An Enlightening Commentary into the Light of the Holy Qur'an vol. 5

Section 9: The Ministry of Messenger of Hud

Messenger Hud only exhosting his people to serve only Allah and none – The people challenging Hud against the threats of the wrath of Allah – The punishment they suffered

Surah Al-‘A’raf, Verse 65

65. "And unto (the people on 'Ad (We sent) their brother Hud. He said: ' O' my people! Serve Allah (alone), you have no god other than Him, will you not keep from evil?"

This second story, the prophet hood of Hud has been told in this Surah. The detailed story of Prophet Hud has been referred to in Surah Ash-Shu'ara' and Surah Hud.

The people of 'Ad had been living in a zone in the south of Arabia by the name of' Ahghaf. Physically they were very strong and, from the point of agriculture and raising cattle, they were a powerful people. This group of people was involved in idolatry and corruption.

Hud was one of the relatives of these people. He was appointed to prophet hood among them. He invited his people to Unity, as Noah did.

Explanations

1. Invitation to Unity is at the top of the mission of prophets.

"... He said: ' O' my people! Serve Allah (alone)....."

2. The most sympathetic and compassionate leaders unto people were the divine prophets.

"And unto (the people of) 'Ad (We sent) their brother Hud. ..."

3. Preachers should treat as a brother with people. They ought to love them.

"... (We sent) their brother Hud. ..."

4. The Wrath of Allah upon the former disbelievers should be taken as a warner by the later generations to be aware and to take example so that they be afraid of rejecting the Divine religion.

"... you have no god other than Him, will you not keep from evil?"

Surah Al-‘A’raf, Verses 66 - 68

**66. "**The chiefs of those who disbelieved from among his people said: 'Verily we see you in folly, and verily we do think you to be of the liars'."

67. "He said: ' O' my people! There is no folly in me, but I am a Messenger from the Lord of the worlds '."

**68. "**I deliver to you the Messages of my Lord, and I am a faithful adviser for you."

A group of disbelieving people, or a party of the rich, told Hud that they had distinguished him as a foolish, ignorant, and silly person. They added that - they thought his words were thoroughly lies. The holy verse says:

"The chiefs of those who disbelieved from among his people said:

'Verily we see you in folly, and verily we do think you to be of the liars'."

In Answer to them, Hud said that they would be sure that he did not told them that matter foolishly. He added that he was a messenger from the side of the Lord of the worlds. The verse says:

"He said: 'O' my people! There is no folly in me, but I am a Messenger from the Lord of the worlds '."

Thus, the Lord, the Exalted, teaches us that no one should face the ignorant people with a disgrace word, nor the one should answer their unagreeable word with a disgrace statement. But, he should only negate whatever wrong they have attributed him with. The same as Hud did not say anything obscene to them in answer to that undue attribution.

Hud continued his statement and added that he was to deliver them the information that his Lord gave him, and he advised them not to abandon the obedience of Allah*.* He told them they should be certain that he (Hud) was faithful in conveying the message of Allah to them and he never told a lie, nor he changed anything. The verse says:

"I deliver to you the Messages of my Lord, and I am a faithful adviser for you."

Surah Al-‘A’raf, Verse 69

69. "What! do you wonder that an admonition has come to you from your Lord through a man from among you, that he might warn you? And remember when He made you successors after Noah's people, and increased you in stature. Therefore, remember the bounties of Allah so that you may be prosperous."

There is no wonder that the prophecy, or in other word, the miracle and revelation has allocated to a man who is from among themselves and has grown up with them, His aim is to threaten them not to do vice.

However, the Qur'an asks them why they wonder from the messenger ship of a man who is from among them, but they do not wonder, that they worship a stone. The verse says:

"What! do you wonder that an admonition has come to you from your Lord through a man from among you, that he might warn you?..."

Then, they should remember the favours of Allah and that, after the destruction of the people of Noah as a result of their committing sins, He, settled them on the earth and increased them in stature and strength.

".... And remember when He made you successors after Noah's people, and increased you in stature....."

When the servants of Allah do remember the bounties of Allah practically, they will consequently be prosperous both in this world and in the Hereafter.

".... Therefore, remember the bounties of Allah so that you may be prosperous."

Surah Al-‘A’raf, Verse 70

**70. "**They said: **'**Have you come to us that we should serve Allah alone and give up what our fathers used to serve? Then bring us what you promise us to, if you are of the truthful ones '."

The pepple of 'Ad told Hud whether he had come to them in order that he would make them worship Allah*,* the One, and restrain them from worshipping their gods which their ancestors had been worshipping.

They told him if he was truthful, that he was a messenger of Allah*,* he would bring upon them down the punishment he had threatened them to for worshipping idols. The verse says:

"They said: 'Have you come to us that we should serve Allah alone and give up what our fathers used to serve? Then bring us what you promise us to, if you are of the truthful ones'."

Surah Al-‘A’raf, Verse 71

71. "He (Hud) said: "There have already fallen you punishment and wrath from your Lord. Do you dispute with me about names which you and your fathers have named (your idols), for which Allah has not sent any authority? Wait then, and verily I, also with you, will be of those who wait."

The verse begins thus:

"He (Hud) said: "There have already fallen you punishment an wrath from your Lord. ..."

In answer to them, Hud (as) said to them that the punishment was certain to be fallen on them. They had done something that they deserved the wrath of Allah*.* The Wrath of Allah is in the manner that He wills punishment or evil-doers.

The verse continues saying:

"... Do you dispute with me about names which you and your fathers have named (your idols), for which Allah has not sent any authority Wait then, and verily I, also with you, will be of those who wait."

Hud asked them whether they hostilely disputed with him about the idols that their fathers had invented and named them with divinity, while those idols had no attribute or sign of divinity and also there had come down no proof for their divinity from the side of Allah*.*

It is evident that such a great claim needed a sharp and firm proof that should be offered by them, not by Hud. He said that he should bring evidences that One God was their real deity, and that there is no god but He, from Whom Hud was sent as a messenger.

Some commentators have said that they had named each of their idols in a different form. Hud said that those names were from their own wishes. Therefore, they must wait for the punishment that he (as) was waiting for, too.

Surah Al-‘A’raf, Verse 72

72. "So We delivered him and those who were with him by a mercy from Us, and We cut away the roots of those who belied Our Signs and were not believers."

The verse implies that Allah brought Hud and those who had believed from among the disbelievers and delivered them from His punishment by His mercy, and He involved those who rejected Allah’s signs and did not believe in His messenger in chastisement so that He cut away the roots of them.

"So We delivered him and those with him by a mercy from Us and We cut away the roots of those belied Our signs and were not believers."

The occurrence of the phrase: "(They) were not believers" in the verse is with the purpose of showing that it was known from their status that they would not have believed if they had remained more.

It is understood from this verse that the people of Hud were caught by the punishment of Allah*,* and they were destroyed.