The Wind-curved Sandhills, The Dunes, The Sandhills — Verse 22

They said ‘Have you come to divert us from our gods? to turn us away from worship of them. Then bring us what you threaten us with of chastisement for worshipping them if you are of the truthful’ in saying that it will befall us.

The Story of `Ad Allah says, consoling His Prophet in regard to the rejection of those who opposed him among his people, وَاذْكُرْ أَخَا عَادٍ (And remember the brother of `Ad,) This refers to Hud, peace be upon in him. Allah sent him to the first people of `Ad who inhabited Al-Ahqaf. Ahqaf is plural of Haqf. According to Ibn Zayd, it means a sand dune; and according to `Ikrimah, it means a mountain or a cave. Qatadah said: "We were informed that `Ad was a tribe in Yemen. They dwelt among sand (hills), and overlooked the sea in a land called Ash-Shihr." Under the chapter, "He Who supplicates should first mention Himself," Ibn Majah recorded that Ibn `Abbas narrated that the Prophet said: «يَرْحَمُنَا اللهُ وَأَخَا عَاد» (May Allah have mercy on us and the Brother of `Ad.) Allah then says, وَقَدْ خَلَتِ النُّذُرُ مِن بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِ (And surely, warners had already passed on before him and after him.) meaning, Allah had sent Messengers and warners to the towns surrounding the land of `Ad. This is similar to Allah's saying, فَجَعَلْنَـهَا نَكَـلاً لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهَا وَمَا خَلْفَهَا (And We made it a deterrent punishment for those who were present and those who succeeded them. ) (2:66) And it is also similar to Allah's saying, فَإِنْ أَعْرَضُواْ فَقُلْ أَنذَرْتُكُمْ صَـعِقَةً مِّثْلَ صَـعِقَةِ عَادٍ وَثَمُودَ إِذْ جَآءَتْهُمُ الرُّسُلُ مِن بَيْنِ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ أَلاَّ تَعْبُدُواْ إِلاَّ اللَّهَ (But if they turn away, then say: "I have warned you of a thunderbolt like the thunderbolt that struck `Ad and Thamud. (That occurred) when the Messengers had come to them from before them and after them (saying): "Worship none but Allah.") (41:13-14) Allah then says, إِنِّى أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ (truly, I fear for you the torment of a mighty Day.) meaning, Hud said this to them (his people), and they responded to him saying, أَجِئْتَنَا لِتَأْفِكَنَا عَنْ ءَالِهَتِنَا (Have you come to delude us from our gods) meaning, to prevent us. عَنْ ءَالِهَتِنَا (from our gods) فَأْتِنَا بِمَا تَعِدُنَآ إِن كُنتَ مِنَ الصَّـدِقِينَ (Then bring us that with which you threaten us, if you are one of the truthful!) They sought to hasten Allah's torment and punishment, believing that it will not happen. This is similar to Allah's saying, يَسْتَعْجِلُ بِهَا الَّذِينَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِهَا (Those who do not believe in it (the Last Hour) seek to hasten it) (42:18). Hud's response was, قَالَ إِنَّمَا الْعِلْمُ عِندَ اللَّهِ (He said: "The knowledge (of that) is only with Allah.") which means, `Allah knows best about you. If you deserve the punishment to be hastened, He will do that to you. As for me, my duty is to deliver my message to you.' وَلَـكِنِّى أَرَاكُمْ قَوْمًا تَجْهَلُونَ (But I see that you are a people given to ignorance!) which means, `you have no comprehension or understanding.' Allah then says, فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهُ عَارِضاً مُّسْتَقْبِلَ أَوْدِيَتِهِمْ (Then, when they saw it as a dense cloud approaching their valleys,) meaning, when they saw the punishment coming towards them, they thought it to be clouds full of rain. That made them happy and joyful, because they had a drought and needed rain. Allah then said, بَلْ هُوَ مَا اسْتَعْجَلْتُم بِهِ رِيحٌ فِيهَا عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ (Nay, but it is that which you were asking to be hastened -- a wind wherein is a painful torment!) meaning, this is the torment that you called for saying, "Bring to us what you promise us if you should be of the truthful." تُدَمِّرُ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ (Destroying every thing) meaning, destroying every part of their land that could normally be destroyed. بِأَمْرِ رَبِّهَا (by the command of its Lord!) meaning, it had Allah's permission to do that. This is similar to Allah's saying, مَا تَذَرُ مِن شَىْءٍ أَتَتْ عَلَيْهِ إِلاَّ جَعَلَتْهُ كَالرَّمِيمِ d(It spared nothing that it reached, but blew it into broken spreads of rotten ruins.) (51:42) meaning, like something dilapidated (or decrepit). Because of this, Allah says, فَأْصْبَحُواْ لاَ يُرَى إِلاَّ مَسَـكِنُهُمْ (So they became such that nothing could be seen except their dwellings!) means, all of them were destroyed, and none of them were spared. Allah then says: كَذلِكَ نَجْزِي الْقَوْمَ الْمُجْرِمِينَ (Thus do We recompense the criminal people!) which means that this is Our judgement regarding those who reject Our Messengers and disobey Our commands. Imam Ahmad recorded from `A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, that she said, "I never saw Allah's Messenger ﷺ fully laughing so that I would see his uvula. He would only smile." She added that when Allah's Messenger ﷺ saw clouds or wind, that would reflect on his face (as discomfort). She asked him: "O Allah's Messenger! When the people see clouds, they become happy, hoping that they bring them rain. But I notice that when you see them, displeasure appears on your face." Allah's Messenger ﷺ replied, «يَا عَائِشَةُ، مَا يُؤْمِنُنِي أَنْ يَكُونَ فِيهِ عَذَابٌ، قَدْ عُذِّبَ قَوْمٌ بِالرِّيحِ، وَقَدْ رَأَى قَوْمٌ الْعَذَابَ وَقَالُوا: هذَا عَارِضٌ مُمْطِرُنَا» (O `A'ishah! What would guarantee to me that they do not bring punishment Some nations had been punished with wind. On seeing the punishment approaching them, a nation once said: "This is a cloud bringing us rain.") This is also recorded by Al-Bukhari and Muslim. Imam Ahmad recorded that `A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said that when Allah's Messenger ﷺ saw clouds on any of the horizons, he would leave whatever he was doing -- even if he was in prayer -- and say: «اللْهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا فِيه» (O Allah! I seek refuge with you from any harm that it (the cloud) contains.) If Allah removed those clouds, the Prophet would praise Allah, and if rain fell, he would say: «اللْهُمَّ صَيِّبًا نَافِعًا» (O Allah! Make it pouring and beneficent.) Muslim also recorded in his Sahih from `A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, that when the wind blew, Allah's Messenger ﷺ would say, «اللْهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ خَيْرَهَا وَخَيْرَ مَا فِيهَا وَخَيْرَ مَا أُرْسِلَتْ بِهِ،وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّهَا، وَشَرِّ مَا فِيهَا، وَشَرِّ مَا أُرْسِلَتْ بِه» (O Allah! I ask You of its good, the good that it contains, and the good with which it has been sent. And I seek refuge in You from its evil, the evil that it contains, and the evil with which it has been sent.) She added that if the sky became cloudy, his color would change; he would exit, enter, come, and go. When it rained, his anxiety would be relieved. When `A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, noticed that, she asked him about it and he said: «لَعَلَّهُ يَا عَائِشَةُ كَمَا قَالَ قَوْمُ عَادٍ: فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهُ عَارِضاً مُّسْتَقْبِلَ أَوْدِيَتِهِمْ قَالُواْ هَـذَا عَارِضٌ مُّمْطِرُنَا» (O `A'ishah! It could be like what the people of `Ad said, (Then, when they saw it as a dense cloud approaching their valleys, they said: "This is a cloud bringing us rain!")) We have previously mentioned the story of the destruction of the people of `Ad in both Surat Al-A`raf and Surah Hud. Thus, there is no need to repeat it here; and verily Allah is worthy of all praise and gratitude.

قالوا: أجئتنا بدعوتك؛ لتصرفنا عن عبادة آلهتنا؟ فأتنا بما تعدنا به من العذاب، إن كنت من أهل الصدق في قولك ووعدك.

أي قال لهم هود ذلك فأجابه قومه قائلين "أجئتنا لتأفكنا عن آلهتنا" أي لتصدنا عن آلهتنا "فائتنا بما تعدنا إن كنت من الصادقين" استعجلوا عذاب الله وعقوبته استبعادا منهم وقوعه كقوله جلت عظمته "يستعجل بها الذين لا يؤمنون بها".

ولكن قومه لم يقابلوا ذلك بالطاعة والإِذعان ، بل قابلوا دعوة نبيهم لهم بالإِعراض والاستخفاف ، وقد حكى القرآن ذلك بقوله : ( قالوا أَجِئْتَنَا لِتَأْفِكَنَا عَنْ آلِهَتِنَا فَأْتِنَا بِمَا تَعِدُنَآ إِن كُنتَ مِنَ الصادقين ) . أى : قال هود له - على سبيل الإِنكار والسفاهة - أجئتنا بهذه الدعوة ( لِتَأْفِكَنَا عَنْ آلِهَتِنَا ) أى : لتصرفنا وتبعدنا عن عبادة آلهتنا التى ألفنا عبادتها يقال : أَفَك فلان فلانا عن الشئ ، إذا صرفه عنه .ثم أضافو إلى هذا الإِنكار ، إنكارا آخر مصحوبا بالتحدى والاستهزاء فقالوا : ( فَأْتِنَا بِمَا تَعِدُنَآ ) . أى : إن كان الأمر كما تقول فأتتا بما تعدنا به من العذاب العظيم ، ( إِن كُنتَ مِنَ الصادقين ) فيما أخبرتنا به .وهكذا نلمس فى ردهم سوء الظن ، وعدم الفهم ، واستعجال العذاب ، والإِصرار على الباطل الذى ألفوه . .

القول في تأويل قوله تعالى : قَالُوا أَجِئْتَنَا لِتَأْفِكَنَا عَنْ آلِهَتِنَا فَأْتِنَا بِمَا تَعِدُنَا إِنْ كُنْتَ مِنَ الصَّادِقِينَ (22)يقول تعالى ذكره: قالت عاد لهود, إذ قال لهم لا تعبدوا إلا الله: إني أخاف عليكم عذاب يوم عظيم, أجئتنا يا هود لتصرفنا عن عبادة آلهتنا إلى عبادة ما تدعونا إليه, وإلى اتباعك على قولك.وبنحو الذي قلنا في ذلك قال أهل التأويل.* ذكر من قال ذلك:حدثني يونس, قال: أخبرنا ابن وهب, قال: قال ابن زيد, في قوله ( أَجِئْتَنَا لِتَأْفِكَنَا عَنْ آلِهَتِنَا ) قال: لتزيلنا, وقرأ إِنْ كَادَ لَيُضِلُّنَا عَنْ آلِهَتِنَا لَوْلا أَنْ صَبَرْنَا عَلَيْهَا قال: تضلنا وتزيلنا وتأفكنا( فَأْتِنَا بِمَا تَعِدُنَا ) من العذاب على عبادتنا ما نعبد من الآلهة ( إِنْ كُنْتُ ) من أهل الصدق في قوله وعداته.

( قالوا أجئتنا لتأفكنا ) [ لتصرفنا ] ( عن آلهتنا ) أي عن عبادتها ( فأتنا بما تعدنا ) [ من العذاب ] ( إن كنت من الصادقين ) أن العذاب نازل بنا .

قَالُوا أَجِئْتَنَا لِتَأْفِكَنَا عَنْ آَلِهَتِنَا فَأْتِنَا بِمَا تَعِدُنَا إِنْ كُنْتَ مِنَ الصَّادِقِينَ (22(جواب عن قوله : { أن لا تعبدوا إلا الله } [ الأحقاف : 21 ] ، ولذلك جاء فعل { قالوا } مفصولاً على طريق المحاورة .والاستفهام إنكار . والمجيء مستعار للقصد بطلب أمر عظيم ، شبه طروّ الدعوة بعد أن لم يكن يدعو بها بمجيء جاء لم يكن في ذلك المكان .والأفك بفتح الهمزة : الصرَّف ، وأرادوا به معنى الترك ، أي لنترك عبادة آلهتنا . وهذا الإنكار تعريض بالتكذيب فلذلك فرع عليه { فأتنا بما تعدنا إن كنت من الصادقين } فصرحوا بتكذيبه بطريق المفهوم .والمعنى : ائتنا بالعذاب الذي تَعِدنا به ، أي عذاب اليوم العظيم ، وإنما صرَفوا مراد هود بالعذاب إلى خصوص عذاب الدنيا لأنهم لا يؤمنون بالبعث وبهذا يؤذن قوله بعده { فلما رأوه عارضاً } [ الأحقاف : 24 ] وقوله : { بل هو ما استعجلتم به } [ الأحقاف : 24 ] . وأرادوا : ائتنا به الآن لأن المقام مقام تكذيب بأن عبادة آلهتهم تجر لهم العذاب .و { من الصادقين } أبلغ في الوصف بالصدق من أن يقال : إن كنت صادقاً ، كما تقرر في قوله تعالى : { وكان من الكافرين } في سورة البقرة ( 34 ( ، أي إن كنت في قولك هذا من الذين صدَقوا ، أي فإن لم تأت به فما أنت بصادق فيه .

{ قَالُوا أَجِئْتَنَا لِتَأْفِكَنَا عَنْ آلِهَتِنَا } أي: ليس لك من القصد ولا معك من الحق إلا أنك حسدتنا على آلهتنا فأردت أن تصرفنا عنها.{ فَأْتِنَا بِمَا تَعِدُنَا إِنْ كُنْتَ مِنَ الصَّادِقِينَ } وهذا غاية الجهل والعناد.

قوله تعالى : قالوا أجئتنا لتأفكنا عن آلهتنا فيه وجهان : أحدهما : لتزيلنا عن عبادتها بالإفك . الثاني : لتصرفنا عن آلهتنا بالمنع ، قاله الضحاك قال عروة بن أذينة :إن تك عن أحسن الصنيعة مأ فوكا ففي آخرين قد أفكوايقول : إن لم توفق للإحسان فأنت في قوم قد صرفوا . فأتنا بما تعدنا هذا يدل على أن الوعد قد يوضع موضع الوعيد . إن كنت من الصادقين أنك نبي

The people of ‘Ad once inhabited that area of southern Arabia which is now known as ar-Rub al-Khali. They made considerable progress, but their development pushed them into arrogance and neglectfulness. Then Almighty God made Hud, a member of that community, a prophet, and sent him to them. Hud warned his community of God’s displeasure but, unwilling to be reformed, it received its prophet with rudeness. Ultimately, God’s wrath descended upon it and it received such a severe punishment that its glorious and lush green surroundings turned into a totally arid desert.

{ 1} The reference here is to the towns of Thamud and the people of Sayyidna Lut (علیہ السلام) that were in the way of the people of Arabia while they travelled to Syria. The people of ` Ad were in Yemen, towards South from Makkah, while the towns of Thamud and those of Sayyidna Lut (علیہ السلام) were towards North, hence the words, "around you" Commentary These verses are to remind the infidels of the severe punishments faced by earlier people who rejected the messengers sent to them. Special reference is made to ` Ad, the people of Sayyidna Hud (علیہ السلام) who has been described as their 'brother', firstly because he belonged to their tribe, and secondly because he was their well-wisher as a brother. Since this nation lived in valleys surrounded by long, curved sand dunes, called in Arabic Ahqaf , special reference is made to these dunes, so that one could find out their places, if he so wishes when traveling to their localities. It is mentioned in verse 22 that they themselves demanded Allah's punishment to be brought upon them. Then verse 24 states that the punishment was sent to them in the form of a cloud that appeared to be benign, and therefore they were happy to see it in the hope that it would bring rain to them, but in fact it contained the divine punishment in the form of a violent wind that destroyed everything, leaving nothing except their empty homes that remained as a sign for those who might learn a lesson. The detailed account of the story of ` Ad and Thamud has already been given in Surah Hud (11:50) for which volume 4, page 643 of this book may be consulted. Mention of these events in these verses is in the form of a brief reference, and in verse 26 the infidels of Makkah are reminded that those nations were much more powerful and well-established than the people of Makkah. Still, their power and strength was of no use to them against Allah's punishment. Moreover, verse 28 points out that the false gods believed by them to be their patrons could not save them from the torment they faced, because they were coined only by their false imagination, having no real existence at all.

(They said: Hast thou come) O Hud (to turn us away from our gods) to turn us away from the worship of our gods? (Then bring upon us that) torment (wherewith thou threatenest us, if thou art of the Truthful) that torment will befall us if we reject faith.