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Ayah
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أَوَعَجِبۡتُمۡ
Do you wonder
أَن
that
جَآءَكُمۡ
has come to you
ذِكۡرٞ
a reminder
مِّن
from
رَّبِّكُمۡ
your Lord
عَلَىٰ
on
رَجُلٖ
a man
مِّنكُمۡ
among you
لِيُنذِرَكُمۡۚ
that he may warn you
وَٱذۡكُرُوٓاْ
And remember
إِذۡ
when
جَعَلَكُمۡ
He made you
خُلَفَآءَ
successors
مِنۢ
from
بَعۡدِ
after
قَوۡمِ
(the) people
نُوحٖ
(of) Nuh
وَزَادَكُمۡ
and increased you
فِي
in
ٱلۡخَلۡقِ
the stature
بَصۜۡطَةٗۖ
extensively
فَٱذۡكُرُوٓاْ
So remember
ءَالَآءَ
(the) Bounties
ٱللَّهِ
(of) Allah
لَعَلَّكُمۡ
so that you may
تُفۡلِحُونَ
succeed
أَوَعَجِبۡتُمۡ
Do you wonder
أَن
that
جَآءَكُمۡ
has come to you
ذِكۡرٞ
a reminder
مِّن
from
رَّبِّكُمۡ
your Lord
عَلَىٰ
on
رَجُلٖ
a man
مِّنكُمۡ
among you
لِيُنذِرَكُمۡۚ
that he may warn you
وَٱذۡكُرُوٓاْ
And remember
إِذۡ
when
جَعَلَكُمۡ
He made you
خُلَفَآءَ
successors
مِنۢ
from
بَعۡدِ
after
قَوۡمِ
(the) people
نُوحٖ
(of) Nuh
وَزَادَكُمۡ
and increased you
فِي
in
ٱلۡخَلۡقِ
the stature
بَصۜۡطَةٗۖ
extensively
فَٱذۡكُرُوٓاْ
So remember
ءَالَآءَ
(the) Bounties
ٱللَّهِ
(of) Allah
لَعَلَّكُمۡ
so that you may
تُفۡلِحُونَ
succeed
Translation
Then do you wonder that there has come to you a reminder from your Lord through a man from among you, that he may warn you? And remember when He made you successors after the people of Noah and increased you in stature extensively. So remember the favors of Allāh that you might succeed."
Tafsir
Or do you marvel that a reminder from your Lord should come to you through, the tongue of, a man from among you, that he may warn you? And remember when He made you vicegerents, on earth, after the people of Noah, and increased your stature in extension, in strength and in height - (the tallest of them 166 measured 100 feet, the shortest, 60). Remember then God's bounties, His graces, so that you might prosper', triumph.
The Story of Hud, Peace be upon Him, and the Lineage of the People of `Ad
Allah says,
وَإِلَى عَادٍ أَخَاهُمْ هُوداً قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ اعْبُدُواْ اللّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَـهٍ غَيْرُهُ أَفَلَ تَتَّقُونَ
And to `Ad (the people, We sent) their brother Hud. He said:O my people! Worship Allah! You have no other god but Him. Will you then not have Taqwa!
Allah says, just as We sent Nuh to his people, similarly, to the `Ad people, We sent Hud one of their own brethren.
Muhammad bin Ishaq said that the tribe of `Ad were the descendants of `Ad, son of Iram, son of `Aws, son of Sam, son of Nuh.
I say, these are indeed the ancient people of `Ad whom Allah mentioned, the children of `Ad, son of Iram who were living in the deserts with lofty pillars or statues.
Allah said,
أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ فَعَلَ رَبُّكَ بِعَادٍ
إِرَمَ ذَاتِ الْعِمَادِ
الَّتِى لَمْ يُخْلَقْ مِثْلُهَا فِى الْبِلَـدِ
Have you not seen how your Lord dealt with `Ad (people). Of Iram like (lofty) pillars. The like of which were not created in the land. (89:6-8),
because of their might and strength.
Allah said in another instance,
فَأَمَّا عَادٌ فَاسْتَكْبَرُواْ فِى الاٌّرْضِ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ وَقَالُواْ مَنْ أَشَدُّ مِنَّا قُوَّةً أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْاْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ الَّذِى خَلَقَهُمْ هُوَ أَشَدُّ مِنْهُمْ قُوَّةً
وَكَانُواْ بِـَايَـتِنَا يَجْحَدُونَ
As for `Ad, they were arrogant in the land without right, and they said:Who is mightier than us in strength!
See they not that Allah Who created them was mightier in strength than them. And they used to deny Our Ayat! (41:15)
The Land of `Ad
The people of `Ad lived in Yemen, in the area of Ahqaf, which means sand mounds.
Muhammad bin Ishaq narrated that Abu At-Tufayl Amir bin Wathilah said that;
he heard Ali (bin Abi Talib) saying to a man from Hadramawt (in Yemen), Have you seen a red sand mound, where there are a lot of Arak and Lote trees in the area of so-and-so in Hadramawt?
Have you seen it?
He said, Yes, O Commander of the faithful! By Allah, you described it as if you have seen it before.
Ali said, `I have not seen it, but it was described to me.
The man asked, What about it, O Commander of the faithful?
Ali said, There is the grave of Hud, peace be upon him, in its vicinity.
Ibn Jarir recorded this statement, which gives the benefit of indicating that `Ad used to live in Yemen, since Prophet Hud was buried there. Prophet Hud was among the noble men and chiefs of `Ad, for Allah chose the Messengers from among the best, most honorable families and tribes.
Hud's people were mighty and strong, but their hearts were mighty and hard, for they were among the most denying of Truth among the nations.
Prophet Hud called `Ad to worship Allah alone without partners, and to obey and fear Him.
Debate between Hud and his People
Allah tells;
قَالَ الْمَلُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِن قَوْمِهِ
The leaders of those who disbelieved among his people said...
meaning, the general public, chiefs, masters and commanders of his people said,
إِنَّا لَنَرَاكَ فِي سَفَاهَةٍ وِإِنَّا لَنَظُنُّكَ مِنَ الْكَاذِبِينَ
Verily, we see you in foolishness, and verily, we think you are one of the liars.
meaning, you are misguided because you call us to abandon worshipping the idols in order to worship Allah Alone.
Similarly, the chiefs of Quraysh wondered at the call to worship One God, saying,
أَجَعَلَ الاٌّلِهَةَ إِلَـهاً وَحِداً
Has he (Muhammad) made the gods (all) into One God! (38:5)
قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ لَيْسَ بِي سَفَاهَةٌ وَلَكِنِّي رَسُولٌ مِّن رَّبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
(Hud) said:O my people! There is no foolishness in me, but (I am) a Messenger from the Lord of all that exists!
Hud said, I am not as you claim. Rather, I brought you the Truth from Allah, Who created everything, and He is the Lord and King of all things,
أُبَلِّغُكُمْ رِسَالاتِ رَبِّي وَأَنَاْ لَكُمْ نَاصِحٌ أَمِينٌ
I convey unto you the Messages of my Lord, and I am a trustworthy adviser for you.
These, indeed, are the qualities of the Prophets:conveying, sincerity and honesty
أَوَعَجِبْتُمْ أَن جَاءكُمْ ذِكْرٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ عَلَى رَجُلٍ مِّنكُمْ لِيُنذِرَكُمْ
Do you wonder that there has come to you a Reminder from your Lord through a man from among you to warn you!
Prophet Hud said, do not wonder because Allah sent a Messenger to you from among yourselves to warn you about Allah's Days (His torment) and meeting with Him. Rather than wondering, you should thank Allah for this bounty.
وَاذكُرُواْ إِذْ جَعَلَكُمْ خُلَفَاء مِن بَعْدِ قَوْمِ نُوحٍ
And remember that He made you successors (generations after generations) after the people of Nuh...
meaning, remember Allah's favor on you in that He made you among the offspring of Nuh, because of whose supplication Allah destroyed the people of the earth after they defied and opposed him.
وَزَادَكُمْ فِي الْخَلْقِ بَسْطَةً
and increased you amply in stature.
making you taller than other people.
Similarly, Allah said in the description of Talut (Saul),
وَزَادَهُ بَسْطَةً فِي الْعِلْمِ وَالْجِسْمِ
And has increased him abundantly in knowledge and stature. (2:247)
Hud continued,
فَاذْكُرُواْ الاء اللّهِ
So remember the graces (bestowed upon you) from Allah.
in reference to Allah's favors and blessings
لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ
so that you may be successful.
Allah mentions the rebellion, defiance and stubbornness of Hud's people, and their opposition to him, peace be upon him,
Allah said;
قَالُواْ أَجِيْتَنَا لِنَعْبُدَ اللّهَ وَحْدَهُ
.
They said:You have come to us that we should worship Allah Alone,
وَنَذَرَ مَا كَانَ يَعْبُدُ ابَاوُنَا فَأْتِنَا بِمَا تَعِدُنَا إِن كُنتَ مِنَ الصَّادِقِينَ
and forsake that which our fathers used to worship. So bring us that wherewith you have threatened us if you are of the truthful.
The disbelievers of Quraysh said,
وَإِذْ قَالُواْ اللَّهُمَّ إِن كَانَ هَـذَا هُوَ الْحَقَّ مِنْ عِندِكَ فَأَمْطِرْ عَلَيْنَا حِجَارَةً مِّنَ السَّمَأءِ أَوِ ايْتِنَا بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ
And (remember) when they said:O Allah! If this (the Qur'an) is indeed the truth (revealed) from You, then rain down stones on us from the sky or bring on us a painful torment.
Muhammad bin Ishaq said that the people of Hud used to worship several idols, such as Suda, Samud and Al-Haba.
This is why
قَالَ
(Hud) said:
Hud, peace be upon him, said to them,
قَدْ وَقَعَ عَلَيْكُم مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ رِجْسٌ وَغَضَبٌ
Rijs and wrath have already fallen on you from your Lord.
you deserve `Rijs' from your Lord because of what you said.
Ibn Abbas said that,
`Rijs', means scorn and anger.
أَتُجَادِلُونَنِي فِي أَسْمَاء سَمَّيْتُمُوهَا أَنتُمْ وَابَأوكُم
Dispute you with me over names which you have named -- you and your fathers.
Hud said, do you dispute with me over these idols that you and your fathers made gods, even though they do not bring harm or benefit; did Allah give you authority or proof allowing you to worship them!
Hud further said,
مَّا نَزَّلَ اللّهُ بِهَا مِن سُلْطَانٍ فَانتَظِرُواْ إِنِّي مَعَكُم مِّنَ الْمُنتَظِرِينَ
with no authority from Allah. Then wait, I am with you among those who wait.
this is a threat and warning from the Messenger to his people.
The End of `Ad
So Allah said;
فَأَنجَيْنَاهُ وَالَّذِينَ مَعَهُ بِرَحْمَةٍ مِّنَّا وَقَطَعْنَا دَابِرَ الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِأيَاتِنَا وَمَا كَانُواْ مُوْمِنِينَ
So We saved him and those who were with him out of mercy from Us, and We severed the roots of those who belied Our Ayat; and they were not believers.
Allah mentioned several times in the Qur'an, the way the people of `Ad were destroyed stating that He sent a barren wind that destroyed everything it passed by.
Allah said in other Ayat,
وَأَمَّا عَادٌ فَأُهْلِكُواْ بِرِيحٍ صَرْصَرٍ عَاتِيَةٍ
سَخَّرَهَا عَلَيْهِمْ سَبْعَ لَيَالٍ وَثَمَـنِيَةَ أَيَّامٍ حُسُوماً فَتَرَى الْقَوْمَ فِيهَا صَرْعَى كَأَنَّهُمْ أَعْجَازُ نَخْلٍ خَاوِيَةٍ
فَهَلْ تَرَى لَهُم مِّن بَاقِيَةٍ
And as for `Ad, they were destroyed by a furious violent wind! They were subjected to it for seven nights and eight days in succession, so that you could see men lying overthrown (destroyed), as if they were hollow trunks of date palms! Do you see any remnants of them! (69:6-8)
When `Ad rebelled and transgressed, Allah destroyed them with a strong wind that carried them, one by one, up in the air and brought each one of them down on his head, thus smashing his head and severing it from its body. This is why Allah said,
كَأَنَّهُمْ أَعْجَازُ نَخْلٍ خَاوِيَةٍ
as if they were hollow trunks of date palms! (69:7)
Muhammad bin Ishaq said that;
`Ad used to live in Yemen between Oman and Hadramawt. They also spread throughout the land and defeated various peoples, because of the strength that Allah gave them.
They used to worship idols instead of Allah, and Allah sent to them Prophet Hud, peace be upon him. He was from their most common lineage and was the best among them in status.
Hud commanded them to worship Allah Alone and associate none with him. He also ordered them to stop committing injustice against the people. But they rejected him and ignored his call. They said, `Who is stronger than us!'
Some of them, however, followed Hud, although they were few and had to conceal their faith. When `Ad defied the command of Allah, rejected His Prophet, committed mischief in the earth, became arrogant and built high palaces on every high place -- without real benefit to them -- Hud spoke to them, saying,
أَتَبْنُونَ بِكُلِّ رِيعٍ ءَايَةً تَعْبَثُونَ
وَتَتَّخِذُونَ مَصَانِعَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَخْلُدُونَ
وَإِذَا بَطَشْتُمْ بَطَشْتُمْ جَبَّارِينَ فَاتَّقُواْ اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُونِ
Do you build high palaces on every high place, while you do not live in them And do you get for yourselves palaces (fine buildings) as if you will live therein forever. And when you seize (somebody), seize you (him) as tyrants.
Have Taqwa of Allah, and obey me. (26:128-131)
However,
قَالُواْ يَهُودُ مَا جِيْتَنَا بِبَيِّنَةٍ وَمَا نَحْنُ بِتَارِكِى ءالِهَتِنَا عَن قَوْلِكَ وَمَا نَحْنُ لَكَ بِمُوْمِنِينَ إِن نَّقُولُ إِلاَّ اعْتَرَاكَ بَعْضُ ءَالِهَتِنَا بِسُوءٍ
They said:O Hud! No evidence have you brought us, and we shall not leave our gods for your (mere) saying! And we are not believers in you. All that we say is that some of our gods have seized you with evil.
meaning, madness,
إِن نَّقُولُ إِلاَّ اعْتَرَاكَ بَعْضُ ءَالِهَتِنَا بِسُوءٍ قَالَ إِنِّى أُشْهِدُ اللَّهِ وَاشْهَدُواْ أَنِّى بَرِىءٌ مِّمَّا تُشْرِكُونَ
مِن دُونِهِ فَكِيدُونِى جَمِيعًا ثُمَّ لَا تُنظِرُونِ
إِنِّى تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى اللَّهِ رَبِّى وَرَبِّكُمْ مَّا مِن دَابَّةٍ إِلاَّ هُوَ ءاخِذٌ بِنَاصِيَتِهَأ إِنَّ رَبِّى عَلَى صِرَطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ
He said:I call Allah to witness, and bear you witness that I am free from that which you associate with Him. So plot against me, all of you, and give me no respite. I put my trust in Allah, my Lord and your Lord! There is not a moving creature but He has the grasp of its forelock. Verily, my Lord is on the straight path (the truth). (11:53-56)
Story of the Emissary of `Ad
Imam Ahmad recorded that Al-Harith Al-Bakri said:
I went to the Messenger of Allah to complain to him about Al-Ala bin Al-Hadrami. When I passed by the area of Ar-Rabdhah, I found an old woman from Bani Tamim who was alone in that area. She said to me, O servant of Allah! I need to reach the Messenger of Allah to ask him for some of my needs, will you take me to him
So I took her along with me to Al-Madinah and found the Masjid full of people. I also found a black flag raised high, while Bilal was holding a sword before the Messenger of Allah.
I asked, What is the matter with the people?
They said, The Prophet intends to send Amr bin Al-`As (on a military expedition) somewhere.
So I sat down. When the Prophet went to his house, I asked for permission to see him, and he gave me permission. I entered and greeted him. He said, Was there a dispute between you and Bani Tamim?
I said, Yes. And we had been victorious over them. I passed by an old woman from Bani Tamim, who was alone, and she asked me to bring her to you, and she is at the door.
So he allowed her in and I said, O Allah's Messenger! What if you make a barrier between us and (the tribe of) Bani Tamim, such as Ad-Dahna' (Desert)?
The old woman became angry and opposed me.
So I said, My example is the example of a sheep that carried its own destruction. I carried this woman and did not know that she was an opponent. I seek refuge with Allah and His Messenger that I become like the emissary of `Ad.'
So the Prophet asked me about the emissary of `Ad, having better knowledge in it, but he liked to hear the story again.
I said,
Once, `Ad suffered from a famine and they sent an emissary (to get relief), whose name was Qayl. Qayl passed by Mu`awiyah bin Bakr and stayed with him for a month. Mu`awiyah supplied him with alcoholic drinks, and two female singers were singing for him. When a month ended, Qayl went to the mountains of Muhrah and said,
`O Allah! You know that I did not come here to cure an ill person or to ransom a prisoner. O Allah! Give `Ad water as You used to.'
So black clouds came and he was called, `Choose which one of them you wish (to go to `Ad)!'
So he pointed to one of the black clouds and he heard someone proclaiming from it, `Take it, as ashes that will leave none in `Ad.'
And it has been conveyed to me that the wind sent to them was no more than what would pass through this ring of mine, but it destroyed them.
Abu Wa'il said,
That is true. When a man or a woman would send an emissary, they would tell him, `Do not be like the emissary of `Ad (bringing disaster and utter destruction to them instead of relief).,
Imam Ahmad collected this story in the Musnad.
At-Tirmidhi recorded similar wording for it, as did An-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah.
Thamud:Their Land and Their Lineage
Scholars of Tafsir and genealogy say that (the tribe of Thamud descended from) Thamud bin Athir bin Iram bin Sam bin Nuh, and he is brother of Jadis son of Athir, similarly the tribe of Tasm, and they were from the ancient Arabs, Al-Aribah, before the time of Ibrahim, Thamud came after `Ad. They dwelled between the area of the Hijaz (Western Arabia) and Ash-Sham (Greater Syria).
The Messenger of Allah passed by the area and ruins of Thamud when he went to Tabuk (in northern Arabia) during the ninth year of Hijrah.
Imam Ahmad recorded that Ibn Umar said,
When the Messenger of Allah went to the area of Al-Hijr in Tabuk with the people, he camped near the homes of Thamud, in Al-Hijr and the people brought water from the wells that Thamud used before. They used that water to make dough and placed the pots (on fire) for cooking. However, the Prophet commanded them to spill the contents of the pots and to give the dough to their camels. He then marched forth with them from that area to another area, near the well that the camel (as will follow) used to drink from. He forbade the Companions from entering the area where people were tormented, saying,
إِنِّي أَخْشَى أَنْ يُصِيبَكُمْ مِثْلُ مَا أَصَابَهُمْ فَلَ تَدْخُلُوا عَلَيْهِم
I fear that what befell them might befall you as well. Therefore, do not enter on them.
Ahmad narrated that Abdullah bin Umar said that the Messenger of Allah said while in the Hijr area,
لَاا تَدْخُلُوا عَلَى هوُلَااءِ الْمُعَذَّبِينَ إِلاَّ أَنْ تَكُونُوا بَاكِينَ فَإِنْ لَمْ تَكُونُوا بَاكِينَ فَلَا تَدْخُلُوا عَلَيْهِمْ أَنْ يُصِيبَكُمْ مِثْلَ مَا أَصَابَهُم
Do not enter on these who were tormented, unless you do so while crying. If you are not crying, then do not enter on them, so that what befell them does not befall you, as well.
The basis of this Hadith is mentioned in Two Sahihs.
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