Muslim99Muslim99
← Tafsir library

11. Hud

Hud · Meccan · 123 ayahs

سُورَةُ هُودٍ

Reading Al-Mukhtasar in Interpreting the Noble Qur'an by Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies

Ayahs 51–60 of 123

51

يَٰقَوْمِ لَآ أَسْـَٔلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا ۖ إِنْ أَجْرِىَ إِلَّا عَلَى ٱلَّذِى فَطَرَنِىٓ ۚ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ

O my people, I do not ask you for it any reward. My reward is only from the one who created me. Then will you not reason?

Hūd told his people that he asked for no reward from them for what he conveyed from his Lord, calling them to it, and that his reward was only from Allah Who created him. Would they not think about this, and respond to what he called them to?

52

وَيَٰقَوْمِ ٱسْتَغْفِرُوا۟ رَبَّكُمْ ثُمَّ تُوبُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهِ يُرْسِلِ ٱلسَّمَآءَ عَلَيْكُم مِّدْرَارًۭا وَيَزِدْكُمْ قُوَّةً إِلَىٰ قُوَّتِكُمْ وَلَا تَتَوَلَّوْا۟ مُجْرِمِينَ

And O my people, ask forgiveness of your Lord and then repent to Him. He will send [rain from] the sky upon you in showers and increase you in strength [added] to your strength. And do not turn away, [being] criminals."

Hūd told his people to ask for forgiveness from Allah, and to repent to Him, away from their sins, the biggest of which was associating others with Him. He would reward them by sending abundant rain, and would add strength to their strength by increasing their descendants and wealth. He told them not to turn away from what he was calling them to, because they would then be wrongdoers due to their disbelief in Allah and rejection of what he brought to them.

53

قَالُوا۟ يَٰهُودُ مَا جِئْتَنَا بِبَيِّنَةٍۢ وَمَا نَحْنُ بِتَارِكِىٓ ءَالِهَتِنَا عَن قَوْلِكَ وَمَا نَحْنُ لَكَ بِمُؤْمِنِينَ

They said, "O Hud, you have not brought us clear evidence, and we are not ones to leave our gods on your say-so. Nor are we believers in you.

Hūd’s people said to him that he had not brought them clear proof that would make them believe him. They said that they would not abandon their gods because of his word alone without proof, and that they did not believe him in his claim that he was a messenger.

54

إِن نَّقُولُ إِلَّا ٱعْتَرَىٰكَ بَعْضُ ءَالِهَتِنَا بِسُوٓءٍۢ ۗ قَالَ إِنِّىٓ أُشْهِدُ ٱللَّهَ وَٱشْهَدُوٓا۟ أَنِّى بَرِىٓءٌۭ مِّمَّا تُشْرِكُونَ

We only say that some of our gods have possessed you with evil." He said, "Indeed, I call Allah to witness, and witness [yourselves] that I am free from whatever you associate with Allah

Hud said, He told them to plot against him together with their gods, which they claimed had afflicted him with madness, and not to give him any respite.

55

مِن دُونِهِۦ ۖ فَكِيدُونِى جَمِيعًۭا ثُمَّ لَا تُنظِرُونِ

Other than Him. So plot against me all together; then do not give me respite.

Hud said, He told them to plot against him together with their gods, which they claimed had afflicted him with madness, and not to give him any respite.

56

إِنِّى تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ رَبِّى وَرَبِّكُم ۚ مَّا مِن دَآبَّةٍ إِلَّا هُوَ ءَاخِذٌۢ بِنَاصِيَتِهَآ ۚ إِنَّ رَبِّى عَلَىٰ صِرَٰطٍۢ مُّسْتَقِيمٍۢ

Indeed, I have relied upon Allah, my Lord and your Lord. There is no creature but that He holds its forelock. Indeed, my Lord is on a path [that is] straight."

Hūd told them that he put his trust in Allah and relied upon Him alone in everything, because He was his Lord and their Lord. He told them that there is nothing walking on the face of the earth except that it is under His power and control, and He deals with it as He wills. He also told them that His Lord was true and just, and so would not give them power over him, since he stood for the truth and they stood for falsehood.

57

فَإِن تَوَلَّوْا۟ فَقَدْ أَبْلَغْتُكُم مَّآ أُرْسِلْتُ بِهِۦٓ إِلَيْكُمْ ۚ وَيَسْتَخْلِفُ رَبِّى قَوْمًا غَيْرَكُمْ وَلَا تَضُرُّونَهُۥ شَيْـًٔا ۚ إِنَّ رَبِّى عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ حَفِيظٌۭ

But if they turn away, [say], "I have already conveyed that with which I was sent to you. My Lord will give succession to a people other than you, and you will not harm Him at all. Indeed my Lord is, over all things, Guardian."

He told them that if they continued to turn away from what he brought them, then he had no responsibility to do more than convey the message to them. He had delivered to them everything that Allah had sent him with and instructed him to convey. The proof would be against them, and his Lord would destroy them and bring another people to succeed them. They would not do Allah the slightest harm through their rejecting and turning away, because He has no need of His creation. He told them that his Lord watches over all things, and that it was He Who protected him from the evil they plotted against him.

58

وَلَمَّا جَآءَ أَمْرُنَا نَجَّيْنَا هُودًۭا وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مَعَهُۥ بِرَحْمَةٍۢ مِّنَّا وَنَجَّيْنَٰهُم مِّنْ عَذَابٍ غَلِيظٍۢ

And when Our command came, We saved Hud and those who believed with him, by mercy from Us; and We saved them from a harsh punishment.

When Allah’s command came to destroy them, He saved Hūd and those who believed with him by a mercy from Him, and He saved them from a stern punishment given to the disbelievers of his people.

59

وَتِلْكَ عَادٌۭ ۖ جَحَدُوا۟ بِـَٔايَٰتِ رَبِّهِمْ وَعَصَوْا۟ رُسُلَهُۥ وَٱتَّبَعُوٓا۟ أَمْرَ كُلِّ جَبَّارٍ عَنِيدٍۢ

And that was 'Aad, who rejected the signs of their Lord and disobeyed His messengers and followed the order of every obstinate tyrant.

Such were the people of ‘Ād. They disbelieved in the signs of Allah, their Lord, and went against His messenger Hūd. They followed the instruction of every tyrant who was proud against the truth, not accepting it or dedicating themselves to it.

60

وَأُتْبِعُوا۟ فِى هَٰذِهِ ٱلدُّنْيَا لَعْنَةًۭ وَيَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَٰمَةِ ۗ أَلَآ إِنَّ عَادًۭا كَفَرُوا۟ رَبَّهُمْ ۗ أَلَا بُعْدًۭا لِّعَادٍۢ قَوْمِ هُودٍۢ

And they were [therefore] followed in this world with a curse and [as well] on the Day of Resurrection. Unquestionably, 'Aad denied their Lord; then away with 'Aad, the people of Hud.

They were then cursed with contempt and removed from Allah’s mercy in this world, and on the Day of Judgement they will also be without Allah’s mercy. Due to their disbelief in Allah, the Exalted, He distances them from every good and allows them to approach every evil.

Commentary: Al-Mukhtasar in Interpreting the Noble Qur'an by Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies. Qur'an text and translation via AlQuran Cloud.