....THE PEOPLE OF AD
....The people of Ad were outstanding among all nations in agriculture, live-stock breeding, and construction. They were tall and lived long. They were renowned for their fertile lands and their craftsmanship, particularly the construction of tall buildings with lofty towers.
....However, they were arrogant and boastful. They used to raid weaker tribes to loot them, taking powerless people up to the top of a building and casting them down, take pleasure from watching the broken body tumble down.
....Allah Almighty says:
...."To the Ad people (We sent) Hood, one of their (own) brother. He said: 'O my people! Worship God! You have no other God but Him. Will you not fear (God)?'" (Araf, 65)
....Hazrat Hud began to admonish his people, hoping to instill faith in them and to make them believe in Allah. Yet,
...."They said: It is the same to us whether you admonish or are not one of the admonishers." (Shuara, 136)
....They told their prophet that they would not listen because it was the same to them whether he admonished them or not. They refused to accept his message and then they challenged Allah:
...."They said: Who is mightier in strength than we?" (Fussilat, 15)
....Their attitude made Allah angry and there appeared signs of the punishment. The weather turned extremely hot and a drought spread throughout the land, for the sky no longer was sending rain. Gardens and vineyards went yellow, and there was now famine where there had been plenty. When those who used to live in abundance began to starve to death, Hud said:
...."And, O my people! Ask forgiveness of your Lord, then turn unto Him repentant; He will cause the sky to rain abundance on you and will add unto you strength to your strength. Turn not away, guilty!" (Hud, 52)
....Hazrat Hud invited his people to ask forgiveness from Allah, yet his people were perverse in their beliefs and heedlessly neglectful. Hazrat Hud realized that punishment would be incurred on the disbelievers among his people. He warned his people again, inviting them to repent.
....Allah Almighty says:
...."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," (Ahqaf, 24)
....The arrogant and boastful people of Ad were delighted to see a rain cloud approaching. They mocked Hud. When the weather changed suddenly from burning dry and hot to a stinging cold, with a wind that shook everything including the trees,the realized too late that this was Divine Wrath.
....Allah Almighty says:
...."And as to Ad, they were destroyed by a roaring, violent blast." (Haaqqa, 6)
...."Which He made to prevail against them for seven nights and eight days unremittingly, so that you might have seen the people therein prostrate as if they were the trunks of hollow palms." (Haaqqa, 7)
....The wind was so furious, roaring over the land, it ripped trees up from their roots and paralyzed people with its freezing cold. Those who challenged Allah by asking, "Who is mightier than us?" tried to flee, yet it was too late.
....The storm raged for eight days and seven nights. It slashed the clothing and skin of the people. It entered the nostrils of the body and whipped its way through. Finally, all these people were destroyed, as were their famous and wonderful "vineyards of Iram". |