Surah Ash Shu'ara Notes (123-140)

Source: Ibn Kathir

Hud's preaching to His People `Ad

Here Allah tells us about His servant and Messenger Hud, when he called his people `Ad. His people used to live in the Ahqaf, curved sand-hills near Hadramawt, on the borders of Yemen. They lived after the time of Nuh, as Allah says in Surat Al-A`raf:

(And remember that He made you successors after the people of Nuh and increased you amply in stature) (7:69). This refers to the fact that they were physically strong and well-built, and very violent, and very tall; they had also been given a great deal of provisions, wealth, gardens, rivers, sons, crops and fruits. Yet despite all of that, they worshipped others besides Allah. So Allah sent Hud, one of their own, as a Messenger bringing them good news and delivering warnings. He called them to worship Allah alone, and he warned them of Allah's wrath and punishment if they were to go against him and treating him harshly. 

(123) Ad (people) belied the Messengers.

(124) When their brother Hud said to them: "Will you not fear Allah and obey Him?

(125) "Verily! I am a trustworthy Messenger to you.

(126) "So fear Allah, keep your duty to Him, and obey me.

(127) "No reward do I ask of you for it (my Message of Islamic Monotheism), my reward is only from the Lord of the 'Alamin (mankind, jinns, and all that exists).

(128) "Do you build high palaces on every high place, while you do not live in them?

He said to them, as Nuh had said to his people:

(Do you build on every Ri` an Ayah for your amusement) The scholars of Tafsir differed over the meaning of the word Ri`. In brief, they said that it refers to an elevated location at a well-known crossroads, where they would build a huge, dazzling, sturdy structure, this is why he said:

(Do you build on every Ri` an Ayah) i.e., a well-known landmark,

(for your amusement) meaning, `you are only doing that for the purpose of frivolity, not because you need it, but for fun and to show off your strength.' So their Prophet, peace be upon him, denounced them for doing that, because it was a waste of time and exhausted people's bodies for no purpose, and kept them busy with something that was of no benefit in this world or the next. 

(129) "And do you get for yourselves palaces (fine buildings) as if you will live therein for ever.

(And do you get for yourselves Masani` as if you will live therein forever) Mujahid said, "This means fortresses built up strong and high and structures that are built to last.''

(as if you will live therein forever) means, `so that you may stay there forever, but that is not going to happen, because they will eventually cease to be, just as happened in the case of those who came before you.'

(130) "And when you seize, seize you as tyrants?

(And when you seize (somebody), seize you (him) as tyrants) They are described as being strong, violent and tyrannical.

(131) "So fear Allah, keep your duty to Him, and obey me.

(So, have Taqwa of Allah, and obey me.) `Worship your Lord and obey your Messenger.' Then Hud began reminding them of the blessings that Allah had bestowed upon them. 

He said:

(132) "And keep your duty to Him, fear Him Who has aided you with all (good things) that you know.

(133) "He has aided you with cattle and children.

(134) "And gardens and springs.

(135) "Verily, I fear for you the torment of a Great Day."

(And have Taqwa of Him, Who has aided you with all that you know. He has aided you with cattle and children, and gardens and springs. Verily, I fear for you the torment of a Great Day.) meaning, `if you disbelieve and oppose (your Prophet).' So he called them to Allah with words of encouragement and words of warning, but it was to no avail.

The Response of the People of Hud, and Their Punishment

(136) They said: "It is the same to us whether you preach or be not of those who preach.

Allah tells us how the people of Hud responded to him after he had warned them, encouraged them, and clearly explained the truth to them.

(They said: "It is the same to us whether you preach or be not of those who preach.'') meaning, `we will not give up our ways.'

(137) "This is no other than the false-tales and religion of the ancients,

(This is no other than Khuluq of the ancients.) Some scholars read this: "Khalq''. According to Ibn Mas`ud and according to `Abdullah bin `Abbas -- as reported from Al-`Awfi -- and `Alqamah and Mujahid, they meant, "What you have brought to us is nothing but the tales (Akhlaq) of the ancients.'' This is like what the idolators of Quraysh said:

(And they say: "Tales of the ancients, which he has written down, and they are dictated to him morning and afternoon.'') (25:5) 

(This is no other than Khuluq of the ancients,) "as Khuluq,'' meaning their religion. What they were following was the religion of the ancients, their fathers and grandfathers, as if they were saying: "We are following them, we will live as they lived and die as they died, and there will be no resurrection and no judgement.'' 

Hence they said:

(138) "And we are not going to be punished."

(139) So they belied him, and We destroyed them. Verily! In this is indeed a sign, yet most of them are not believers.

(So they denied him, and We destroyed them.) meaning, they continued to disbelieve and stubbornly oppose Allah's Prophet Hud, so Allah destroyed them. The means of their destruction has been described in more than one place in the Qur'an: Allah sent against them a strong and furious wind, i.e., a fiercely blowing wind that was intensely cold. Thus the means of their destruction was suited to their nature, for they were the strongest and fiercest of people, so Allah overpowered them with something that was even stronger and fiercer than them.

(140) And verily! Your Lord, He is indeed the All-Mighty, the Most Merciful.