Perished Nations 1: The Story of ‘Aad, people of Hud

A Walking in the desert, you fall, and do not protect your nose. From it we
created you – and to it you will return. What happens to a body – it turns to
dust.

B They were the first to worship idols after the flood of Nuh.

ً‫طة‬
َ ْ‫خلْقِ َبس‬
َ ْ‫خلَفَاءَ ِمنْ بَ ْعدِ قَوْمِ نُوحٍ َوزَادَكُمْ فِي ال‬
ُ ْ‫جعَلَ ُكم‬
َ ْ‫ {وَاذْ ُكرُوا ِإذ‬:‫{وذلك بين في قوله لهم‬

B 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.

B:

Iram is the name of the specific Qabeelah of ‘aad. The location is AlAhqaf.

http://www.islam-qa.com/index.php?ref=7737&ln=ara&txt=%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%AF

Sadaa’, Samood, Haraa’ – the three idols that ‘aad worshipped, Tabari
‫ وهرا‬،‫ وصمودا‬،‫ صدا‬:‫وكانت أصنامهم ثلثة‬.

B
3 types of power:
1. physical power
2. architectual power
3. political power

B Da’wah to a nation – not just individuals. That is a new paradigm.

What is my outcome – not to tell you the stories of the Prophets, but rather
the stories of the nations, what caused them to not believe in Allah.

C The Darwin theory: we are all monkeys, therefore we are all just humans without
any laws.

،َ‫عدُون‬
َ ‫ هَيْهَاتَ هَيْهَاتَ ِلمَا تُو‬،‫خرَجُون‬
ْ ‫عظَاما َأنّكُمْ ُم‬
ِ ‫ {أَيَ ِعدُ ُكمْ أَنّ ُكمْ ِإذَا ِمتّمْ َوكُن ُتمْ ُترَابا َو‬:‫وقوله‬
‫علَى الّلهِ َكذِبا‬
َ ‫ ِإنْ هُوَ إِ ّل رَجُلٌ افْ َترَى‬،َ‫حنُ ِبمَبْعُوثِين‬
ْ َ‫حيَا َومَا ن‬
ْ َ‫ِإنْ هِيَ إِلّ حَيَاتُنَا الدّنْيَا َنمُوتُ وَن‬
‫صرْنِي بما كذبون‬
ُ ‫ قَا َل رَبّ ان‬،َ‫حنُ َلهُ ِبمُ ْؤمِنِين‬
ْ َ‫{ َومَا ن‬
‫استبعدوا الميعاد وأنكروا قيام الجساد بعد صيرورتها ترابا وعظاما‬،
‫ أي بعيد بعيد هذا الوعد‬،}َ‫ {هَيْهَاتَ هَيْهَات‬:‫وقالوا‬،
}‫ كما‬.‫حنُ ِبمَبْعُوثِينَ} أي يموت قوم ويحيا آخرون‬
ْ َ‫حيَا َومَا ن‬
ْ َ‫ِإنْ هِيَ إِلّ حَيَاتُنَا الدّنْيَا َنمُوتُ وَن‬
‫ أرحام تدفع وأرض تبلع‬:‫يقول بعض الجهلة من الزنادقة‬.
C
Allah recounts his 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)

I’m sorry, but that just sounds illogical.

the chiefs of Hud's people asked: "IS it not strange that Allah's chooses
one of us to reveal His message to?"

C Shayyabatnee Hud wa akhawaatuh.

d The storm raged for 8 days and 7 nights.

D Almighty Allah recounts: 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! (Ch 46:24-25 Quran)

Allah the Exalted described it thus: And as for Ad, they were destroyed for a firious
violent wind which Allah imposed on them for 7 nights and 8 days in succession, so
that you could see men lying overthrown (destroyed) as if they were hollow trunks of
palm trees! (Ch 69:6-7 Quran)

That violent gale did not stop until the entire region was reduced to ruins and its
wicked people destroyed, swallowed by the sands of the desert. Only Hud and his
followers remained unharmed. They migrated to Hadramaut and lived there in peace,
worshipping Allah, their true Lord.

D Can you find any remnants?

D Drought for 3 years: they are in need: their agriculture, their

livestock, their water drinking …

70 men went to the idols, the ameer on top, red-white-black, he said, “I

want the black one.” You will have it.

“because we are noble to our Lord, look how quickly the rain clouds
have come.”

Cold winds. And they went in – if they come out it tears them up and
slams them down.

Tudammiru kullu shay’in bi amri rabbiha …

D Hud’s prayer “qala rabbin surnee bima kadhdhaboon. Qaala ‘amma

qaleelin layusbihunna naadimeen.”
E
‫ واتبعوا في هذه الدنيا لعنة ويوم‬،‫وتلك عاد جحدوا بآيات ربهم وعصوا رسله واتبعوا أمر كل جبار عنيد‬
‫ أل بعدا لعاد قوم هود‬،‫ آل إن عادا كفروا ربهم‬،‫القيامة‬

59. And that was ‘Aad, who rejected the signs of their Lord and
disobeyed His messengers and followed the order of every
obstinate tyrant.
60. And they were [therefore] followed in this world with a curse
and [as well] on the Day of Resurrection. Unquestionably,
‘Aad denied their Lord; then away with ‘Aad, the people of
Hūd.
C Tornado only lasts for a few seconds and destroys. This was a 8 day
wind.

They were plentiful with luxuries:

َ َ َ َ
:(‫ت‬ َ َ‫}و‬133{ ‫ن‬
ٍ ‫جنَّا‬ َ ‫} أ‬132{ ‫ن‬
ٍ َ‫مدَّكُم بِأنْع‬
َ ‫ام وَبَنِي‬ ُ َ ‫ما تَعْل‬
َ ‫مو‬ َ ‫وَاتَّقُوا ال ّذِي أ‬
َ ِ ‫مدَّكُم ب‬
ٍ ‫) وَعُيُو‬
‫ن‬

E
The Issue of Doubt as an Excuse not to follow:
14:9 Has not the story reached you, (O people!), of those who (went)
before you? - of the people of Noah, and 'AD, and Thamud? - And of those
who (came) after them? None knows them but Allah. To them came
apostles with Clear (Signs); but they put their hands up to their mouths,
and said: "We do deny (the mission) on which ye have been sent, and we
are really in suspicious (disquieting) doubt as to that to which ye invite
us."

If they disbelieve, they are not the first. And this is the end:
22:42 If they treat thy (mission) as false, so did the peoples before them
(with their prophets),- the People of Noah, and 'AD and Thamud;

Disbelief in one = disbelief in ALL the prophets

26:123 The 'AD (people) rejected the apostles.

Just because they are skillful and intelligent doesn’t mean Shaytaan can’t
trick them:
29:38 (Remember also) the 'Ad and the Thamud (people): clearly will
appear to you from (the traces) of their buildings (their fate): the Evil One
made their deeds alluring to them, and kept them back from the Path,
though they were gifted with intelligence and skill.

C
AlWaleed grabbing the mouth of the Prophet
41:13 But if they turn away, say thou: "I have warned you of a stunning
Punishment (as of thunder and lightning) like that which (overtook) the 'Ad
and the Thamud!"

E
Thinking of oneself as the greatest nation on earth
41:15 Now the 'Ad behaved arrogantly through the land, against (all) truth
and reason, and said: "Who is superior to us in strength?" What! did they
not see that Allah, Who created them, was superior to them in strength?
But they continued to reject Our Signs!
E
AlJaz’aa min jins al ‘amal.
41.16. So We sent upon them a screaming wind during
days of misfortune to make them taste the
punishment of disgrace in the worldly life; but
the punishment of the Hereafter is more
disgracing, and they will not be helped.

E
Hastening the punishment: see the arrogance (double
bind)
22. They said: "Hast thou come in order to turn us aside from our gods?
Then bring upon us the (calamity) with which thou dost threaten us, if thou
art telling the truth?"

E
The Issue of mocking, comedy, ridicule
Establishment of power and prosperity.
26. And We had firmly established them in a (prosperity and) power which
We have not given to you (ye Quraish!) and We had endowed them with
(faculties of) hearing, seeing, heart and intellect: but of no profit to them
were their (faculties of) hearing, sight, and heart and intellect, when they
went on rejecting the Signs of Allah. and they were (completely) encircled
by that which they used to mock at!

Do you see any remnants of them?

6. And the 'Ad, they were destroyed by a furious Wind, exceedingly violent;

7. He made it rage against them seven nights and eight days in succession: so that
thou couldst see the (whole) people lying prostrate in its (path), as they had been roots
of hollow palm-trees tumbled down!

8. Then seest thou any of them left surviving?

E
They build castles so so powerful as if they were going to live in them for all eternity.
Example: we make so much money that can provide for our grandchildren and their
grandchildren.

Common Rebuttal: Will we leave the religion of our forefathers?

}َ‫ح َدهُ وَ َن َذرَ مَا كَانَ َيعْ ُبدُ آبَا ُؤنَا فَ ْأتِنَا ِبمَا تَ ِعدُنَا ِإنْ كُنتَ ِمنْ الصّا ِدقِين‬
ْ َ‫جئْتَنَا لِ َنعْ ُبدَ الّلهَ و‬
ِ َ‫{أ‬

E
The mala’ are usually the ones who are enemies of the prophets, duat.

Plucking of the people, even if they are well rooted in the land

18. The 'Ad (people) (too) rejected (Truth): then how terrible was My Penalty and My
Warning?
19. For We sent against them a furious wind, on a Day of violent Disaster,

20. Plucking out men as if they were roots of palm-trees torn up (from the ground).

21. Yea, how (terrible) was My Penalty and My Warning!

How POWERFUL they were, and how Allah destroyed them

6. Seest thou not how thy Lord dealt with the 'Ad (people),-

7. Of the (city of) Iram, with lofty pillars,

8. The like of which were not produced in (all) the land?

Notice the building of buildings as a sign of civilization? Justice and

obedience to Allah is civilization.

E Using labels as a propaganda tool: feeble minded, liar.

E Luxuries; There was NO ONE like them in physical power, and political
power.
This is what they did with their excess in money and power:

(ْ‫}وَِإذَا َبطَشْتُم َبطَشْ ُتم‬129{ َ‫خذُونَ َمصَانِعَ َلعَّلكُمْ َتخْلُدُون‬

ِ ّ‫} وَتَت‬128{ َ‫أَتَبْنُونَ ِب ُكلّ رِيعٍ آيَةً َتعْبَثُون‬
ٍ‫} َأمَ ّدكُم بِأَ ْنعَام‬132{ َ‫}وَا ّتقُوا الّذِي َأ َم ّدكُم ِبمَا َتعَْلمُون‬131{ ِ‫} فَا ّتقُوا اللّ َه وَأَطِيعُون‬130{ َ‫جَبّارِين‬
‫سوَاء عَلَيْنَا‬
َ ‫} قَالُوا‬135{ٍ‫علَ ْيكُمْ عَذَابَ َيوْمٍ عَظِيم‬
َ ُ‫} إِنّي َأخَاف‬134{ ٍ‫} َوجَنّاتٍ وَعُيُون‬133{ َ‫وَبَنِين‬
‫ظتَ َأمْ لَمْ َتكُن مّنَ ا ْلوَاعِظِينَ( الشعراء‬
ْ َ‫ َأوَع‬.

Darb bihim al mathal for how completely they were destroyed.

F Hud challenged them: they couldn’t touch him. “Inni oshhidul Allah,
…”

What strength did Hud have? The tawakkul in Allah.

They couldn’t touch him – so they challenged him: bring us the
punishment if you are truthful.

F
They say we made this up, but they made it up:
ْ‫ظرُوا إِنّي مَعَ ُكم‬
ِ ‫سلْطَانٍ فَان َت‬
ُ ْ‫سمّيْ ُتمُوهَا أَنْ ُتمْ وَآبَا ُؤكُمْ مَا َنزّلَ الّلهُ بِهَا ِمن‬
َ ٍ‫سمَاء‬
ْ ‫أَ ُتجَادِلُو َننِي فِي َأ‬
َ‫ظرِين‬
ِ َ‫{ ِمنْ ا ْلمُنت‬

F: making dua when the bad weather is coming

 ‫ كان رسول ال‬:‫عن عائشة رضي ال عنها قالت‬: ‫و ما رواه مسلم في صحيحه حيث قال‬
‫ "اللهم إني أسألك خيرها وخير ما فيها وخير ما‬:‫صلى ال عليه وسلم إذا عصفت الريح قال‬
‫ وأعوذ بك من شرها وشر ما فيها وشر ما أرسلت به‬،‫"أرسلت به‬
،‫ فإذا أمطرت سرى عنه‬.‫ وأقبل وأدبر‬،‫ وخرج ودخل‬،‫ "وإذا غيبت السماء تغير لونه‬:‫قالت‬
‫فعرفت ذلك عائشة فسألته‬
‫ {فلما رأوه عارضا مستقبل أوديتهم قالوا هذا عارض‬:‫ "لعله يا عائشة كما قال قوم عاد‬:‫فقال‬
‫"{ممطرنا‬.

Saheeh Muslim

Chapter 171: (PRAYER FOR) PROTECTION (OF ALLAH) WHEN THERE IS

A WINDSTORM, OR (TERRIBLY DARK) CLOUD, AND FEELING OF JOY
WHEN THERE IS A RAINFALL

Book 004, Number 1962:

'Ata' b. Rabah reported on the authority of 'A'isha, the wife of the Apostle of Allah (way peace be upon
him), who said: Whenever the wind was stormy, the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) used to
say: O Allah! I ask Thee for what is good in it, and the good which it contains, and the good of that which
it was sent for. I seek refuge with Thee from what is evil in it, what evil it contains, and the evil of that
what it was sent for; and when there was a thunder and lightning in the sky, his colour underwent a
change, and he went out and in, backwards and forwards; and when the rain came, he felt relieved, and
I noticed that (the sign of relief) on his face. 'A'isha asked him (about it) and he said: It may be as the
people of 'Ad said: When they saw a cloud formation coming to their valley they said:" It is a cloud which
would give us rain" (Qur'an, xlvi. 24).

Book 004, Number 1963:

'A'isha, the wife of the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him), reported: I never saw Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) laugh to such an extent that I could see his uvula-whereas he
used to smile only-and when he saw dark clouds or wind, (the signs of fear) were depicted on his face. I
said: Messenger of Allah, I find people being happy when they ace the dark cloud in the hope that it
would bring rain, but I find that when you see that (the cloud) there is an anxiety on your face. He said:
'A'isha, I am afraid that there may be a calamity in it, for a people was afflicted with wind, when the
people saw the calamity they said:" It is a cloud which would give us rain" (Qur'an. xlvi. 24).

G
Being thankful and worshipping Allah would have saved them.
‘wattaqulladhee amadakum bima ta’lamoon…”
“fadhkuroo ‘alaa’ Allahi la’allakum tuflihoon.”

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 were arrogant: man ashadu minna quwwah.

We must be humble.
G : Do not leave Allah’s commandments
“maa ahwan alibad ‘ala Allah in hum taraku amrah”

33. Seest thou one who turns back,

34. Gives a little, then hardens (his heart)?

35. What! Has he knowledge of the Unseen so that he can see?

36. Nay, is he not acquainted with what is in the Books of Moses-

37. And of Abraham who fulfilled his engagements?-

38. Namely, that no bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another;

39. That man can have nothing but what he strives for;

40. That (the fruit of) his striving will soon come in sight:

41. Then will he be rewarded with a reward complete;

42. That to thy Lord is the final Goal;

43. That it is He Who granteth Laughter and Tears;

44. That it is He Who granteth Death and Life;

45. That He did create in pairs,- male and female,

46. From a seed when lodged (in its place);

47. That He hath promised a Second Creation (Raising of the Dead);

48. That it is He Who giveth wealth and satisfaction;

49. That He is the Lord of Sirius (the Mighty Star);

50. And that it is He Who destroyed the (powerful) ancient 'Ad (people),

51. And the Thamud nor gave them a lease of perpetual life.

52. And before them, the people of Noah, for that they were (all) most unjust and
most insolent transgressors,

53. And He destroyed the Overthrown Cities (of Sodom and Gomorrah).

54. So that (ruins unknown) have covered them up.

55. Then which of the gifts of thy Lord, (O man,) wilt thou dispute about?

56. This is a Warner, of the (series of) Warners of old!

57. The (Judgment) ever approaching draws nigh:

58. No (soul) but Allah can lay it bare.

59. Do ye then wonder at this recital?

60. And will ye laugh and not weep,-

61. Wasting your time in vanities?

62. But fall ye down in prostration to Allah, and adore (Him)!