Chapter 4 (Prophets Hud)

7/28/2019 Chapter 4 (Prophets Hud)

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Chapter 4Prophet Hud (a.s.) and the People of Àd

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And to 'Ad We sent forth their brother Hud. He said: “0 my people! Serve

Allah; you have no other god than Him. Will you, then, not avoid evil?” (Al-A`raf 7:65)

Prophet Nuh (a.s.) strived patiently for hundreds of years and coupled with the greatcalamity, his era was not easily forgotten. The Quràn states: And We established for him (i.e. Nuh a.s.) a good name among posterity (As-Saffat 37:78). The followinggenerations remembered Prophet Nuh’s (a.s.) life in awe but as time passed ignorancecrept in. However, with the knowledge of his lifetime’s struggle, none in the world up tothis today, speak ill of the Prophet Nuh (a.s.), instead he is remembered by Muslimswith honour and praises. After the event of the great flood, civilization continued ashuman tendency dictates. Those who survived were made vicegerents by Allah (see

Surah Yunus 10:73) and they migrated and settled around the region. Upholding thebelief in Allah, they built cities. The Quràn relates the unique stories of ancientcivilizations in the Arabian Peninsula, rarely noticed by historians in the past.However, in recent discoveries the civilization of Àd and Thamud became known. They are among the oldest civilization in the History of Mankind. Allah by HisGrace and Mercy sent Prophets Hud (a.s.) and Salih (a.s.) to Àd and Thamudrespectively, perchance that they may prosper in this world and the hereafter.

Prophet Hud (a.s.)Hud (a.s.) descended from Sam bin Nuh (a.s.) and he was from a tribe called Àdbin Us bin Iram bin Sam bin Nuh. In those days people or nations were named

after their ancestors. The name of their city was Iram, named after the forefather of the Àd people and their valley known as Mughith. They were Arabs (Al-Baìdah)living in Al-Ahqaf in the regions between Oman and Hadramaut (Yemen). Sometraditions claimed that Hud (a.s.) was the first person to speak Arabic while othersclaimed that Nuh (a.s.) was the first. They were physically well built and renownedfor their craftsmanship especially in the construction of tall buildings with lofty towers. Didn’t you see how your Lord dealt with the 'Ad (people) Of the (city of) Iram, with lofty pillars. The like of which were not produced in (all) the land? (Al Fajr 89:6-7). They were outstanding among all the nations butunfortunately that made them arrogant and boastful. The rulers were unjust andno one dared to raise a voice. They were not ignorant of the existence of Allah, nordid they refuse to worship Him. Although the events were not far from the time of

the great flood, most of them forgot the teaching of Prophet Nuh (a.s.) andeventually deviated from worshipping the one true God to revering their forefathers.Images were made to commemorate their forefathers, the survivors of that greatflood. Once again the all too common fallacy happened, in time these images wereworship instead of God. So Allah sent His Messenger, Prophet Hud (a.s.) to guidethem to the right path. Hud (a.s.), a noble man from among them, who handledthis task with great resoluteness. Hud (a.s.) condemned idol worship andadmonished his people, reminding them of the favours that Allah has bestowedupon them, that is in their intellect and physical strength. The Quràn relates:



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To the 'Ad People (We sent) Hud, one of their own brethren. He said: “O my people! Worship Allah! You have no other god but Him. (Your other gods) you do nothing but invent! “O my people I ask of you no reward for it (the Message). My reward is only from Him Who created me. Will you not then understand? And O my people! Ask forgiveness of your Lord and then repent to Him, He will send you (from the sky) abundant rain and add strength to

your strength, so do not turn back in sin.” They said, “O Hud! No evidence have you brought us and we shall not leave our gods for your mere saying! We are not believers in you. All that we say is that some of our gods (false deities) have seized you with evil (madness)” (Hud 11:50-53).

With such reasoning Hud (a.s.) hoped to instil faith in them, but instead they belief that their false gods made Hud (a.s.) insane for rebuking them. They were soabsolved with material gains, that they asked him, “Do you desire to be our masterwith your call? What payment do you want?” Hud (a.s.) made it clear that he is notin need of any material gains, as Allah’s Blessings is the best. They could notunderstand that Hud (a.s.) only wish that they could see the light of truth. After allHud (a.s.) was their own brethren and his concern for his people was sincere.

The People of Àd DefianceHud's (a.s.) people were deluded because of their wealth, power and achievementsand were arrogant. “The chiefs of his people, whom disbelieved and denied the meeting in the Hereafter and to who We had given the luxuries and comforts of this life, said: "He is no more than a human being like you, he eats of that which you eat, and drinks of what you drink. If you were to obey a human being like yourselves then verily! You indeed would be losers.Does he promise you that when you have died and have become dust and bones you shall come out alive (resurrected)? Far, very far, is that which you are promised. There is nothing but our life of this world! We die and we live!

We are not going to be resurrected! He is only a man who has invented a lie against Allah, but we are not going to believe in him” (Al Mu`minun 23:33-38).

The prosperity of the worldly life made the chiefs of Àd unable to conceive thatthey were in error. They thought that their privilege was an inherent right and thatthey were in every respect entitled to rule over their people. Thus, they were tooarrogant listen to Hud (a.s.), whom they regarded as their subject. They refused toaccept that they will be judged and so they simply denied resurrection after deathin their refutation. The belief in the Day of Judgement is essential to Allah's justice.Hud (a.s.) explained that justice demands that there be a Day of Judgment becausein life fairness and injustice occurs. Those vested with power may use it for thegood or abuse it for their self-interest. Will such wrong-doings go unpunished?

Therefore, the Day of Judgment is when all will be held accountable for deeds inthis life and reward or punishment reveals the extent of Allah's justice. Allah hasforbidden injustice to triumph. But, alas all of Hud’s (a.s.) explanation andreasoning were ignored. The chiefs of Àd asked, “Is it not strange that Allahchooses one of us to reveal His message to?” Hud (a.s.) replied, “What is strange inthat? Allah wants to guide you to the right way of life, so He sent me to warn you.Nuh's flood and his story are not far away from you so do not forget whathappened. All the disbelievers were destroyed, no matter how strong they were.” The chiefs asked, “Who is going to destroy us Hud?” Hud (a.s.) replied, “Allah.”



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The disbelievers among his people answered, “We will be saved by our gods.” Hud(a.s.) explained to them that the gods they worshipped would be the reason fortheir destruction, that it is Allah alone Who saves people, and that no other poweron earth can benefit or harm anyone. The conflict between Hud (a.s.), as his peoplecontinued to hurl abuse at him. As years passed, they became more defiant of theirProphet's message. Furthermore, they started to accuse Hud (a.s.) of being an

imbecile. The leaders of the Unbelievers among his people said, “Ah! We see you are an imbecile and We think you are a liar!” He (Hud) said, “O my

people! I am no imbecile, but (I am) a messenger from the Lord and Cherisher of the Worlds! I but fulfil towards you the duties of my Lord's mission, I am to you a sincere and trustworthy adviser” (Al ̀ Araf 7:66-68).

The people of Àd was well aware of the flood that destroyed the disbelieving peopleof Prophet Nuh (a.s.), so Hud (a.s.) reminded them: “Do you wonder that there had come to you a message from your Lord through a man of your own People, to warn you? Call in remembrance that He made you inheritors after the people of Nuh and gave you a stature tall among the nations. Call in remembrance the benefits (you have received) from Allah, that so you may

prosper” (Al Àraf 7:69). The people of Àd defied Hud (a.s.) and mocked him: They said, “Come to us, that we may worship Allah alone and give up the cult of our fathers? Bring us what you threaten us with, if you tell the truth!” (Al-Araf 7:70). This was a reference to their obstinacy over a cult which they inventedfor worship and refusal to accept the supreme authority of Allah. Hud (a.s.) warned them, “Surely punishment and wrath from your Lord have befallen upon you. Do you dispute with me about mere names that you and your

forefathers have concocted and for which Allah has sent down no sanction? Wait, then, and I too am with you among those who wait” (Al-Araf 7:71). By looking at the reference from the Quràn, it is worth noting that the people of Àdneither disbelieved in God nor refused to worship Him. They did not, however,

follow, the teachings of Hud (a.s.) who proclaimed Allah alone should beworshipped and that none other may be associated in servitude to Him. They deliberately rejected a Prophet’s call in preference to their own innovations. So,Hud (a.s.) had no other way but to turn to Allah alone, with no other alternativebut to return their challenge with an ultimatum. He said: “I call Allah to witness and bear you witness that I am free from that which you ascribe as partners in worship, and with Him (Allah). 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 (living) creature but He has grasp of its forelock. Verily, my Lord is on the Straight Path (the truth). So if you turn away, still I have conveyed the Message with which I was sent to you. My Lord will make another people succeed you and you will not harm Him in the least. Surely, my Lord is

Guardian over all things” (Hud 11:54-57).

Hud (a.s.) renounced them and affirmed his dependence on Allah the Lord of theworlds, while the disbelievers defied arrogantly. They said, “Have you come in order to turn us aside from our gods? Then bring upon us the (calamity) with which you threaten us, if thou are telling the truth!” He (Hud) said, “The knowledge (of when it will come) is only with Allah, I proclaim to you the mission on which I have been sent, but I see that you are a people in ignorance!” (Al-Ahqaf 46:22)



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The Calamity The defiant people of Àd waited for Allah's promise. Soon, drought spreadthroughout the land, as rain no longer nourish the land of Àd. The sun scorchedthe desert sands, looking like a disk of fire, which settled on people's heads. Hud's(a.s.) people hastened to him asking, “What is that drought Hud?” Hud (a.s.)answered, “Allah is displeased with you. If you believe in Him, He will accept you

and the rain will fall and you will become stronger than you are.” They mocked himand became more obstinate, sarcastic and preserve in their unbelief. The droughtincreased, the trees turned yellow and soon vegetation dried out. Then the peopleof Àd faced famine. Still defiant they began trading with other cities to overcomethe famine. In relation to this event, Al-Harith Bakri related to the ProphetMuhammad (s.a.w.), about the Emissary of Àd named Qail who went to Makkah,while Àd was suffering from severe famine. Qail prayed, “O Allah! You know that Idid not come here to cure an ill person or to ransom a prisoner. O Allah! Give Àdwater as You used to.” Then black clouds hovered above in a distance and Qail wascalled, “Choose which one of them you wish (to go to Àd)!” So he pointed to a blackcloud (the darkest), then he heard a proclamation, “Take it, as ashes that will leavenone in Àd!” After hearing this story, Abu Waìl remarked, “Do not be like theemissary of Àd (bringing utter destruction to them instead of relief).” ImamAhmad, At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah recorded this narration.

Then the day came when they found the sky full of clouds. The people of Àdrejoiced as they came out of their tents. Then the weather changed suddenly fromburning dry and hot to stinging cold with wind that shook everything, trees, menand women. The wind increased day after day and night after night. Hud's (a.s.)people started to flee. They hid under cloth covers but the gale became strongerand tore away the covers. It slashed clothing and skin. It penetrated the aperturesof the body and destroyed it. It hardly touched anything before it was destroyed orkilled, its core sucked out to decompose and rot. The storm raged for eight days

and seven nights: Then when they saw it as a dense cloud coming towards their valleys, they said, “This is a cloud bringing us rain!” Nay but it is that torment which you were asking to be hastened! A wind wherein is a painful torment! Destroying everything by the command of its Lord! (Al-Ahqaf 46:24-25). Another verse described it thus: And as for Àd, they were destroyed for a

furious violent wind which Allah imposed on them for seven nights and eight days in succession, so that you could see men lying overthrown (destroyed) as if they were hollow trunks of palm trees! (Al-Haqqa 69:6-7)

That violent gale did not stop until the entire region was reduced to ruins and itswicked people destroyed, swallowed by the sands of the desert. In another versionthe end comes when suddenly the earth opened around it and Iram, bathed in a

strange twilight, began to sink slowly down until the whole was completely swallowed up. Hud (a.s.) and his followers remained unharmed. It is said that fromamongst the Àd people, only 70 people had accepted the Message of Hud (a.s.).When calamity struck the country of Àd, there was also a deputation fromamongst the people of Àd who were at Makkah Al-Muàzzamah (as it was alsoknown in those days). They remained there and were also saved from annihilation. They came to be known as Àd Al-Ukhra (Latter Àd) and they migrated to Al-Hijrand later came to be known as Thamud. According to most Ulama` of Tafsir, therewere remnants of the people of Àd, based on the verse in Surah An-Najm 53:50 -



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That (Allah) is He Who destroyed Àd Al-Ula (the first Àd). Thus, indicatingthat there was a second group that survived. The believers with Prophet Hud (a.s.)migrated to Hadramaut (Yemen). Prophet Hud (a.s.) passed away and was buried inthe eastern sector of Hadramaut in close proximity to Tareem, based upon anarration reported by Ali bin Abi Talib (r.a.) states that his grave is in Hadramauton a red hillock and there is a tree at his head side. A religious festival is held there

on the 15th of Sha'ban and thousands of people from different parts of Arabiagather there annually. The descendants of the faithful survivors inherited the glory and prosperity of the Àd. Then We delivered Hud and his companions by Our mercy, and We utterly cut off the last remnant of those who called the lie to Our signs and would not believe. (Al-A`raf 7:72)

The Impact of Àd in HistoryÀd was well-known throughout Arabia for theirproverbial glory and grandeur. When they weredestroyed, their extinction also becameproverbial. So much so that, the word “'Ad” hascome to be used for things ancient and the word“'Adiyat” for the term - archaeological remains. The land whose owner is unknown and which islying fallow, from neglect is called - “'Adi al-Ard”. The ancient Arabic poetry is replete withreferences to this people. Arab genealogistsconsider the 'Ad as the foremost among theextinct tribes of Arabia. Once a person of theBani Adh-Dhuhl bin Shaiban (a tribe), who was aresident of the Àd territory, visited ProphetMuhammad (s.a.w.). He related stories to theProphet (s.a.w.) about the people of Àd, stories

handed down to the people of that region fromgeneration to generation. (Musnad Ahmad)

Abdullah said that its pillars were built with gold and silver, studded with gemsand jewels. In short Abdullah described it, “Doubtless this is the Paradise promisedfor the world to come.” Muàwiyah consulted Kaàb Al-Ahbar to ascertain the truthof such story. Briefly, Kaàb related that there was such a city as it is mentioned inthe Quràn. Then Kaàb related that Iram was built to resemble “paradise” on earthby Shaddad the son of Àd. Shaddad had a brother, Shadid and both of them ruled

[The ruins at Rubù Al-Khali - Empty Quarters inOman was the site of the Àd’s city of Iram]

The annihilation of Àd was so impactful thatstories passed down from generations becamelegends, while some stories seem to be overexaggerated. Like one account recorded by At- Tabari, related by Kaàb Al-Ahbar to Muàwiyahbin Abi Sufyan, who was the Ruler (661 -680CE). It was based on a story told by Abdullah bin

Qilabah about his discovery of a deserted city while looking for his lost she-camel in the desert.



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after the death of their father. When Shadid died Shaddad became the sole ruler.Shaddad was keen to know about the next world, paradise. When he had an idea,of how paradise looks like, he commanded his subjects to embark on building it,till its completion. The city was magnificent, with beautiful buildings, pillars,pavilions, gardens, orchards, farms and cisterns. Shaddad built this so that thepeople would prefer the ready-made “paradise” on earth instead of Paradise in the

Hereafter. So Shaddad assembled his people and was prepared to enter the city ingrandeur, but Divine punishment overtook them. The people were obliterated andthe city devastated by the Cry of Jibril. A point to note - this version only mentionthe destruction that fell upon Shaddad and his “paradise” whereas the Qurànmentions the total destruction of Àd and Iram.

The Quràn and Archaeology The remains found by archaeologists were deep beneath the surface. The verses of the Qur’an provide details of what brought about the total extermination of the 'Ad,a fact borne out by both Arabian historical traditions and recent archaeologicaldiscoveries. The 'Ad was so totally destroyed and their monuments so completely effaced that the Arab historians refer to them as one of the Umam Ba'idah (extinctpeople) of Arabia. The Arab tradition also affirms that the only people belonging tothe 'Ad who survived were the followers of the Prophet Hud (a.s.) and in Makkah,as mentioned. These survivors, later on migrated to Al-Hijr are known as 'Ad Thaniyah (the Second 'Ad) or Thamud. The Hisn Al-Ghurib inscriptions are amongthe remaining monuments of these people. One inscription, which is generally considered to date from the eighteenth century BC, as deciphered by the experts,contains the following sentences: We have lived for a long time in this fort in full glory, free of all want. Our canals were always full to the brim with water. Our rulers were kings who were far removed from evil ideas, who dealt sternly with mischief- makers and governed us according to the Law of Hud. Their edicts were recorded in a book. We believed in miracles and resurrection. [More Details in Appendix III]

Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) in Awe of Allah’s Almightiness The awful event did have an effect on the Prophet (s.a.w.), himself and the followingnarrations explain, how he (s.a.w.) took lessons in History. Àisha (r.a.) related thatwhen Allah's Messenger (s.a.w.) saw clouds or wind, that would reflect on his face(as discomfort). She asked him, “O Allah's Messenger! When the people see clouds,they become happy, hoping that they bring them rain. But I notice that when yousee them, displeasure appears on your face.” Allah's Messenger (s.a.w.) replied, “OÀisha! What would guarantee to me that they do not bring punishment? Somenations had been punished with wind. On seeing the punishment approachingthem, a nation once said - This is a cloud bringing us rain ” (Al-Bukhari andMuslim). Imam Ahmad recorded that Àisha (r.a.) said that when Allah's Messenger

(s.a.w.) saw clouds on any of the horizons, he would leave whatever he was doing,even if he was in Solat and prayed:

» «O Allah! I seek refuge with you from any harm that it (the cloud) contains. If Allahremoved those clouds, the Prophet (s.a.w.) would praise Allah and if rain fell, hewould recite:



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» ʎ « O Allah! Make it pouring and beneficent. When the wind blew, Allah's Messenger(s.a.w.) would recite:

» «

O Allah! I ask You of its good, the good that it contains, and the good with which it has been sent. And I seek refuge in You from its evil, the evil that it contains, and the evil with which it has been sent.

Àisha (r.a.) added that if the sky became cloudy, his colour (i.e. on his face) wouldchange, he would exit, enter, come and go. When it rained, his anxiety would berelieved. When Àisha (r.a.) noticed that, she asked him about it and Allah’sMessenger, (s.a.w.) said, “O Àisha! It could be like what the people of Àd said,when they saw it as a dense cloud approaching their valleys, they said, “This is a cloud bringing us rain!'” (Al-Ahqaf 46:24)

The attitude of the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) towards the calamity that befellÀd, is indeed, a sterling example and that is, the preference to enjoin Taqwa (mindfulness of Allah) in prayer, rather than just being judgemental.

Chapter 4 (Prophets Hud)

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