The Power and Downfall of the 'Ad:Story Of Prophet Hud
The Desert of Al-Ahqaf, where Prophet Hud (علیہ السلام) preached, is a vast desert located between the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf, spanning Oman, Hadramaut, Bahrain, and western Yemen. Known as the Greatest Desert and the Empty Quarter, it holds historical significance in the story of Prophet Hud and the ‘Ad people.
It can also be called The Greatest desert in the World and The Empty Quarter. Al-Ahqaf literally translated means large sand dunes, high and vast sand dunes, Al Ahqaf is the plural of the word Haqf.
Travelling through this desert is nearly a taboo, and anybody stepping into the desert feels like walking to his/her own death.
That is why none of the locals and adventurous tourists would ever dare to approach them. No matter where you throw something in the huge mountains of the fine white sand, it is consumed in a few moments, and the surface of the sand is perfectly stationary.
This desert is an obvious demonstration of the power of Allah as a lesson to human beings.
The most fertile, blooming area has transformed into the most desolated lifeless zone, a place to fear and dry out.
It was the land of the people of ‘Ad who were noted to have sprawling gardens of fruits and flowers, cool water springs, and skyscraping buildings.
The powerful and rich civilization that was known to be the ‘Ad people was comprised of some of the tallest and strongest humans to have ever lived, as Allah puts it:
Surah Al-Fajr, 89:8
إِنَّا لَمْ نُنشِئْهُمْ فِي الْمُلْكِ إِذَا قُدِّرَ فِي أَمْرٍۢ
Translation:
“Any other nation was not formed like them.”
The ‘Ad people inhabited the Al-Ahqaf region and it is a district which is today mentioned in the Quran as an admonition to later generations:
Surah Al-Ahqaf, 46:21
وَذْكُرْ عَبْدَنَا هُودًا إِذْ جَاءَ قَوْمَهُۥ بِالْأَحْقَافِ
Translation:
“And remember when Hud (علیہ السلام) said to his people in the Valley of Al-Ahqaf…”
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Table of Contents
Arrival of the 'Ad People: Their Sinfulness and Divine Consequences
The people of ‘Ad were the first people to embrace idolatry and immorality following the flood of Prophet Noah (علیہ السلام).
It is their ignorance and sins that made them morally corrupt amidst their material wealth. The people of ‘Ad had gone to an extreme level of disobedience, Prophet Hud (علیہ السلام) was sent by Allah to preach to them.
Surah Al-A’raf, 7:65
وَإِلَىٰ عَادٍ أَخَاهُمْ هُودًا قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّـهَ مَا لَكُمْ مِنْ إِلَٰهِ غَيْرُهُ
Translation:
“And to the people of ‘Ad, their brother Hud said: ‘O my people, worship Allah, there is no god but Him. Will you not fear Him?‘”
Prophet Hud (علیہ السلام) and the people of ‘Ad would abuse each other, and the people of ‘Ad did not believe him, so they just worshipped idols.
Surah Al-A’raf, 7:66
قَالُوا۟ يَا هُودُ مَا جِئْتَنَا بِمَا نَحْنُ فِيهِ مِنْ شَكٍّ وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمُؤْمِنِينَ
Translation:
“They said, ‘O Hud, we have not received what we expected from you, and we do not believe in what you say.'”
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Prophet Hud's (علیہ السلام) Warning of Destruction to the 'Ad People
Prophet Hud (علیہ السلام) kept on warning his people against the reproaches of arrogance and sin. He exhorted them to seek repentance with Allah:
Surah Hud, 11:52
وَقَالَ يَا قَوْمِ اسْتَغْفِرُوا۟ رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ غَفَّارًا
Translation:
“And he said: ‘O my people, ask forgiveness from your Lord; indeed, He is the Most Forgiving.'”
But the people of ‘Ad, in spite of the admonitions of Prophet Hud (علیہ السلام), persisted in their stubbornness.
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The Results of Rejection
The people of Prophet Hud (علیہ السلام) were punished severely when the people of the city of the people of Sodom (‘Ad) neglected the message that Prophet Hud (علیہ السلام) brought to the people of ‘Ad.
Allah sent a curse that destroyed them by blowing them away in a strong wind. The Judgment was very quick as Prophet Hud (علیہ السلام) had warned them:
Surah Al-Ahqaf, 46:24
فَفَأْتَتْهُمْ رِيحٌ عَاصِفَةٌ فِي لَيْلَةٍ دَامِسَةٍ
Translation:
“And in the night there arose a windstorm that uprooted all things against them.”
Although they were very powerful, they could not resist the punishment of Allah.
The Character of Prophet Hud (علیہ السلام)
Prophet Hud (علیہ السلام) spent more than 50 years in the mission of his people. He even did not stop his work, even when he was rejected.
Only some of the tribes, Khuljan tribe, followed his message as other tribes were hostile like the Luqman tribe.
Surah Hud, 11:52
وَقَالَ يَا قَوْمِ لَا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا إِنْ أَجْرِيَ إِلَّا عَلَىٰ الَّذِي فَطَرَنِي
Translation:
“And (he) said, I ask you not of it reward: O my people, what belongeth unto you. Only that one who created me rewards me.“
The Death of the People of 'Ad
The reddening was an inevitableness. Several days later a windstorm swept over them and wiped the people of the ‘Ad out. They left no one, and only Prophet Hud (علیہ السلام) and his followers are left.
Surah Al-Ahqaf, 46:25
وَفَٰنَجَّيْنَٰهُ وَٱلَّذِينَ مَعَهُۥ بِرَحْمَةٍۢ مِّنَّا وَقَطَعْنَا دَابِرَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِءَايَٰتِنَا وَمَا كَانُوا۟ مُؤْمِنِينَ
Translation:
“And We saved him and those who were with him by Our mercy, and We cut off the last remnants of those who denied Our signs and were not believers.”
Conclusion
The Greatness of the Message of Prophet Hud and the Downfall of the People of the Ad The experience of Prophet Hud (علیہ السلام) with the people of Ad is the same lesson time and again telling how arrogance, sin, rejection of divine guidance leads to.
The warnings of Prophet Hud (علیہ السلام) were left unheeded by the so called Ad people that were hugely powerful and rich and were busy in their acts like idolatry and arrogance.
Their stubbornness and disobedience pursued them although Prophet Hud was repeatedly urging them to repent to God and worship Him as a true God (Tawhid).
It was their revenge that came quickly as a ravaging wind, leaving their civilization burned down in a night. But Allah spared prophet Hud (علیہ السلام) and his followers through mercy.
The lesson of this story is the significance of repentance, humility and obedience to Allah. It also explains the terrible destiny of those who refuse to follow divine guidance and leads a life of disobedience to the will of Allah.
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