Here Allah tells us about His servant and Messenger Hud, when he called his
people `Ad. His people used to live in the Ahqaf, curved sand-hills near
Hadramawt, on the borders of Yemen. They lived after the time of Nuh, as Allah
says in Surat Al-A`raf:
[وَاذكُرُواْ إِذْ
جَعَلَكُمْ خُلَفَآءَ مِن بَعْدِ قَوْمِ نُوحٍ وَزَادَكُمْ فِى الْخَلْقِ
بَسْطَةً]
(And remember that He made you successors after the people of Nuh and
increased you amply in stature) (7:69). This refers to the fact that they were
physically strong and well-built, and very violent, and very tall; they had also
been given a great deal of provisions, wealth, gardens, rivers, sons, crops and
fruits. Yet despite all of that, they worshipped others besides Allah. So Allah
sent Hud, one of their own, as a Messenger bringing them good news and
delivering warnings. He called them to worship Allah alone, and he warned them
of Allah's wrath and punishment if they were to go against him and treating him
harshly. He said to them, as Nuh had said to his people:
[أَتَبْنُونَ بِكُلِّ
رِيعٍ ءَايَةً تَعْبَثُونَ ]
(Do you build on every Ri` an Ayah for your amusement) The scholars of Tafsir
differed over the meaning of the word Ri`. In brief, they said that it refers to
an elevated location at a well-known crossroads, where they would build a huge,
dazzling, sturdy structure, this is why he said:
[أَتَبْنُونَ بِكُلِّ
رِيعٍ ءَايَةً]
(Do you build on every Ri` an Ayah) i.e., a well-known landmark,
[تَعْبَثُونَ]
(for your amusement) meaning, `you are only doing that for the purpose of
frivolity, not because you need it, but for fun and to show off your strength.'
So their Prophet, peace be upon him, denounced them for doing that, because it
was a waste of time and exhausted people's bodies for no purpose, and kept them
busy with something that was of no benefit in this world or the next. He said:
[وَتَتَّخِذُونَ
مَصَانِعَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَخْلُدُونَ ]
(And do you get for yourselves Masani` as if you will live therein forever)
Mujahid said, "This means fortresses built up strong and high and structures
that are built to last.''
[لَعَلَّكُمْ
تَخْلُدُونَ]
(as if you will live therein forever) means, `so that you may stay there
forever, but that is not going to happen, because they will eventually cease to
be, just as happened in the case of those who came before you.'
[وَإِذَا بَطَشْتُمْ
بَطَشْتُمْ جَبَّارِينَ ]
(And when you seize (somebody), seize you (him) as tyrants) They are
described as being strong, violent and tyrannical.
[فَاتَّقُواْ اللَّهَ
وَأَطِيعُونِ ]
(So, have Taqwa of Allah, and obey me.) `Worship your Lord and obey your
Messenger.' Then Hud began reminding them of the blessings that Allah had
bestowed upon them. He said:
[وَاتَّقُواْ الَّذِى
أَمَدَّكُمْ بِمَا تَعْلَمُونَ - أَمَدَّكُمْ بِأَنْعَـمٍ وَبَنِينَ - وَجَنَّـتٍ
وَعُيُونٍ - إِنِّى أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ ]
(And have Taqwa of Him, Who has aided you with all that you know. He has
aided you with cattle and children, and gardens and springs. Verily, I fear for
you the torment of a Great Day.) meaning, `if you disbelieve and oppose (your
Prophet).' So he called them to Allah with words of encouragement and words of
warning, but it was to no avail.
[قَالُواْ سَوَآءٌ
عَلَيْنَآ أَوَعَظْتَ أَمْ لَمْ تَكُنْ مِّنَ الْوَعِظِينَ - إِنْ هَـذَا إِلاَّ
خُلُقُ الاٌّوَّلِينَ - وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمُعَذَّبِينَ ]
[فَكَذَّبُوهُ
فَأَهْلَكْنَـهُمْ إِنَّ فِى ذَلِكَ لأَيَةً وَمَا كَانَ أَكْثَرُهُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ
وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الرَّحِيمُ ]
(136. They said: "It is the same to us whether you preach or be not of those
who preach.'') (137. "This is no other than Khuluq of the ancients,'') (138.
"And we are not going to be punished.'') (139. So they denied him, and We
destroyed them. Verily, in this is indeed a sign, yet most of them are not
believers.) (140. And verily your Lord, He is indeed the Almighty, the Most
Merciful.)
ICTruth.info