But the wretched party did not heed any of the words of Hazrat Hud (A.S.). Rather, they swelled with pride and said, “Who else is more powerful (in this world) than us”? (Ha-Mim Sajdah 41/15). As a result, God’s wrath on them became inevitable.

Narration of Ghayab appearing on Qawme ‘Ad

Muhammad Ibn Ishaq said, the unforgivable stubbornness of Qawm ‘Ad resulted in the cessation of rain for more than three years as a primary source. Their fields turned into dry sandy deserts. Bug-bagicha is burnt to ashes. Despite this, they did not abandon shirk and idolatry. But finally they were forced to pray to Allah for rain.

Then white, black and red clouds appeared in the sky and a voice came from the unseen saying, “Which one do you prefer?” People wished for dark clouds. Then came the dark cloud. The people welcomed him saying, هَذَا عَارِضٌ مُّمْطِرُنَا ‘It will give us rain’. In response, their Prophet Hud (a.s.) said,

بَلْ هُوَ مَا اسْتَعْجَلْتُمْ بِهِ رِيْحٌ فِيْهَا عَذَابٌ اَلِيْمٌ, تُدَمِّرُ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ بِأَمْرَبِّهَا… (الأحقاف 24-25)-

‘Rather, it is the thing which you have asked for in haste. It is the air in which there is grievous doom’. ‘He will destroy all by the order of his Lord…’. [4] As a result, the final wrath of Allah descends on the next morning. For seven nights and eight days the storm continued to blow. Houses are destroyed by the roaring of clouds and thunder, trees are uprooted by violent storms, people and animals rise up in the air and fall heavily to the ground (Qamar 54/20; Haqqabah 69/6-8)

and thus strong and fit bodies Adhikari Vishalbapu ‘ad race was completely destroyed and wiped out. Allah says, And for them is eternal punishment in this world and the Hereafter (Hud 11/60).

Ayesha (RA) said, When the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) saw a cloud or a storm, his face would fade and he would say, O Ayesha! A community has been destroyed by this cloud and its intervening storm. Those who saw the cloud rejoiced and said, ‘It will rain for us’.[5] The significance of the Prophet’s fear was that this great calamity might descend on all because of the wrongdoing of a few. For example, on the day of Ohod war, due to the mistakes of a few, danger fell on all. Referring to which Allah says,

وَاتَّقُوْا فِتْنَةً لَّتُصِيْبَنَّ الَّذِيْنَ ظَلَمُوْا مِنْكُمْ خَاصَّةً وَعْلَمُوْآ أَنَّ اللهَ شَدِيْدُ الْعِقَابِ- (العنفال 25)-

‘And beware of those temptations, which will not fall especially on those who enter among you. And know that Allah’s punishment is severe’ (Anfal 8/25).

It should be noted that on the eve of the revelation of Ghayab, Allah ordered His Prophet Hud and his faithful companions to leave the area and they were saved from the punishment (Hud 11/58). Then he went to Makkah and died there. [6] However, Ibnu Kakhir quoted the narration from Hazrat Ali (RA) that Hud (AS) was buried in Yemen. [7] Allah knows best.

The main causes of the destruction of Qawm ‘Ad

1. Psychological factors:

(a) They underestimated the bounties of Allah. As a result they turned away from obedience to Allah and obeyed Satan and became self-willed (b) considered Allah’s favors to be eternal for them (c) started worshiping various imaginary gods to escape Allah’s wrath (d) they (e) They became fearless from the sight of Allah. Although they believed in Allah.

2. Material factors: Mainly three:

(a) They used to build tall towers and monuments on excessively high places. Which was nothing but waste (Sho’ara 128).

(b) They built unnecessarily strong palaces and thought that they would live there forever (129).

(c) They lashed out cruelly at the weak and inflicted unspeakable tortures on people (130).

Subjects to be taught

The above topics contain lessons for the tyrannical social leaders and tyrannical governments of the present age and for civilized people. For example:

(1) Denial of the Law of Ahi and pride and pride in injustice is the main cause of God’s wrath on earth.

(2) The type of Ghazab sent by Allah can be of different forms. But people don’t have the ability to stop that evil.

(3) Because of the luxurious, wasteful and tyrannical leaders, the nation falls prey to the wrath of Allah.

(4) Those upon whom the wrath of God falls, are condemned in all ages, and never again can they stand tall.

(5) People or communities who violate Allah’s law will suffer Allah’s wrath in the world in the final judgment. Furthermore, there is punishment in the Hereafter and it is more severe (Qulam 68/33).