Overview - Surah 11: Hud (Hud)
In this Surah we have the stories of Prophets Noah, Salih, Hud, Lot, Shuaib and Moses - peace be upon them all. The basic point is that Allah sent His Prophets and Messengers to mankind out of His grace and mercy, but when people did not listen to the Prophets and rejected their message then Allah's punishment came and came relentlessly. It did not make any difference whether someone was the son of a Prophet or his wife or any one, none could escape Allah’s judgment.
Sections:
- Seek forgiveness from Allah and His bounties will be for you.
- Patience and good deeds bring the stability in character.
- The story of Prophet Noah -peace be upon him.
- The fate of those who disbelieved in Prophet Noah. The moving description of the fate of Prophet Noah's son.
- The Message of Prophet Hud. 'Ad people denied Allah's message and were punished.
- The Message of Prophet Saleh, the Sign of the She-Camel, and end of Thamud.
- Prophet Ibrahim receives the angles. The angels then went to Prophet Lot. The punishment of the people of Lot -peace be upon him.
- Prophet Shu'aib and his message, his people's denial and their punishment.
- Prophet Moses was sent to Pharaoh and his people. The purpose of these stories.
- Prophets were denied before. Continue presenting the message with patience. Had Allah forced His will upon the people, He would have made them all one people.
The mention of Prophet Hud occurs more time in this Surah than any other Surah of the Qur'an. It appears a total of 5 times.
The Prophet refered to this surah as Hud in a number of hadeeth. Abu Bakr once said to the Prophet, ‘O Messenger of Allah, you have become old.’ The Prophet said, ‘I have become old [due to] [Surah] Hud, al-Waqiah [56], al-Murasalat [77], Amma yatasailoon [an-Naba 78] and Waidha ash-Shamsu kuwirat [at-Takweer 81].” [Tirmidhee]
There are 123 Ayat in this Surah.
Overview
| Total Ayat | 123 |
| Total Words * | 1917 |
| Root Words * | 358 |
| Unique Root Words * | 7 |
| Makki / Madani | Makki |
| Chronological Order* | 52nd (according to Ibn Abbas) |
| Year of Revelation* | 12th year of Prophethood |
| Events during/before this Surah*
2nd Pledge of Aqabah, 1st Pledge of Aqabah, Death of Abu Talib - Death of Khadijah - Stoning at Ta'if - al-Isra wal Mi'raj - Night Journey, Boycott of Banu Hashim Yr 3, Boycott of Banu Hashim Yr 2, Boycott of Banu Hashim Yr 1, 2nd Migration to Abyssinia, Physical beating and torture of some Muslims - 1st Migration of Muslims to Abyssinia, Public Invitation to Islam - Persecution of Muslims; antagonism - ridicule - derision - accusation - abuse and false propaganda., Revelation begins - Private Invitation to Islam , Revelation begins - Private Invitation to Islam , Revelation begins - Private Invitation to Islam
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| Events during/after still to occur*
,Migration from Makkah to Madinah - Building of Masjid Nabi in Madinah - Treaty with Jews of Madinah - Marriage of Prophet to Aishah,Change of Qiblah from Jerusalem to Makkah - Battle of Badr,Battle of Uhud,,Battle of Ahzab - Expedition of Banu Quraydhah,Treaty of Hudaiybiyah - Letters to Kings and Rulers,,Conquest of Makkah - Battle of Hunain,Hajj led by Abu Bakr - Expedition of Tabuk,Farewell Hajj by Prophet - Death of Prophet - End of Divine Revelation
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| Names of Prophets Mentioned
Nuh, Hud, Salih, Lut, Ibrahim, Ishaq, Yaqub, Shuaib, Musa
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| Surah Index
‘Aad, Abraham, Adversity (patience during) , God (ability to do anything) , God (throne rests upon the water) , Angels, Behaviour (each group given a law and way of life) (God could have made them one community), Death (those communities who have no revelation will not be destroyed) , Disbelievers (relationship to belivers) , Earth (creation and recreation of) , Earth (creation of) (in six days), Hell, Hud, Humankind (creation of) (from earth), Isaac, Jacob, Jinn, Judgement (Day) , Lot, Madyan, Moses, Noah, Noah (ark) , Noah (ark) (came to rest on Mt. Judi), Noah (flood) , Pharaoh, Prayer (times of day of) , Prophet (people who are false prophets are wicked) , Qur’an, Religion, Resurrection (Day) , Resurrection (of soul) , Revelation, Salih, Shu’ayb, Thamud, Thamud (she camel) , Thamud (she camel) (killing of), Thamud (she camel) (punishment for), Torah
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Issue 1: Lessons from history regarding those who denied. From the time of Prophet Nuh to the time of the Prophet Muhammad [saw], there is one manifest truth and that this that there is no one who deserved to be worshipped except God alone without any equal and partner.
Issue 2: The stance of the Messengers. Despite these Messengers being rejected, mocked at, belied and denied, they stood firm with Yaqin [certainty], Thabat [steadfastness] and Sabr [patience and perseverance].
Issue 3: Warning and Admonition. The Surah deals with the same subject as Surah 10: Yunus (Jonah) that is invitation to the Message admonition and warning with this difference that the warning is sterner. This is also supported by a hadith: Some time after its revelation, Abu Bakr noted to the Prophet that he had been noticing that he was growing older and older. The Prophet replied, “Surah Hud and the like Surahs have made me old.” This shows that it was a very hard time for the Prophet and these stern warnings added greatly to his anxieties that were caused by the persecution from the Quraysh who were doing their worst to crush down the Message of Islam. For it was obvious to the Prophet that the last limit of the respite given by God was approaching nearer and nearer and he was afraid lest the term of the respite should expire and his people be seized by the torment. The invitation is this: Obey the Messenger of God; discard polytheism (Shirk) and worship God and God alone: establish the entire system of your life on the belief that you shall be called to account in the Hereafter
The admonition is this: Remember that those people who put their faith in the outward appearance of this worldly life and rejected the Message of the Prophets met with dire consequences. Therefore you should consider it seriously whether you should follow the same way that history has proved to be the path to ruin
The warning is this: You should not be deluded by the delay in the coming of the punishment: it is because of the respite that God has granted you by His grace so that you might mend your ways: if you do not make use of this opportunity you shall be inflicted with an inevitable punishment that will destroy you all except the Believers
Instead of addressing the people directly, the Qur’an has used the stories of the people of Noah, Hud, Salih, Lot, Shu’aib and Moses to achieve the above mentioned objects. What is most prominent in their stories is that when God passes His judgement on the people He does not spare anyone whatsoever even if he be the nearest relative of the Prophet of the time. Only that one is rescued who had believed in the Prophet and none else not even his own son or wife. More than that: the Faith demands from each and every Believer that he should totally forget his relationships when that judgement comes and remember only the relationship of the Faith. For it is against the spirit of Islam to show any regard whatsoever for the relationships of blood and race. And the Muslims demonstrated these teachings practically in the Battle of Badr four years after the revelation of this Surah.
- The mention of Prophet Hud occurs most in this Surah in comparison to any other Surah of the Qur'an. It appears a total of 5 times.
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The Surah begins with an order to single out Allah for Ibadah (worship), أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوا إِلَّا اللَّـهَ ۚ إِنَّنِي لَكُم مِّنْهُ نَذِيرٌ وَبَشِيرٌ "Do not worship except Allah. Indeed, I am to you from Him a warner and a bringer of good tidings," (11:2)
The Surah ends with also an order to worship Him, وَلِلَّـهِ غَيْبُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَإِلَيْهِ يُرْجَعُ الْأَمْرُ كُلُّهُ فَاعْبُدْهُ وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَيْهِ ۚ وَمَا رَبُّكَ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ "And to Allah belong the unseen [aspects] of the heavens and the earth and to Him will be returned the matter, all of it, so worship Him and rely upon Him. And your Lord is not unaware of that which you do." (11:123)
- In the beginning and end of the Surah, the Prophet is advised about staying firm upon the revelation:
فَلَعَلَّكَ تَارِكٌ بَعْضَ مَا يُوحَىٰ إِلَيْكَ وَضَائِقٌ بِهِ صَدْرُكَ أَن يَقُولُوا لَوْلَا أُنزِلَ عَلَيْهِ كَنزٌ أَوْ جَاءَ مَعَهُ مَلَكٌ ۚ إِنَّمَا أَنتَ نَذِيرٌ ۚ وَاللَّـهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَكِيلٌ “Then would you possibly leave [out] some of what is revealed to you, or is your breast constrained by it because they say, "Why has there not been sent down to him a treasure or come with him an angel?" But you are only a warner. And Allah is Disposer of all things.” (11:12)
فَاسْتَقِمْ كَمَا أُمِرْتَ وَمَن تَابَ مَعَكَ وَلَا تَطْغَوْا ۚ إِنَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ وَلَا تَرْكَنُوا إِلَى الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا فَتَمَسَّكُمُ النَّارُ وَمَا لَكُم مِّن دُونِ اللَّـهِ مِنْ أَوْلِيَاءَ ثُمَّ لَا تُنصَرُونَ“So remain on a right course as you have been commanded, [you] and those who have turned back with you [to Allah], and do not transgress. Indeed, He is Seeing of what you do. And do not incline toward those who do wrong, lest you be touched by the Fire, and you would not have other than Allah any protectors; then you would not be helped.” (11:112-113)
Manuscripts / Inscriptions
16th Century
16th Century
18th Century
18th Century
19th Century
19th Century
6th-7th Century H (12/13th CE)
13th century AD
13th century AD
1st Century Hijrah (7th Century CE)
1st Century Hijrah (7th Century CE)
Early 8th century AD
Early 8th century AD
Second half of 1st century Hijra / late 7th or early 8th century CE
Second half of 1st century Hijra / late 7th or early 8th century CE
In the previous Surah, Yunus, there was a brief mention of the Prophet Nuh (10:71) but it was not detailed. In Surah Hud, the first of the stories of the Prophets mentioned is that of Prophet Nuh and this is followed by others.
- Words derived from J-R-M- (crime, criminal) appear 6 times in Surah Hud. This is the highest occurance compared to any other Surah.
- Words derived from KH-Z-YA (Humiliation) appear 4 times in Surah Hud, the highest compared to any other Surah
- (11:122) is the shortest Ayat of this Surah with 3 words,
وَانتَظِرُوا إِنَّا مُنتَظِرُونَ "And wait, indeed, we are waiting." (11:122)
Total Word Count per Ayat (shows how many words per Ayat) = 7* | ||
| # | Root Word | Frequency in Surah | Frequency in Qur'an |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | ق و ل | 55 | 1722 |
| 2. | أ ل ه | 45 | 2851 |
| 3. | ر ب ب | 44 | 980 |
| 4. | ق و م | 42 | 660 |
| 5. | ك و ن | 33 | 1390 |
| 6. | إِلَىٰ | 31 | 742 |
| 7. | إِلَّا | 29 | 663 |
| 8. | ٱلَّذِى | 25 | 1464 |
| 9. | ع م ل | 16 | 360 |
| 10. | أ م ر | 16 | 248 |
| Root Word | Frequency in Surah |
Frequency in Qur'an |
|---|---|---|
| ق و ل | 55 | 1722 |
| أ ل ه | 45 | 2851 |
| ر ب ب | 44 | 980 |
| ق و م | 42 | 660 |
| ك و ن | 33 | 1390 |
| إِلَىٰ | 31 | 742 |
| إِلَّا | 29 | 663 |
| ٱلَّذِى | 25 | 1464 |
| ع م ل | 16 | 360 |
| أ م ر | 16 | 248 |
If we consider its theme deeply we come to the conclusion that it was revealed during the same period as Surah 10: Yunus (Jonah) and most probably followed it immediately.
Heavy responsibility affected the Prophet's health
It has been reported that once Abu Bakr said to the Prophet, ‘O Messenger of Allah, you have become old.’ The Prophet said, ‘I have become old [due to] [Surah] Hud, al-Waqiah [56], al-Murasalat [77], Amma yatasailoon [an-Naba 78] and Waidha ash-Shamsu kuwirat [at-Takweer 81].” [Tirmidhee]
Lessons:
1) Abu Bakr's love for the Prophet - he noticed the changes in his friends face/body - like anyone who loves someone else - We need to be observant on those around us.
2) The Prophet put him looking old down to the weight and responsibility of implementing the Qur'an - The weight of it made the Prophet old, would crumble a mountain - how is our relationship to it? - The early Muslims understood completely that every word of the Qur'an is true - so they felt the pressure/weight of whatever was discussed by Allah [swt] in the Qur'an
3) The Prophet [saw] pointed out 5 Surahs specifically - We should try to read these Surahs and information on the explanation of these Surahs as to why specically these had the effect they did.
- Istiqamah [steadfastness] - the stance of the Messengers.
- Not weakening or inclining to the enemies of the truth.
- The pain of the disbelievers rejecting the truth, albeit be they love ones, like the son of Prophet Nuh, should not weaken the resolve of the Believer.
- Allah is the Provider and Sustainer of all creatures.
- The Qur'an is the pure Message of Allah and is not forged by the Prophet.
- Story of the Prophet Nuh and his people.
- Dialogue between Nuh, his son and Allah.
- Prophets Hud, Saleh, Lut and Shu'aib's addresses to their people and consequences of their people's rejecting their messages.
- Divine law of virtues removing the evils.
- Allah has given freedom of choice to mankind (whether to believe or not to believe).
Tafsir Zone
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Overview (Verses 61 - 68) High Hopes, Arrogance and a Woeful Doom Let us now move on with the sūrah and look at the account it gives of the Prophet Şāliĥ and his people, Thamūd: “To Thamūd, We sent their brother Şāliĥ. He said: ‘My people! Worship God alone. You have no deity other than Him. He it is who brought you into being out of the earth and settled you therein. Seek His forgiveness and then turn to Him in repentance. My Lord is ever near. He answers all.’” (Verse 61) Again we find here the truth of Godhead as manifested in the heart of one of the noble messengers chosen to deliver His message. It is stated by Şāliĥ, as he is quoted in the Qur’ān: “Think, my people! If I take my stand on a clear evidence from my Lord who has bestowed on me His grace, who will save me from God were I to disobey Him? You are, in such a case, only aggravating my ruin.” (Verse 63) He says this after having given them a clear description of his Lord as he feels His presence in his own heart: “My Lord is ever near. He answers all.” (Verse 61) Şāliĥ called on his people: “My people! Worship God alone. You have no deity other than Him. He it is who brought you into being out of the earth and settled you therein.” (Verse 61) He thus appealed to them by what they could easily recognize as natural and irrefutable evidence based on how they were brought into being. Never had they claimed that they were the ones who brought themselves into being, ensured their survival and provided themselves with the sustenance available on earth. They did not deny that it was God who brought them into being. But they did not follow this through to its logical outcome, namely, submission to God alone and following His guidance. This indeed was the essence of what Şāliĥ called on them to do: “Worship God alone. You have no deity other than Him.” We again encounter the same words outlining the same basic issue, and the same course of action. Şāliĥ calls on people to believe in God’s oneness, to seek His forgiveness and to feel His presence with them wherever they are and whatever they are doing. Şāliĥ also reminds them that they originate from the earth. This refers to the origin of the human race as well as to the fact that every human being depends on the nourishment that he receives from the earth, or from the elements which are available in it, for his growth. Despite this origin they are put in charge of the earth and given the task of building it. This applies to the human race generally and to the Thamūd in particular, in their period of history. All this, however, does not deter them from associating partners with God. Şāliĥ, therefore, calls on them to “Seek His forgiveness and then turn to Him in repentance.” (Verse 61) If they do so, He will respond favourably and answer their prayers: ‘My Lord is ever near. He answers all.” (Verse 61) Note here the use of the possessive pronoun “My Lord” and the attributes which are chosen here, “ever near, He answers all.” Coming so close together, they give the impression of the reality of Godhead as felt by one of the chosen elite of believers. They impart an air of friendliness, compassion and very real contact between the benevolent prophet’s heart and the hearts of his audience. Their hearts, however, have been blinded by their corruption. They are no longer responsive. Hence, they do not feel the beauty or the majesty of the reality of Godhead, nor do they appreciate the friendliness and the care with which Şāliĥ addresses them. On the contrary, they are surprised and start to doubt their trusted brother. “They answered: ‘Şāliĥ.! Great hopes did we place in you before this. Would you now forbid us to worship what our forefathers worshipped? We are indeed in grave doubt about that to which you call us.’” (Verse 62) They tell him that they had placed great hopes in him. Where once they had appreciated his wide knowledge, honesty, sensibility and wisdom, they are now totally disappointed. Why? “Would you now forbid us to worship what our forefathers worshipped?” (Verse 62) To them, that was the calamity. They expected anything but this. And this raised grave doubts in their minds about everything Şāliĥ had said. “We are indeed in grave doubt about that to which you call us.” (Verse 62) Thus, the Thamūd are puzzled by what is straightforward. They consider as strange and singular what is right and clear. They are amazed that their brother, Şāliĥ, should call them to worship God alone. Their astonishment, however, is not based on any evidence, argument, or intellectual thought. They are astonished only because their forefathers worshipped such false gods. People can indeed reach this level of blindness. They base their beliefs on nothing more than the fact that their forefathers believed in the same thing. Once again we find that the faith based on God’s oneness is, in essence, a call for the complete and total liberation of the human mind from its bonds of blind imitation of the past, and from the shackles of legendary illusions. The Thamūd’s attitude towards Şāliĥ and their statement, “Great hopes did we place in you before this,” remind us of the great trust the Quraysh had shown in Muĥammad (peace be upon him) and his honesty. When he, however, called on them to believe in God alone, they denounced him in the same way as Şāliĥ was denounced by his people. They accused him of being a sorcerer and a fabricator. They preferred to forget their own testimony to his honesty. The same attitude is always repeated. Like Noah, his great-grandfather, Şāliĥ puts this simple question to his people: “Think, my people! If I take my stand on a clear evidence from my Lord who has bestowed on me His grace, who will save me from God were I to disobey Him? You are, in such a case, only aggravating my ruin.” (Verse 63) If I have clear proof, and I feel it within me to be absolutely certain that my path is the right path, and if God has bestowed His grace on me by choosing me to deliver His message, and has given me the qualities which make me qualified for this task, who will protect me from God if, in order to preserve your hopes and trust in me, I disobey Him by not conveying to you His message? Would your hopes which you have placed in me be of any use to me against God? “Who will save me from God were I to disobey Him?” You raise before me nothing more than the prospect of double ruin. I will incur God’s anger in addition to being deprived of the honour of being His messenger and will suffer the ignominy of this world in addition to the punishment of the hereafter. What a compound loss! “And, my people, here is God’s she-camel, a clear sign for you. Leave her to graze at will in God’s land, and do her no harm, lest speedy punishment befall you.” (Verse 64) The sūrah does not give here any description of the she-camel to which Şāliĥ refers as a sign given to them. However, she is ‘God’s she-camel,’ sent to them in particular so as to be ‘a clear sign for you.’ This suggests that the she-camel had certain distinctive qualities by which they knew that it was a sign from God. They were told to allow the she-camel to graze at will in God’s land and to do her no harm, or else, they would suffer a speedy punishment. The structure of the sentence in the original Arabic suggests that the punishment would fall immediately and overwhelm them totally. “Yet they cruelly slaughtered her. He said: ‘You have just three more days to enjoy life in your homes. This is a promise which will not be belied.” (Verse 65) Despite Şāliĥ’s warnings, they hamstrung the she- camel and killed her. The Arabic text uses for ‘slaughter’ a term that indicates that they struck her hamstrings with swords before killing her. Their action was evidence of their corruption and apathy. We note that the text here does not allow for any time passing between the appearance of the she- camel and their killing of her. It is evident that this sign from their Lord did not affect their attitude to Şāliĥ’s message. Hence, they had to be punished. They were given a respite of three days, and were told that that was the time left for them to enjoy themselves. The punishment would then surely follow: “When Our judgement came to pass, by Our grace We saved Şāliĥ and those who shared his faith from the ignominy of that day. Indeed, your Lord is Powerful, Almighty.” (Verse 66) At the appointed time Şāliĥ and those who followed him were saved by God’s grace. A special act of kindness was done to them and they were saved the humiliating destiny of the rest of the Thamūd, who died, having heard the dreadful cry, with everyone in the same position they were in before the cry. “Indeed your Lord is Powerful, Almighty.” Nothing can stand in His way and no people, powerful as they may be, can escape His judgement. Those who are on His side will always have their dignity intact. The sūrah then portrays a scene which makes us wonder at the Thamūd and the speed with which they were destroyed: “The blast overtook the wrongdoers, and when morning came, they lay lifeless on the ground, in their very homes, as though they had never prospered there.” (Verses 67-68) It is as if they never dwelled or prospered in their magnificent dwellings. It is a scene which fills us with wonder. Nothing more than a glance separates life from death. The whole life of a human being is no more than a momentary affair. The final comment is the usual one in the sūrah. It records the guilt of the people punished, the curse which pursued them and the fact that they were removed from existence and memory: “The Thamūd denied their Lord! Oh, away with the Thamūd.” (Verse 68) |
Ibn Kathir (English)
Sayyid Qutb
Sha'rawi
Al Jalalain
الطبري - جامع البيان
ابن كثير - تفسير القرآن العظيم
القرطبي - الجامع لأحكام
البغوي - معالم التنزيل
ابن أبي حاتم الرازي - تفسير القرآن
ابن عاشور - التحرير والتنوير
ابن القيم - تفسير ابن قيّم
السيوطي - الدر المنثور
الشنقيطي - أضواء البيان
ابن الجوزي - زاد المسير
الآلوسي - روح المعاني
ابن عطية - المحرر الوجيز
الرازي - مفاتيح الغيب
أبو السعود - إرشاد العقل السليم
الزمخشري - الكشاف
البقاعي - نظم الدرر
الهداية إلى بلوغ النهاية — مكي ابن أبي طالب
القاسمي - محاسن التأويل
الماوردي - النكت والعيون
السعدي - تيسير الكريم الرحمن
عبد الرحمن الثعالبي - الجواهر الحسان
السمرقندي - بحر العلوم
أبو إسحاق الثعلبي - الكشف والبيان
الشوكاني - فتح القدير
النيسابوري - التفسير البسيط
أبو حيان - البحر المحيط
البيضاوي - أنوار التنزيل
النسفي - مدارك التنزيل
ابن جُزَيّ - التسهيل لعلوم التنزيل
علي الواحدي النيسابوري - الوجيز
السيوطي - تفسير الجلالين
المختصر في التفسير — مركز تفسير
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Overview (Verses 61 - 68) High Hopes, Arrogance and a Woeful Doom Let us now move on with the sūrah and look at the account it gives of the Prophet Şāliĥ and his people, Thamūd: “To Thamūd, We sent their brother Şāliĥ. He said: ‘My people! Worship God alone. You have no deity other than Him. He it is who brought you into being out of the earth and settled you therein. Seek His forgiveness and then turn to Him in repentance. My Lord is ever near. He answers all.’” (Verse 61) Again we find here the truth of Godhead as manifested in the heart of one of the noble messengers chosen to deliver His message. It is stated by Şāliĥ, as he is quoted in the Qur’ān: “Think, my people! If I take my stand on a clear evidence from my Lord who has bestowed on me His grace, who will save me from God were I to disobey Him? You are, in such a case, only aggravating my ruin.” (Verse 63) He says this after having given them a clear description of his Lord as he feels His presence in his own heart: “My Lord is ever near. He answers all.” (Verse 61) Şāliĥ called on his people: “My people! Worship God alone. You have no deity other than Him. He it is who brought you into being out of the earth and settled you therein.” (Verse 61) He thus appealed to them by what they could easily recognize as natural and irrefutable evidence based on how they were brought into being. Never had they claimed that they were the ones who brought themselves into being, ensured their survival and provided themselves with the sustenance available on earth. They did not deny that it was God who brought them into being. But they did not follow this through to its logical outcome, namely, submission to God alone and following His guidance. This indeed was the essence of what Şāliĥ called on them to do: “Worship God alone. You have no deity other than Him.” We again encounter the same words outlining the same basic issue, and the same course of action. Şāliĥ calls on people to believe in God’s oneness, to seek His forgiveness and to feel His presence with them wherever they are and whatever they are doing. Şāliĥ also reminds them that they originate from the earth. This refers to the origin of the human race as well as to the fact that every human being depends on the nourishment that he receives from the earth, or from the elements which are available in it, for his growth. Despite this origin they are put in charge of the earth and given the task of building it. This applies to the human race generally and to the Thamūd in particular, in their period of history. All this, however, does not deter them from associating partners with God. Şāliĥ, therefore, calls on them to “Seek His forgiveness and then turn to Him in repentance.” (Verse 61) If they do so, He will respond favourably and answer their prayers: ‘My Lord is ever near. He answers all.” (Verse 61) Note here the use of the possessive pronoun “My Lord” and the attributes which are chosen here, “ever near, He answers all.” Coming so close together, they give the impression of the reality of Godhead as felt by one of the chosen elite of believers. They impart an air of friendliness, compassion and very real contact between the benevolent prophet’s heart and the hearts of his audience. Their hearts, however, have been blinded by their corruption. They are no longer responsive. Hence, they do not feel the beauty or the majesty of the reality of Godhead, nor do they appreciate the friendliness and the care with which Şāliĥ addresses them. On the contrary, they are surprised and start to doubt their trusted brother. “They answered: ‘Şāliĥ.! Great hopes did we place in you before this. Would you now forbid us to worship what our forefathers worshipped? We are indeed in grave doubt about that to which you call us.’” (Verse 62) They tell him that they had placed great hopes in him. Where once they had appreciated his wide knowledge, honesty, sensibility and wisdom, they are now totally disappointed. Why? “Would you now forbid us to worship what our forefathers worshipped?” (Verse 62) To them, that was the calamity. They expected anything but this. And this raised grave doubts in their minds about everything Şāliĥ had said. “We are indeed in grave doubt about that to which you call us.” (Verse 62) Thus, the Thamūd are puzzled by what is straightforward. They consider as strange and singular what is right and clear. They are amazed that their brother, Şāliĥ, should call them to worship God alone. Their astonishment, however, is not based on any evidence, argument, or intellectual thought. They are astonished only because their forefathers worshipped such false gods. People can indeed reach this level of blindness. They base their beliefs on nothing more than the fact that their forefathers believed in the same thing. Once again we find that the faith based on God’s oneness is, in essence, a call for the complete and total liberation of the human mind from its bonds of blind imitation of the past, and from the shackles of legendary illusions. The Thamūd’s attitude towards Şāliĥ and their statement, “Great hopes did we place in you before this,” remind us of the great trust the Quraysh had shown in Muĥammad (peace be upon him) and his honesty. When he, however, called on them to believe in God alone, they denounced him in the same way as Şāliĥ was denounced by his people. They accused him of being a sorcerer and a fabricator. They preferred to forget their own testimony to his honesty. The same attitude is always repeated. Like Noah, his great-grandfather, Şāliĥ puts this simple question to his people: “Think, my people! If I take my stand on a clear evidence from my Lord who has bestowed on me His grace, who will save me from God were I to disobey Him? You are, in such a case, only aggravating my ruin.” (Verse 63) If I have clear proof, and I feel it within me to be absolutely certain that my path is the right path, and if God has bestowed His grace on me by choosing me to deliver His message, and has given me the qualities which make me qualified for this task, who will protect me from God if, in order to preserve your hopes and trust in me, I disobey Him by not conveying to you His message? Would your hopes which you have placed in me be of any use to me against God? “Who will save me from God were I to disobey Him?” You raise before me nothing more than the prospect of double ruin. I will incur God’s anger in addition to being deprived of the honour of being His messenger and will suffer the ignominy of this world in addition to the punishment of the hereafter. What a compound loss! “And, my people, here is God’s she-camel, a clear sign for you. Leave her to graze at will in God’s land, and do her no harm, lest speedy punishment befall you.” (Verse 64) The sūrah does not give here any description of the she-camel to which Şāliĥ refers as a sign given to them. However, she is ‘God’s she-camel,’ sent to them in particular so as to be ‘a clear sign for you.’ This suggests that the she-camel had certain distinctive qualities by which they knew that it was a sign from God. They were told to allow the she-camel to graze at will in God’s land and to do her no harm, or else, they would suffer a speedy punishment. The structure of the sentence in the original Arabic suggests that the punishment would fall immediately and overwhelm them totally. “Yet they cruelly slaughtered her. He said: ‘You have just three more days to enjoy life in your homes. This is a promise which will not be belied.” (Verse 65) Despite Şāliĥ’s warnings, they hamstrung the she- camel and killed her. The Arabic text uses for ‘slaughter’ a term that indicates that they struck her hamstrings with swords before killing her. Their action was evidence of their corruption and apathy. We note that the text here does not allow for any time passing between the appearance of the she- camel and their killing of her. It is evident that this sign from their Lord did not affect their attitude to Şāliĥ’s message. Hence, they had to be punished. They were given a respite of three days, and were told that that was the time left for them to enjoy themselves. The punishment would then surely follow: “When Our judgement came to pass, by Our grace We saved Şāliĥ and those who shared his faith from the ignominy of that day. Indeed, your Lord is Powerful, Almighty.” (Verse 66) At the appointed time Şāliĥ and those who followed him were saved by God’s grace. A special act of kindness was done to them and they were saved the humiliating destiny of the rest of the Thamūd, who died, having heard the dreadful cry, with everyone in the same position they were in before the cry. “Indeed your Lord is Powerful, Almighty.” Nothing can stand in His way and no people, powerful as they may be, can escape His judgement. Those who are on His side will always have their dignity intact. The sūrah then portrays a scene which makes us wonder at the Thamūd and the speed with which they were destroyed: “The blast overtook the wrongdoers, and when morning came, they lay lifeless on the ground, in their very homes, as though they had never prospered there.” (Verses 67-68) It is as if they never dwelled or prospered in their magnificent dwellings. It is a scene which fills us with wonder. Nothing more than a glance separates life from death. The whole life of a human being is no more than a momentary affair. The final comment is the usual one in the sūrah. It records the guilt of the people punished, the curse which pursued them and the fact that they were removed from existence and memory: “The Thamūd denied their Lord! Oh, away with the Thamūd.” (Verse 68) |
- Surah 11. Hud - Saad al Ghamidi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8I1RwadiNQM&index=11&list=PLhM2xiAUdw2cAqW_o3zZkbhJNw0bnaBZN
- Surah 11. Hud Mahmoud Khalil Al Hussary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71B7ptdhXtY&index=11&list=PLxpAkjlGauHfMFWX22VZWOKpzjr-vH_BM
- Surah 11. Hud Muhammad Al Luhaydan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIvyX6T1jow
- Surah Hud Idris Akbar https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBI1Q8p8Nzs
- Surah 11. Hud muhammad Minshawi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAnCHq2caWU&index=11&list=PLxpAkjlGauHdUcO_uc-8F8J2NUQRDZjPG
- Dr Israr Ahmed Tafsir Surah Hud (50) to Surah Yusuf (1-40)1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoWGMhfrImw&index=55&list=PLB4B8D1654A8BD263
- Surah Hud (50) to Surah Yusuf (1-40)2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBsdP0pE-qQ&index=56&list=PLB4B8D1654A8BD263
