Story of Prophet Hud

Description of the People of Ad

The people of 'Ad lived many years in the windswept hills of an area between Yemen and Oman.

They were physically well built and renowned for their craftsmanship especially in the

construction of tall buildings with lofty towers. They were outstanding among all the nations in

power and wealth, which, unfortunately, made them arrogant and boastful. Their political power

was held in the hand of unjust rulers, against whom no one dared to raise a voice.

They were not ignorant of the existence of Allah, nor did they refuse to worship Him. What they

did refuse was to worship Allah alone. They worshipped other gods, also, including idols. This is

one sin Allah does not forgive.

Description of Hud

Allah wanted to guide and discipline these people so He sent a prophet from among them. This

prophet was Hud (PBUH), a noble man who handled this task with great resoluteness and

tolerance.

Ibn Jarir reported that he was Hud Ibn Shalikh, Ibn Arfakhshand, Ibn Sam, Ibn Noah (PBUH). He

also reported that Prophet Hud (PBUH) was from a tribe called Ad Ibn Us Ibn Sam Ibn Noah,

who were Arabs living in Al Ahqaf in Yemen between Oman and Hadramaut, on a land called

Ashar stretching out into the sea. The name of their valley was Mughiith

Some traditions claimed that Hud (PBUH) was the first person who spoke Arabic while others

claimed that Noah (PBUH) was the first. It was also said that Adam was the first.

Commentary - Hud's Appeal to his People

Hud (PBUH) condemned idol worship and admonished his people. "MY people, what is the

benefit of these stones that you carve with your own hands and worship? In reality it is an insult

to the intellect. There is only One Deity worthy of worship and that is Allah. Worship of Him and

Him alone, is compulsory on you.

He created you, He provides for you and He is the One Who will cause you to die. He gave you

wonderful physiques and blessed you in many ways. So believe in Him and do not be blind to His

favors, or the same fate that destroyed Noah's people will overtake you."

With such reasoning Hud hoped to instill faith in them, but they refused to accept his message.

His people asked him: "Do you desire to be our master with your call? What payment do you

want?"Hud tried to make them understand that he would receive his payment (reward) from

Allah; he did not demand anything from them except that they let the light of truth touch their

minds and hearts.

Hud's Appeal to His People - Quranic

Allah the Almighty states:

"And to Ad people We sent their brother Hud. He said: "O my people! Worship Allah! You have

no other Ilah (god) but Him; Certainly, you do nothing but invent (lies)! 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

away as Mujrimeen (criminals, disbeliveers in the Oneness of Allah)."

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)."

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."(Ch 11:50-57 Quran)

Hud (pbuh) explains the Day of Judgement

Hud tried to speak to them and to explain about Allah's blessings: how Allah the Almighty had

made them Noah's successors, how He had given them strength and power, and how HE sent

them rain to revive the soil.

Hud's people looked about them and found they were the strongest on earth, so they become

prouder and more obstinate. Thus they argued a lot with Hud. They asked "O Hud! Do you say

that later we die and turn into dust, we will be resurrected?" He replied, "Yes, you will come back

on the Day of Judgment and each of you will be asked about what you did."

A peal of laughter was heard after the last statement. "How strange Hud's claims are!" The

disbeliveers muttered among themselves. They believed that when man dies his body decays and

turns into dust, which is swept away by the wind. How could that return to its original state?

Then what is the significance of the Day of Judgment? Why does the dead return to life?

All these questions were patiently received by Hud. He then addressed his people concerning the

Day of Judgment. he explained that belief in the Day of Judgment is essential to Allah's justice,

teaching them the same thing that every prophet taught about it.

Hud explained that justice demands that there be a Day of Judgment because good is not always

victorious in life. Sometimes evil overpowers good. Will such crimes go unpunished? If we

suppose there is no Day of Judgment, then a great injustice will have prevailed, but Allah has

forbidden injustice to be incurred by Himself or His subjects. Therefore, the existence of the Day

of Judgment, a day of accounting for our deeds and being rewarded or punished for them, reveals

the extend of Allah's justice. Hud spoke to them about all of these things. They listened but

disbelieved him.

The Disbeliever's Attitude

Allah recounts Hud's people's attitude towards the Day of Judgment:

"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." (Ch 23:33-38 Quran)

The Disbelievers Question Hud

The chiefs of Hud's people asked: "Is it not strange that Allah's chooses one of us to reveal His

message to?"

Hud replied: "What is strange in that? Allah wants to guide you to the right way of life, so HE

sent me to warn you. Noah's flood and his story are not far away from you, so do not forget what

happened. All the disbeliveers were destroyed, no matter how strong they were."

"Who is going to destroy us Hud?" the chiefs asked.

"Allah." replied Hud.

The disbeliveers among his people answered: "We will be saved by our gods."

Hud clarified to them that the gods they worshipped would be the reason for their destruction,

that it is Allah alone Who saves people, and that no other power on earth can benefit or harm

anyone.

The conflict between Hud and his people continued. The years passed, and they became prouder

and more obstinate, and more tyrannical and more defiant of their prophet's message.

Hud Warns his People

Furthermore, they started to accuse Hud (PBUH) of being a crazy lunatic. One day they told him:

"We now understand the secret of your madness you insulted our gods and they harmed you; that

is why you have become insane."

Almighty Allah repeated their words in the Quran:

"O my 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 (false deities)

have seized you with evil (madness)." (Ch 11:53-54 Quran)

Hud had to return their challenge. He had no other way but to turn to Allah alone, no other

alternative but to give them a threatening ultimatum. he declared to them: "I call Allah to witness

and bear you witness that I am free from that which you ascribe as pin worship with Him (Allah).

SO plot against me, all of you and give me no respite. I put my trust in Allah, my Lord 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 it was sent to you. My Lord will make another people succeed you, and you will not harm

Him." (Ch 11:54-57 Quran)

The Punishment

Thus Hud renounced them and their gods and affirmed his dependence on Allah Who had created

him. Hud realized that punishment would be incurred on the disbeliveers among his people. It is

one of the laws of life. Allah punishes the disbeliveers, no matter how rich, tyrannical or great

they are.

Hud and his people waited for Allah's promise. A drought spread throughout the land, for the sky

no longer sent its rain. the sun scorched the desert sands, looking like a disk of fire which settled

on people's heads.

Hud's people hastened to him asking: "What is that drought Hud?"

Hud answered: "Allah is angry 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 him and became more obstinate, sarcastic and preserve in their unbelief. The

drought increased, the trees turned yellow, and plants died.

A day came when they found the sky full of clouds. Hud's people were glad as they came out of

their tents crying: "A cloud, which will give us rain!"

The weather changed suddenly from burning dry and hot to stinging cold with wind that shook

everything; trees, plants, tents, men and women. The wind increased day after day and night after

night.

Hud's people started to flee. They ran to their tents to hide but the gale became stronger, ripping

their tents from their stakes. They hid under cloth covers but the gale became stronger and still

and tore away the covers. It slashed clothing and skin. It penetrated the apertures of the body and

destroyed it. It hardly touched anything before it was destroyed or killed, its core sucked out to

decompose and rot. The storm raged for 8 days and 7 nights.