Translation
We (God) sent Noah to his people, and he said to them: “O my people, serve God; you have no other deity besides Him. I worry about the consequences for you on that Day of Difficulty.” The leaders of his community said: “We think he is clearly wrong.” To which Noah replied: “There is no error in me, as I am the messenger sent by the Cherisher of the Universe. I deliver to you the guidance from my Sustainer, and I offer good counsel; I know from God what you do not know. Are you somewhat bewildered that a message and a reminder from your Sustainer God is being delivered by someone from among you, that I may caution you and make you conscious of your responsibility and you can be among those who are shown His mercy?” But they rejected him; so We [God] gave him and his followers in the Ark safe passage while We drowned those who denied Our Guidance. They were people who were indeed blinded (by their ignorance and arrogance)! 368
We (God) sent Hud (as a prophet) to the people of ʿĀd (a descendant of Noah)—he was a member of their community, and he said: “O my people, serve God; besides Him, you have no other deity. Will you not be conscious of your responsibility?” Their leaders, who were steeped in denial, said to him: “You have foolish ideas, and you are a liar.” He said: “O my people, I have no folly in me, and I am a messenger from the Cherisher of the Universe! I deliver guidance from my God, and I am here to provide counsel in good faith. Do you find it strange that your God has sent someone who is from among you so that he may caution you (in a way that you can relate to)? Reflect on the fact that God has established you on the land as a successor to Noah and multiplied your power and possessions. Therefore, be mindful of God’s favors so that you can attain success.” 369
His people said: “Have you come to us to tell us to worship God alone and reject others that our forefathers worshipped? You might as well bring us the consequence that you speak about, assuming you are truthful.” Hud replied: “Surely evil practices (of worship of idols) and God’s displeasure is already on you. Do you dispute with me about deities that you and your forefathers invented without any confirmation from God Himself? Let’s then wait (for the consequences)! I too am waiting with those who wait (and have patience). We (God) saved him and those who stood by him and brought destruction (through a violent storm; see 69:7) to those who denied Our Guidance; they were not believers at all.
Interpretation
368 According to Islamic tradition, God sent upward of 120,000 prophets and messengers to various communities around the world, starting with Adam, as God promised to Adam and Eve prior to their life on earth. In these and other verses, the stories of Noah, Hud, and other prophets were presented from a historical perspective to lend credibility to the promise that God made to Adam and Eve that He would provide guidance to mankind so that they would be informed and counseled by their own kind and could not claim later that they were uninformed about God and the realities of life and its purpose. Such stories also assured the Prophet and his followers that history was on their side and that their cause would prevail in the long run, though there would be opposition and difficulties in the present moment. These narratives further confirm the unity of God and the unity of God’s guidance throughout human history.
The stories of Noah are mentioned in twenty different places in the Qur’an, including chapter 71, which is devoted wholly to the story of Noah, while the stories of Hud appear in fourteen different places—each instance coming in a different context, with a different aspect of the story brought into focus each time, along with the repetition of the central themes of the unity of God, human consciousness, the pride and arrogance of people who deny such truth, and the humility of those who pay attention to such guidance. The ultimate success of the people of faith and goodness against the destruction of people who are arrogant and proud and deny God’s grace is constantly explained so that people of all generations, no matter how trying the circumstances might be, can take a lesson, find hope, and stay focused on being just and pure. The Prophet Noah is mentioned (29:14–15) as having a long life of 950 years, and his Ark is preserved (54:9–16) to confirm his story for later generations.
369 The people of ʿĀd are known to be descendants of Aram (“Iram,” 89:7), who was a grandson of Noah and preceded another group of people, the Thamud, mentioned later. In several places the ʿĀd and the Thamud are referred to in the same sentence because both were descendants of Noah and had similar social and human progress, ingenuity, and the practice of idol worship. Hud, sent to the people of ʿĀd, is known as the first Arabian prophet and could be identical to the biblical Eber, the ancestor of the Hebrews (Ibrim, Genesis 10:24–25, 11:14), who, like most of the Semitic tribes, may have originated in southern Arabia. The ancient name of Hud is still reflected in that of Jacob’s son Judah (Yuhudah in Hebrew), which is perhaps the origin of the name of the Jews (Yahud in Arabic).
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REFLECTION
Stories of prophets and other human beings of uncommon intellect, wisdom, and God consciousness are a reminder to all of us of our human possibilities and our human obligations to God and to one another. These stories inspire us, give us confidence, and make us aware of the higher purpose in life and how best to shape our presence on this planet.
ACTION
Human history and turns of events at various junctures of the human presence on this planet should provide us with an adequate assessment of our own condition and how to prioritize our lives in each generation. As Karen Armstrong has said, “In Islam, Muslims have looked for God in history. Their sacred scripture, the Quran, gave them a historical mission. Their chief duty was to create a just community in which all members, even the most weak and vulnerable, was treated with absolute respect.” (Islam: A Short History, 2002 (preface ix, xi-xii))