Stories of the Prophets | Episode (5) | The story of Hood, peace be upon him

0:00 The stories of the Prophets... the stories of the Prophets, peace be upon them.

0:23 The story of Hud, peace be upon him.

0:32 In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

0:34 All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds.

0:39 May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon our Prophet Muhammad.

0:42 And upon all his family and companions.

0:46 To proceed: there, in the south of the Arabian Peninsula, in the land of Yemen,

0:52 lies a region known since ancient times as al-Ahqaf, between Oman and Hadhramaut.

0:58 In that region dwelt the tribe of 'Ad.

1:02 They were among the Arab tribes.

1:05 They were distinguished from others by their physical stature.

1:10 They were tall, with massive bodies.

1:14 Allah had bestowed upon them strength and might,

1:17 until they became arrogant and tyrannical on the earth,

1:20 and oppressed the peoples around them.

1:24 “As for A'ad, they were arrogant in the land without right, and they said: Who is mightier than us in power? Could they not see that Allah Who created them, He was mightier than them in power? And they denied Our revelations.” (41:15)

1:27 They were deluded by their own state.

1:29 It was their custom to build grand palaces for the sake of vanity and adornment,

1:36 and they constructed channels through which water flowed.

1:39 Yet, despite this corruption and the luxury they enjoyed,

1:43 they worshipped idols.

1:46 They were the first to worship idols after the people of Nuh (Noah), peace be upon him.

1:50 So Allah sent to them His Prophet, Hud, peace be upon him.

1:56 Hud, peace be upon him,

1:57 traces his lineage back to Sam ibn Nuh.

2:01 He was from the tribe of 'Ad.

2:03 They knew his lineage among them and they knew his righteousness.

2:07 Hud, peace be upon him,

2:10 detested the shirk (polytheism) and the worship of others besides Allah that his people practiced.

2:15 He also detested the oppression and corruption they were engaged in.

2:19 He used to tend his sheep alone, far away,

2:23 remembering Allah and worshipping Him,

2:25 distancing himself from the shirk and the behaviors of his people.

2:30 When Allah revealed to him,

2:33 and sent him to his people as a warner and a bearer of glad tidings,

2:37 he complied with the command of Allah.

2:40 He began his mission by calling them to Tawhid (the Oneness of Allah),

2:44 as is the case with all the Prophets.

2:47 He said to his people,

2:48 he said to his people:

2:50 "O my people, worship Allah; you have no god other than Him."

2:55 And as is the habit of tyrants and oppressors in every age and land,

3:01 luxury blinded the eyes and the insight of the people of 'Ad.

3:05 They rejected the call of their Prophet, Hud, peace be upon him.

3:09 Moreover, they accused him of foolishness,

3:11 and charged him with lying and madness.

3:14 They claimed that their idols had become angry with him,

3:17 and had afflicted him with a disorder in his mind.

3:21 So he, peace be upon him, would reply to them

3:24 with all forbearance, gentleness, and kindness.

3:26 He would say, "O my people, there is no foolishness in me,

3:30 nor is there any madness in me;

3:32 but I am a Messenger from the Lord of the worlds."

3:36 Hud, peace be upon him, used to remind them

3:40 of the fate of the people of Nuh before them,

3:43 so that they might take heed and learn a lesson from their end,

3:46 and he warned them so that their fate would not be

3:50 like the fate of those who preceded them.

3:52 But they met his sincere advice with mockery and denial,

3:56 and with threats and intimidation.

4:00 Hud, peace be upon him, did not cease

4:03 from performing the message of his Lord.

4:05 He began to remind them of the blessings of Allah

4:09 that were at their disposal,

4:11 and how He had provided them with livestock and children,

4:14 and created for them gardens and caused springs to flow for them.

4:19 He promised them that if they responded to the command of Allah

4:23 and followed the path of Tawhid,

4:25 then Allah would shower them with rain,

4:29 and increase them in strength upon their strength.

4:33 None of these methods were of any benefit to them.

4:36 They became even more attached to the paganism and shirk of their fathers and forefathers.

4:42 They said to their Prophet, peace be upon him, criticizing him:

4:47 "Have you come to us, O Hud, so that we may worship Allah alone,

4:51 and abandon what our fathers used to worship of these idols?"

4:55 Then their stubbornness and ignorance increased,

4:58 and they denied the Resurrection, the recompense, and the reckoning.

5:02 Some of them said to others, mocking Hud, peace be upon him:

5:07 "Does this man promise you

5:10 that when you have died and become dust and decaying bones in your graves,

5:16 you will be brought forth anew?"

5:19 “Begone, begone, with that which ye are promised!” (23:36)

5:22 Deeming the occurrence of that to be utterly impossible.

5:26 Then they demanded from him a sign and proof for his claim,

5:30 and they said to him:

5:32 "Even if you bring us, O Hud, the proof for what we have requested,

5:36 we will not believe in you.

5:38 It is all the same to us whether you admonish us or do not,

5:42 for we are only following the way of the ancients,

5:47 and we will not be punished."

5:51 Allah the Exalted said:

5:53 "And to 'Ad [We sent] their brother Hud."

5:57 He said, "O my people, worship Allah; you have no god other than Him.

6:04 Will you not then fear [Allah]?"

6:07 The eminent ones who disbelieved among his people said:

6:12 “The chieftains of his people, who were disbelieving, said: Lo! we surely see thee in foolishness, and lo! we deem thee of the liars.” (7:66)

6:17 “The chieftains of his people, who were disbelieving, said: Lo! we surely see thee in foolishness, and lo! we deem thee of the liars.” (7:66)

6:24 “He said: O my people! There is no foolishness in me, but I am a messenger from the Lord of the Worlds.” (7:67)

6:28 "But I am a Messenger from the Lord of the worlds."

6:32 “I convey unto you the messages of my Lord and am for you a true adviser.” (7:68)

6:40 "Do you wonder that there has come to you a reminder from your Lord through a man from among you, that he may warn you?"

6:52 “Marvel ye that there should come unto you a Reminder from your Lord by means of a man among you, that he may warn you? Remember how He made you viceroys after Noah's folk, and gave you growth of stature. Remember (all) the bounties of your Lord, that haply ye may be successful.” (7:69)

7:11 And the Exalted said:

7:13 "The people of 'Ad denied the messengers."

7:16 “When their brother Hud said unto them: Will ye not ward off (evil)?” (26:124)

7:23 "Indeed, I am to you a trustworthy messenger."

7:27 "So fear Allah and obey me."

7:30 "And I do not ask you for it any payment; my payment is only from the Lord of the worlds."

7:39 “Build ye on every high place a monument for vain delight?” (26:128)

7:44 “And seek ye out strongholds, that haply ye may last for ever?” (26:129)

7:50 “And if ye seize by force, seize ye as tyrants?” (26:130)

7:55 "So fear Allah and obey me."

7:59 “Keep your duty toward Him Who hath aided you with (the good things) that ye know,” (26:132)

8:05 "He provided you with livestock and children,"

8:10 "And gardens and springs."

8:15 "Indeed, I fear for you the punishment of a tremendous Day."

8:23 “They said: It is all one to us whether thou preachest or art not of those who preach;” (26:136)

8:31 “This is but a fable of the men of old,” (26:137)

8:35 "And we will not be punished."

8:38 When the situation between Hud and his people reached this stage of denial and threats,

8:47 they said to him by way of challenge:

8:50 "Then bring us what you promise us, O Hud, of the punishment,

8:54 if you are of the truthful in what you say."

8:57 And they threatened him with harm beyond that.

9:00 At that point, Hud, peace be upon him, called upon his Lord,

9:04 after he had exhausted all means in calling them.

9:08 He raised his hands to his Master and said:

9:11 "My Lord, support me because they have denied me."

9:15 The answer came quickly from Allah, the Mighty, the Irresistible:

9:19 “He said: In a little while they surely will become repentant.” (23:40)

9:23 "It is but a little while,"

9:26 "Then they will surely become regretful for what they neglected and denied."

9:30 But at a time when regret will be of no avail.

9:34 The punishment began to descend upon the people of 'Ad.

9:39 The rain was withheld from them.

9:42 Indeed, the rain from the sky was cut off from them.

9:45 So they remained for three years,

9:48 during which not a single drop came to them.

9:51 Drought and thirst intensified upon them,

9:54 until they were on the verge of destruction.

9:57 In the meantime,

10:00 Allah sent them a great cloud,

10:03 black and dark,

10:06 which in its appearance seemed to hold much good,

10:09 but it held destruction, ruin, and a painful punishment.

10:13 When they saw that cloud in the sky

10:16 coming toward them,

10:18 they said, "This is a cloud bringing us rain on the horizon."

10:21 "It will rain upon us."

10:23 So they rejoiced at it.

10:25 Then the situation changed as the cloud approached,

10:28 and a severe, cold wind came upon them,

10:32 fierce, powerful, and stormy.

10:35 It continued against them for seven nights and eight days.

10:39 It was decisive and crushing.

10:42 Because of its intensity,

10:44 it would carry a giant man among them up to the sky,

10:48 then throw him onto his head on the earth,

10:52 so his head would be severed from his body.

10:55 And thus,

10:57 the fierce wind would take them,

11:00 one after another,

11:02 while they were looking at the punishment of Allah upon them,

11:05 and they were unable to ward it off from themselves,

11:09 until they became dead bodies on the earth without heads,

11:14 just as Allah the Exalted described them by saying:

11:18 “Sweeping men away as though they were uprooted trunks of palm-trees.” (54:20)

11:22 Meaning that their appearance after their destruction and the descent of the punishment upon them

11:27 was like the trunk of a palm tree without a head,

11:29 having fallen to the earth dead.

11:32 Yes, this is what you hastened for of the punishment.

11:37 It is a severe wind,

11:40 destroying everything its Lord commanded it to destroy,

11:44 and in it is a painful punishment.

11:47 So nothing could be seen of them except their dwellings.

11:51 Nothing remained but the ruins,

11:54 so that others might take a lesson from them.

11:57 And no one was saved from the punishment of Allah,

12:00 except Hud, peace be upon him, and those who believed with him,

12:04 because they had secluded themselves in an enclosure

12:07 by the command of Allah until the punishment was lifted.

12:11 And all praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds.

12:14 Allah the Exalted said:

12:18 "And mention the brother of 'Ad,"

12:22 “And make mention (O Muhammad) of the brother of A'ad when he warned his folk among the wind-curved sandhills - and verily warners came and went before and after him - saying: Serve none but Allah. Lo! I fear for you the doom of a tremendous Day.” (46:21)

12:29 “And make mention (O Muhammad) of the brother of A'ad when he warned his folk among the wind-curved sandhills - and verily warners came and went before and after him - saying: Serve none but Allah. Lo! I fear for you the doom of a tremendous Day.” (46:21)

12:34 "And from behind him,"

12:35 “That ye serve none, save Allah. Lo! I fear for you the retribution of a painful Day.” (11:26)

12:39 "Indeed, I fear for you the punishment of a tremendous Day."

12:45 “They said: Hast come to turn us away from our gods? Then bring upon us that wherewith thou threatenest us, if thou art of the truthful.” (46:22)

12:51 "Then bring us what you promise us,"

12:55 "If you should be of the truthful."

13:00 “He said: The knowledge is with Allah only. I convey unto you that wherewith I have been sent, but I see you are a folk that know not.” (46:23)

13:04 “He said: The knowledge is with Allah only. I convey unto you that wherewith I have been sent, but I see you are a folk that know not.” (46:23)

13:09 "But I see you as a people who are ignorant."

13:15 “Then, when they beheld it as a dense cloud coming toward their valleys, they said: Here is a cloud bringing us rain. Nay, but it is that which ye did seek to hasten, a wind wherein is painful torment,” (46:24)

13:21 “They said: Hast come to turn us away from our gods? Then bring upon us that wherewith thou threatenest us, if thou art of the truthful.” (46:22)

13:26 “Then, when they beheld it as a dense cloud coming toward their valleys, they said: Here is a cloud bringing us rain. Nay, but it is that which ye did seek to hasten, a wind wherein is painful torment,” (46:24)

13:30 "They said, 'This is a cloud bringing us rain.'"

13:34 “Then, when they beheld it as a dense cloud coming toward their valleys, they said: Here is a cloud bringing us rain. Nay, but it is that which ye did seek to hasten, a wind wherein is painful torment,” (46:24)

13:38 “Then, when they beheld it as a dense cloud coming toward their valleys, they said: Here is a cloud bringing us rain. Nay, but it is that which ye did seek to hasten, a wind wherein is painful torment,” (46:24)

13:42 “Destroying all things by commandment of its Lord. And morning found them so that naught could be seen save their dwellings. Thus do We reward the guilty folk.” (46:25)

13:48 “Destroying all things by commandment of its Lord. And morning found them so that naught could be seen save their dwellings. Thus do We reward the guilty folk.” (46:25)

13:51 "Thus do We recompense the criminal people."

13:56 My noble brothers,

13:59 this is the news of the people of 'Ad with their Prophet, Hud, peace be upon him.

14:04 Allah has mentioned them in the Qur'an in 27 places.

14:09 And Allah mentioned Hud, peace be upon him, in the Qur'an 7 times.

14:14 That is only so that we may take a lesson and a warning from these people.

14:19 And among the most important benefits we derive from the story of Hud, peace be upon him, with his people

14:26 are the following:

14:29 First, that the consequence of arrogance is dire.

14:33 It has been said, "How many backs has arrogance broken?"

14:38 For the people of 'Ad said, "Who is greater than us in strength?"

14:43 “As for A'ad, they were arrogant in the land without right, and they said: Who is mightier than us in power? Could they not see that Allah Who created them, He was mightier than them in power? And they denied Our revelations.” (41:15)

14:48 Second,

14:50 patience in the call to Allah and gentleness with those being invited is required.

14:55 For when the people of 'Ad said to their Prophet,

14:59 “The chieftains of his people, who were disbelieving, said: Lo! we surely see thee in foolishness, and lo! we deem thee of the liars.” (7:66)

15:02 his response to them was with all calmness and composure:

15:06 "There is no foolishness in me,"

15:08 "But I am a Messenger from the Lord of the worlds."

15:12 Thus, without annoyance or anger.

15:17 Third,

15:19 the wind is a soldier from the soldiers of Allah, Blessed and Exalted be He.

15:23 He sends it as a punishment upon whom He wills,

15:26 as is the case in the story of 'Ad,

15:29 and He sends it as a mercy upon whom He wills,

15:32 so that rain descends with it and good comes from it,

15:36 And He subjects it to the service of whomever He wills,

15:39 just as He subjected it to Sulayman, peace be upon him.

15:43 Fourth:

15:44 Reliance upon Allah the Exalted,

15:47 and depending solely upon Him, is the essence of the stories of the prophets.

15:51 For Nuh said to his people beforehand,

15:54 and Hud also said to his people.

15:57 “Beside Him. So (try to) circumvent me, all of you, give me no respite.” (11:55)

16:01 “Lo! I have put my trust in Allah, my Lord and your Lord. Not an animal but He doth grasp it by the forelock! Lo! my Lord is on a straight path.” (11:56)

16:06 Fifth:

16:08 Constructing opulent buildings for the sake of pride and arrogance

16:11 is a blameworthy matter.

16:12 Hud, peace be upon him, rebuked them for this, saying:

16:17 “Build ye on every high place a monument for vain delight?” (26:128)

16:22 However, if these buildings are for a necessity and according to one's needs,

16:27 then there is no harm in them.

16:29 Sixth:

16:31 The story of 'Ad is not mentioned in the Torah nor in the Gospel.

16:35 Perhaps this stems from the envy the People of the Book harbor toward the Arabs,

16:39 because the people of 'Ad were Arabs,

16:42 and Hud, peace be upon him, was one of the Arab prophets.

16:46 It may be for this very reason

16:48 that the People of the Book concealed their mention in their scriptures,

16:52 claiming that all prophets were from the Children of Israel.

16:57 The discussion continues.

17:02 And Allah knows best.

17:04 All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds.

17:06 May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon our Prophet Muhammad,

17:10 and upon all his family and companions.

17:14 You have been listening to the stories of the prophets.

Stories of the Prophets | Episode (5) | The story of Hood, peace be upon him

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