11:52 Hud (Hud)

{ وَيَا قَوْمِ اسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ } عما مضى منكم { ثُمَّ تُوبُوا إِلَيْهِ } فيما تستقبلونه، بالتوبة النصوح، والإنابة إلى الله تعالى. فإنكم إذا فعلتم ذلك { يُرْسِلِ السَّمَاءَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِدْرَارًا } بكثرة الأمطار التي تخصب بها الأرض، ويكثر خيرها. { وَيَزِدْكُمْ قُوَّةً إِلَى قُوَّتِكُمْ } فإنهم كانوا من أقوى الناس، ولهذا قالوا: { من أشد منا قوة } ؟ ، فوعدهم أنهم إن آمنوا، زادهم قوة إلى قوتهم. { وَلَا تَتَوَلَّوْا } عنه، أي: عن ربكم { مُجْرِمِينَ } أي: مستكبرين عن عبادته، متجرئين على محارمه.

ثم أمرهم بالاستغفار الذي فيه تكفير الذنوب السالفة وبالتوبة عما يستقبلون ومن اتصف بهذه الصفة يسر الله عليه رزقه وسهل عليه أمره وحفظ شأنه ولهذا قال "يرسل السماء عليكم مدرارا" وفي الحديث "من لزم الاستغفار جعل الله له من كل هم فرجا ومن كل ضيق مخرجا ورزقه من حيث لا يحتسب".

The Story of Prophet Hud and the People of `Ad

Allah, the Exalted, says,

و

(And) This is an introductory to what is implied: "Verily, We sent."

إِلَى عَادٍ أَخَاهُمْ هُودًا

(to the `Ad (people) their brother Hud.) Hud came to them commanding them to worship Allah alone, without any associates. He forbade them from worshipping the idols which they made up, inventing names as gods. He informed them that he did not want any reward from them for his sincere advising and conveying of Allah's Message. He only sought his reward from Allah, the One Who created him.

أَفَلاَ تَعْقِلُونَ

(Will you not then understand) Someone has come calling you to what will benefit your situation in this life and the Hereafter without asking for any wage (from them). Then he commanded them to seek the forgiveness of the One Who is capable of expiating previous sins. He also commanded them to repent for that which they may do in the future. Whoever has these characteristics, Allah will make his sustenance easy for him, grant him ease in his affairs and guard over his situation. For this reason Allah says,

يُرْسِلِ السَّمَآءَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِدْرَاراً

(He will send you (from the sky) abundant rain,)

And O my people ask forgiveness of your Lord for your idolatry then turn return to Him repentant through obedience; He will release the sky He will release the rain — for they had been denied it — upon you in abundance with abundant rainfall and He will add to you strength to your strength through wealth and children. Do not turn away as sinners’ idolaters.

After that, the next eight verses (61-68) carry the story of Sayyidna Salih peace be upon him. He was sent to the people of Thamud, another branch of the tribe of ` Ad. He too invited his people to believe in Tauhid, the Oneness of Allah. As customary, his people belied him and insisted that he must first make a she-camel of a specified description come out from the rock of the mountain in front of them in order to have them believe that he was a true prophet of Allah.

Sayyidna Salih (علیہ السلام) warned them: If Allah Ta` ala shows you your custom-ordered miracles, and you still fail to believe, then, according to the customary practice of Allah, the punishment will come and destroy all of you. But, they remained obstinate and Allah Ta` a1a, in His perfect power, made the miracle they demanded manifest before them. The rock of the mountain in front of them split asunder. Out from it came the she-camel bearing the features specified by them. Allah Ta` ala ordered them not to harm that she-camel in any manner, otherwise the punishment will come upon them. But, they disobeyed this order as well, and killed the she-camel. Consequently, they were seized by Allah Ta` ala, Sayyidna Salih (علیہ السلام) and his companions were saved from the punishment, and the rest of those people were destroyed by a Sound which was severe and terrifying.