Surah 26. Ash-Shuara

88For comparison, see Al-A'raf: 65-72, Hud: 50-60; and for further details of this story, see Ha Mim Sajdah: 13-16, Al-Ahqaf: 21-26, Az-Zariyat: 4145, Al-Qamar :18-22, Al-Haqqah: 4-8, and AI-Fajr: 6-8.

89In order to understand this discourse of Prophet Hud fully, we should keep in mind the various details about the people of `Ad which the Qur'an has given at different places: For instance, it says:

(1) After the destruction of the people of Noah, the `Ad were given power and prominence in the world: "Do not forget that after Noah's people your Lord made you the successors." (Al-A`raf: 69).

(2) Physically they were very robust and powerful people: " .... and made you very robust." (Al-A`raf: 69).

(3)They had no parallel as a nation in the world: "The like of which was not created in the lands." (A1-Fajr: 8).

(4) They were civilized and were well-known in the world for their great skill and art in erecting lofty buildings with tall columns: "Have you not seen what your Lord did with `Ad lram, of lofty columns?" (Al-Fajr: 6, 7).

(5) This material progress and physical power had made them arrogant and vain: "As for `Ad, they deviated from the right path and adopted an arrogant attitude in the land and said, `who is mightier than we in power'?" (Ha Mim Sajdah: 15) .

(6) Their political power was in the hands of a few tyrants before whom none could dare raise his voice: "....and they followed and obeyed every tyrannous enemy of the Truth." (Hud: 59) .

(7) They were not disbelievers in the existence of Allah, but were involved in shirk; they only denied that Allah alone should be worshiped and none else: "They said (to Hud), `Have you come to us (with the demand) that we should worship Allah alone and discard those whom our elders have been worshiping?" (Al-A`raf: 70).