Prophets Ādam, Nūḥ and Hūd: The Patience of the Prophets
Section 25 of 30 · Lives of the Prophets
The People of ʿĀd in al-Aḥqāf
We have the story of Sayyidunā Hūd. Allah (swt) sent Hūd to ʿĀd, the people of ʿĀd. We wouldn't have known where ʿĀd lived if it wasn't mentioned in the Qur'an. Allah (swt) says that the people of ʿĀd lived in al-Aḥqāf, and that is mentioned in Sūrat al-Aḥqāf. Al-Aḥqāf means sand dunes. So it's a desert area right now; it wasn't the case before. And this is in Yemen; they lived in the area of Ḥaḍramawt.
The people of ʿĀd — Allah (swt) described them in the Qur'an. The people of ʿĀd used to worship idols. Allah (swt) described these people, and their description is amazing. What Allah (swt) has given them is amazing. As individuals, Allah (swt) says:
أَوَعَجِبْتُمْ أَن جَآءَكُمْ ذِكْرٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ عَلَىٰ رَجُلٍ مِّنكُمْ لِيُنذِرَكُمْ ۚ وَٱذْكُرُوٓا۟ إِذْ جَعَلَكُمْ خُلَفَآءَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ قَوْمِ نُوحٍ وَزَادَكُمْ فِى ٱلْخَلْقِ بَصْۜطَةً ۖ فَٱذْكُرُوٓا۟ ءَالَآءَ ٱللَّهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ
“Do you wonder that an advice from your Lord has come to you through a man from among you, so that he may warn you? And remember when He made you successors after the people of NūH and gave you increased strength in physique. So, be mindful of the bounties of Allah, so that you may be successful.”” (7:69)
Wa zādakum fī al-khalqi basṭah: Allah (swt) has increased you amply in stature. So they were huge, tall, and very strong and well-built — powerful as individuals, very strong.
And as a society, and a nation, and a civilisation, Allah (swt) told them — or described them in the Qur'an. And these are ayat in the Qur'an where Allah (swt) is mentioning what their Nabī Hūd was telling them:
وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَمَدَّكُم بِمَا تَعْلَمُونَ أَمَدَّكُم بِأَنْعَـٰمٍ وَبَنِينَ وَجَنَّـٰتٍ وَعُيُونٍ
“And fear the One who has supported you with what you know. He has supported you with cattle and sons, and with gardens and springs.” (26:132–134)
Wa-ttaqū alladhī amaddakum bimā taʿlamūn: and keep your duty to Him; fear Him who has aided you with all things that you know. Amaddakum bi-anʿāmin wa banīn. Amaddakum bi-anʿām: He has provided you with cattle. In modern terms we refer to that as livestock, animal resources. So they were wealthy in terms of livestock; they had an abundance of livestock. Wa banīn: and children. And that is what we call, in modern terms, manpower.
Wa jannātin wa ʿuyūn. Wa jannāt: gardens — and that is what we call, in modern terms, agriculture. Wa ʿuyūn: and that is water resources. So Allah (swt) has given them livestock, and has given them manpower, and has given them agriculture, and has provided them with an ample supply — a good supply — of water. That is as a society. And then, as individuals, Allah (swt) gave them a powerful structure.