Harun Yahya : The Call of Prophet Hud (A.S.)

Allah has sent messengers to communicate His divine message to all
the human societies that have ever lived. As is emphasized in the
Qur’an, these messengers, with all their behavior and fine moral
attributes, are role models for believers. Prophet Hud (as), sent by
Allah as an envoy to the people of ‘Ad, is one such holy individual,
honored by Allah with the role and responsibility of being a prophet.

To direct their lives, people choose very different “teachers” or
guides. Some select an ideology such a Communism or Capitalism as their
guide, imagining that the thinker who first came up with these
ideologies was a “superior” individual and that they can attain the
truth by following in that person’s footsteps. The greatest guide for
many people is the society they live in. They determine their value
judgments, their sense of right and wrong, of what is true and what is
false, according to the general thinking that prevails in society inn
general. Others recognize none of these standards, and instead claim to
use their own reason and intuition as their only guides.

However, all of these ideas are founded on one common
misconception. People who harbor such ideas reject—or else ignore—one
most important fact: Any human being is a created entity and owes all
he has to Allah. Anyone who carefully examines his own body, his
environment, the skies above or anything else in existence can clearly
see that all these have been created by Almighty Allah.

The sole true reason for any person’s creation is to serve Allah;
and human beings are created in such a way as to take pleasure from
serving Him. In so doing, they are acting in accord with the purpose of
their own creation. But although the Qur’an tells us that it is human
nature to serve Allah alone, it also informs us that most people are
unaware of this great basic truth.

Some of the unaware do not possess the ability to be aware of
Allah and to see the truth by themselves. Yet our Lord, the infinitely

compassionate and loving, sends them messengers who will them and
tell them of the existence of Allah and of the Hereafter, and of the
true meaning of life. It is revealed in the Qur’an that every society
has been warned by an envoy:

We
sent a Messenger among every people saying: “Worship Allah and keep
clear of all false gods.” Among them were some whom Allah guided but
others received the misguidance they deserved. Travel about the Earth
and see the final fate of the deniers. (Surat an-Nahl: 36)

Prophet Hud (as) is one of those messengers who is described,
along with his message, in the Qur’an. Sent a messenger to the people
of ‘Ad, Prophet Hud (as) announced to the people that he was a
trustworthy emissary dispatched by Allah and called on them to fear
Him. The message of Prophet Hud (as) is reported in these words:

And
to ‘Ad We sent their brother Hud, who said, “My people, worship Allah!
You have no other god than Him. So will you not guard against evil?” (Surat al-A‘raf: 65)

As can be seen from the lives of all the prophets related in the
Qur’an, spending one’s life preaching the message to others and
expectating no reward from them is an important feature of a believer.
No matter where or among whom a believer may live, he is responsible
for calling on people to adhere to the moral values that Allah approves
of and for reminding them of the Day of Judgment that is fast
approaching them.

Therefore, the believer expects no recompense from anyone, and
seeks merely to fulfill his obligations in the best manner possible so
as to obtain the approval of Allah. Prophet Hud (as) exhibited just
such a moral virtue, emphasizing that he expected no recompense for
having called his tribe to adhere to religious obedience. This fact is
revealed in the Qur’an in these words:

intellect?” (Surah Hud: 51)

Prophet Hud (as) warned his people to serve only Allah, or else He
would inflict retribution upon them. This warning issued by Prophet Hud
(as) is reported thus in one verse:

Remember
the brother of ‘Ad when he warned his people by the sand-dunes—and
warners passed away before and after him— “Worship no one but Allah. I
fear for you the punishment of a terrible Day.” (Surat al-Ahqaf: 21)

Along with warning his people of coming retribution, Prophet Hud
(as) also reminded them that the material things they valued in the
life of this world were only transitory. His message on this subject to
his people, preoccupied as they were with the attractions of this
world, is reported as follows:

“Do you build a tower on every hilltop, just to amuse yourselves, and construct great fortresses, hoping to live forever?” (Surat ash-Shu‘ara’: 128-129)

After this, he reminded his people to fear Allah, to abide by His
stipulations, and not treat others tyrannically. Otherwise, as he
warned them, torment might be inflicted upon them. This warning by
Prophet Hud (as) is reported thus in verses:

“And
when you attack, attack as tyrants do? So have fear of Allah and obey
me. Have fear of Him who has supplied you with what you know, supplied
you with livestock and children and gardens and clear springs. I fear
for you the punishment of a terrible Day.” (Surat ash-Shu‘ara’: 130-135)

It is impossible even to count the number of blessings bestowed by
Allah on human beings. (Surat an-Nahl: 18) Yet most people never
consider that Almighty Allah bestows all these blessings upon them and
that they should therefore give thanks to Him. Neither do they ever
think that Allah can take back these blessings at any moment He so
chooses. For that reason, the prophets reminded those peoples to whom
they were sent to turn to Allah, that everything they possessed was a
blessing from Him and that they should give thanks to Him. The Qur’an
reveals how Prophet Hud (as) reminded his people of the many blessings
imparted by Allah and how they should fear Him and avoid His wrath:

“Or
are you astonished that a reminder should come to you from your Lord by
way of a man among you in order to warn you? Remember when He appointed
you successors to the people of Nuh, and increased you greatly in
stature. Remember Allah’s blessings, so that hopefully you will be
successful.” (Surat al-A‘raf: 69)

Prophet Hud (as) also called on his people to seek Allah’s
forgiveness. He told them that if they repented and sought shelter in
Allah, He would in turn increase their blessings. This wise message of
Prophet Hud (as) is reported as follows in one verse:

“My
people! Ask forgiveness of your Lord and then repent to Him. He will
send heaven down to you in abundant rain, and increase you with
strength upon strength. Do not turn away as evildoers.” (Surah Hud: 52)

Despite all the warnings, his people still opposed Prophet Hud
(as) and refused to follow the path to which he had called them. Also,
like all deniers throughout the course of history, they asked their
prophet to perform miracles, saying that otherwise they would not
believe:

They said, “Hud, you have not brought us any clear sign. We will not forsake our gods for what you say. We do not believe you.” (Surah Hud: 53)

At this, verses tell us that Prophet Hud (as) had nothing to do
with their ascription of partners to Allah, stating that he had no fear
of the traps they would set for him:

. .
. He said, “I call on Allah to be my witness, and you also bear
witness, that I am free of all the gods you have apart from Him. So
scheme against me, all of you together, and then grant me no respite.” (Surah Hud: 54-55)

As a holy prophet, Prophet Hud (as) stated that Allah had created
all things, that He would protect His genuine servants, and that for
that reason, he submitted to Him. With a great determination of faith,
therefore, he expressed the feeling of confidence that he felt in
Allah, that all the slanders against him and the snares laid for him
would come to nothing. The words of Prophet Hud (as) are reported in
the Qur’an:

“I
have put my trust in Allah, my Lord and your Lord. There is no creature
He does not hold by the forelock. My Lord is on a Straight Path.” (Surah Hud: 56)

Despite this message that Prophet Hud (as) communicated to his
people with such great effort, they refused to abide by religious moral
values and persisted in their denials.

As revealed in verses, like every people that failed to abide by
religious values, Allah inflicted retribution on the people of ‘Ad for
failing to heed the call of Prophet Hud (as), and inflicted losses on
them both in this world and in the Hereafter. The fate that met the
people of ‘Ad is revealed thus in the Qur’an:

That
was ‘Ad. They denied the Signs of their Lord and disobeyed His
Messengers and followed the command of every obdurate tyrant. They were
pursued by a curse in this world and on the Day of Resurrection. Yes
indeed! ‘Ad rejected their Lord, so away with ‘Ad, the people of Hud! (Surah Hud: 59-60)

‘Ad were destroyed by a savage howling wind. (Surat al-Haqqa: 6)

This retribution visited upon the people of ‘Ad is one of the
instances wisely cited in the Qur’an so that readers and listeners may
appreciate the severity of Allah’s judgments. Like Prophet Hud (as),
all the blessed prophets have called on people to abide by religious
moral values.

That call applies as much to people today as it did to those
peoples of bygone times to whom it was made. The fundamental truths of
faith and morals communicated by Allah’s prophets must constitute the
basic elements of our lives today.

They
are the ones to whom We gave the Book, Judgment and Prophethood. If
these people reject it, We have already entrusted it to a people who
did not. They are the ones Allah has guided, so be guided by their
guidance. . . . (Surat al-An‘am: 89-90)