Topic: Prophet Of (‘Ad)
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۞ وَإِلَىٰ عَادٍ أَخَاهُمْ هُودًا ۗ قَالَ يَٰقَوْمِ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَٰهٍ غَيْرُهُۥٓ ۚ أَفَلَا تَتَّقُونَ
11:51; 46:22.
‘Ad was the name of a tribe who lived in the remote past in Arabia. At one time they ruled over most of the fertile parts of greater Arabia, particularly Yemen, Syria and Mesopotamia. They were the first people to exercise dominion over practically the whole of Arabia. They are known as ‘Adul-Ula or the first ‘Ad. See also {1323}.
Hud was seventh in descent from Noah.
11:51; 46:22.
Important Words:
عاد (‘Ad) was the name of a tribe who lived in the distant past in a part of Arabia. In Arabic the verb عاد means, he returned. For further description see 11:51.
ھود (Hud) was the name of the Prophet who was sent to ‘Ad. He lived after Noah, being seventh in descent from him. In Arabic the word ھود takes its derivation from ھاد i.e. he returned from evil to good; he repented and returned to truth; he became a Jew. The name ھود is also applied to the Jewish people collectively in which case it is the plural of ھائد. See also 2:112.
Commentary:
After making mention of Noah, whose story is found in the lore of almost all nations, the Quran proceeds to deal with the Prophets that appeared in the Arabian peninsula particularly. These Prophets only find mention in the Quran. No reference to them is to be found in the Bible or in the general books of history, although they were well known to the Arabs through their national traditions.
The tribe of ‘Ad, at one time, ruled over most of the fertile parts of greater Arabia, particularly Yemen, Syria and Mesopotamia. They were the first people to exercise dominion over practically the whole of Arabia. They are known as ‘Adanil ’Ula or the former ‘Ad.
The verse under comment shows that throughout the ages, all the Prophets of God have brought identical teachings so far as the fundamental principles of religion are concerned.
b
11:51; 46:22.
502
阿德是一个部落的名字。这个部落生活在阿拉伯很古老的时代。有一个时期他统治着阿拉伯大部分肥沃的土地, 尤其是也门、叙利亚和美索不达米亚。他们实际上是对整个阿拉伯行使统治权的第一民族。他们称为阿德第一(عَادُ الْاُوْلَی, ‘Adul-’Ula)。
503
呼德是努哈的第七代子孙。
b
11:51; 46:22.
964
Important Words:
عاد (‘Ad) was the name of a tribe who lived in the distant past in a part of Arabia. In Arabic the verb عاد means, he returned. For further description see 11:51.
ھود (Hud) was the name of the Prophet who was sent to ‘Ad. He lived after Noah, being seventh in descent from him. In Arabic the word ھود takes its derivation from ھاد i.e. he returned from evil to good; he repented and returned to truth; he became a Jew. The name ھود is also applied to the Jewish people collectively in which case it is the plural of ھائد. See also 2:112.
Commentary:
After making mention of Noah, whose story is found in the lore of almost all nations, the Quran proceeds to deal with the Prophets that appeared in the Arabian peninsula particularly. These Prophets only find mention in the Quran. No reference to them is to be found in the Bible or in the general books of history, although they were well known to the Arabs through their national traditions.
The tribe of ‘Ad, at one time, ruled over most of the fertile parts of greater Arabia, particularly Yemen, Syria and Mesopotamia. They were the first people to exercise dominion over practically the whole of Arabia. They are known as ‘Adanil ’Ula or the former ‘Ad.
The verse under comment shows that throughout the ages, all the Prophets of God have brought identical teachings so far as the fundamental principles of religion are concerned.
a
11:51; 46:22.
995
‘Ad was the name of a tribe who lived in the remote past in Arabia. At one time they ruled over most of the fertile parts of greater Arabia, particularly Yemen, Syria and Mesopotamia. They were the first people to exercise dominion over practically the whole of Arabia. They are known as ‘Adul-Ula or the first ‘Ad. See also {1323}.
996
Hud was seventh in descent from Noah.
قَالَ ٱلْمَلَأُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِن قَوْمِهِۦٓ إِنَّا لَنَرَىٰكَ فِى سَفَاهَةٍ وَإِنَّا لَنَظُنُّكَ مِنَ ٱلْكَٰذِبِينَ
41:16.
41:16.
41:16.
Commentary:
By ascribing folly to Hud, his people meant that he laboured under a misunderstanding as regards his mission. The word سفاھة (foolishness) is used to express almost the same idea as is expressed by the word ضلالة (error) used in 7:61 above. It appears from this verse that the enemies of Hud brought two charges against him viz. of being in error and of lying.
c
41:16.
a
41:16.
965
Commentary:
By ascribing folly to Hud, his people meant that he laboured under a misunderstanding as regards his mission. The word سفاھة (foolishness) is used to express almost the same idea as is expressed by the word ضلالة (error) used in 7:61 above. It appears from this verse that the enemies of Hud brought two charges against him viz. of being in error and of lying.
b
41:16.
قَالَ يَٰقَوْمِ لَيْسَ بِى سَفَاهَةٌ وَلَٰكِنِّى رَسُولٌ مِّن رَّبِّ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ
7:62.
7:62.
7:62.
Commentary:
The Prophet Hud here refutes the charge of being in error by the same argument by which Noah refuted a similar charge (see 7:62 above). God, being the fountainhead of all wisdom, he who comes from Him, cannot be looked upon as foolish. The other charge is refuted in the next verse.
d
7:62.
b
7:62.
966
Commentary:
The Prophet Hud here refutes the charge of being in error by the same argument by which Noah refuted a similar charge (see 7:62 above). God, being the fountainhead of all wisdom, he who comes from Him, cannot be looked upon as foolish. The other charge is refuted in the next verse.
c
7:62.
وَإِلَىٰ عَادٍ أَخَاهُمْ هُودًا ۚ قَالَ يَٰقَوْمِ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَٰهٍ غَيْرُهُۥٓ ۖ إِنْ أَنتُمْ إِلَّا مُفْتَرُونَ
7:66.
7:66.
Some European critics have denied the very existence of the Adites. They say that none of the inscriptions that have so far been discovered in Arabia mention ‘Ad as the name of any people in that country, and therefore they allege that the Qur’an has only quoted one of the popular legends that were current among the Arabs in the Holy Prophet’s time. This objection is based on a misunderstanding. In fact, sections of the human race are generally known by two sets of names, one representing the whole race and the other some particular group thereof. ‘Ad was not the name of a single tribe but of a group of tribes, whose different sections rose to power at different times. They left behind them inscriptions bearing the name of particular groups. But they all belonged to the main ‘Ad family. The fact that this name is found in ancient books of geography also shows that a people of the name of ‘Ad did indeed live. The geographical works compiled in Greece state that in the pre- Christian era, Yemen w
7:66.
Commentary:
European critics have denied the very existence of the ‘Adites. They say that none of the inscriptions that have so far been discovered in Arabia mention ‘Ad as the name of any people in that country, and therefore they allege that the Quran has only quoted one of the popular legends that were current among the Arabs in the Prophet’s time.
This objection is based on a misunderstanding. In fact, sections of the human race are generally known by two sets of names, one representing the whole race and the other some particular group thereof. "Aryan," for instance, is the collective name of a whole race which comprises many groups and tribes. Now it would be absurd to infer that because inscriptions have been found bearing, for example, only such names as Chandra Gupta or Vikramaditya and no inscription is discovered bearing the name "Aryan," therefore "Aryan" is only a fictitious name and no nation of that name ever existed.
In the same way ‘Ad was not the name of a single tribe but of a group of tribes, whose different sections rose to power at different times. They left behind them inscriptions bearing the name of particular groups. But they all belonged to the main ‘Ad family. The fact that this name is found in ancient books of geography also shows that a people of the name of ‘Ad did indeed live. The geographical works compiled in Greece state that in the pre-Christian era, Yemen was ruled by a tribe called Adramitai who were no other than the ‘Ad who have been called ‘Adi Iram in the Quran. The termination of the Greek name is a noun-suffix, the real name being ‘Adram which is a corruption of ‘Adi Iram.
Some European writers think that Adramitai stands for Hadramaut but this is incorrect, because Hadramaut is the name of a place while Adramitai is the name of a tribe. Moreover, the name Hadramaut occurs both in Greek and Latin books, and nowhere has it been given as Adramitai. In Greek books it is given as Adramotitai, while in Latin books it is given as Chatramotitai. It is not reasonable to think that in this particular case geographers abandoned a generally accepted spelling and invented a new form. Moreover, the same work which mentions the tribe of Adramitai also gives an account of Hadramaut (Adramotitai) which clearly shows that according to the author of that book, Adramitai and Adramotitai are two different names (Al-‘Arab qabl al-Islam).
The Quran gives the following facts about the ‘Adites:
1. They built lofty buildings, and no other people in Arabia attained to that height of power to which they had attained (89:9). The verse referred to above also shows that the tribe of ‘Ad mentioned in the Quran was called Iram. This Iram section of the ‘Adites possessed a powerful kingdom which lasted up to 500 B.C. Their language was Aramaic, which is akin to Hebrew. The Aramaic kingdom was established after the fall of the Semitic kingdom and it included in its boundaries the whole of Mesopotamia, Palestine, Syria and Chaldea and, according to certain authorities, it extended even beyond these limits. Archaeological re-searches have discovered traces of this kingdom,
2. The people of ‘Ad as mentioned in the Quran lived immediately after the people of Noah (7:70). This shows that the Semites and other peoples referred to in history as existing before the Aramites were also sections of the ‘Adites.
3. They built monuments on elevated places (26:129). There still exist ruins of great buildings in Arabia. Only a few miles from Aden there can still be seen remains of lofty buildings erected on high hills,
4. It appears from 46:26 that the history of these people has now become wrapped in obscurity and only some remains of their buildings are to be seen.
5. The territory in which these people lived is called Ahqaf (46:22). Ahqaf, which literally means meandering and zigzag sandhills, is the name given to two parts of Arabia, one in the south, known as the Southern Ahqaf, the other in the north, called the Northern Ahqaf These tracts are fertile, but as they lie near the desert, sandhills are caused there by the sand of the desert having been heaped up by the wind. These sand-hills may not have existed in the time when these people lived there and may have come into being when ‘Ad were punished by a sandstorm.
6. From 69:7 it appears that the destruction of the ‘Adites was caused by the blowing of a violent wind which continued to rage over their territory for seven days, burying their chief cities under heaps of sand and dust. This disaster broke the power of these peoples and brought about their fall. The words, so that thou mightest have seen the people therein lying overthrown (69:8), show that their habitations lie buried under mounds of sand and their ruins may still be brought to light if the ground is cleared of the sandhills. This verse also shows that the territory received the name Ahqaf only when after the Divine visitation they became buried under sandhills.
a
7:66.
a
7:66.
1431
Commentary:
European critics have denied the very existence of the ‘Adites. They say that none of the inscriptions that have so far been discovered in Arabia mention ‘Ad as the name of any people in that country, and therefore they allege that the Quran has only quoted one of the popular legends that were current among the Arabs in the Prophet’s time.
This objection is based on a misunderstanding. In fact, sections of the human race are generally known by two sets of names, one representing the whole race and the other some particular group thereof. "Aryan," for instance, is the collective name of a whole race which comprises many groups and tribes. Now it would be absurd to infer that because inscriptions have been found bearing, for example, only such names as Chandra Gupta or Vikramaditya and no inscription is discovered bearing the name "Aryan," therefore "Aryan" is only a fictitious name and no nation of that name ever existed.
In the same way ‘Ad was not the name of a single tribe but of a group of tribes, whose different sections rose to power at different times. They left behind them inscriptions bearing the name of particular groups. But they all belonged to the main ‘Ad family. The fact that this name is found in ancient books of geography also shows that a people of the name of ‘Ad did indeed live. The geographical works compiled in Greece state that in the pre-Christian era, Yemen was ruled by a tribe called Adramitai who were no other than the ‘Ad who have been called ‘Adi Iram in the Quran. The termination of the Greek name is a noun-suffix, the real name being ‘Adram which is a corruption of ‘Adi Iram.
Some European writers think that Adramitai stands for Hadramaut but this is incorrect, because Hadramaut is the name of a place while Adramitai is the name of a tribe. Moreover, the name Hadramaut occurs both in Greek and Latin books, and nowhere has it been given as Adramitai. In Greek books it is given as Adramotitai, while in Latin books it is given as Chatramotitai. It is not reasonable to think that in this particular case geographers abandoned a generally accepted spelling and invented a new form. Moreover, the same work which mentions the tribe of Adramitai also gives an account of Hadramaut (Adramotitai) which clearly shows that according to the author of that book, Adramitai and Adramotitai are two different names (Al-‘Arab qabl al-Islam).
The Quran gives the following facts about the ‘Adites:
1. They built lofty buildings, and no other people in Arabia attained to that height of power to which they had attained (89:9). The verse referred to above also shows that the tribe of ‘Ad mentioned in the Quran was called Iram. This Iram section of the ‘Adites possessed a powerful kingdom which lasted up to 500 B.C. Their language was Aramaic, which is akin to Hebrew. The Aramaic kingdom was established after the fall of the Semitic kingdom and it included in its boundaries the whole of Mesopotamia, Palestine, Syria and Chaldea and, according to certain authorities, it extended even beyond these limits. Archaeological re-searches have discovered traces of this kingdom,
2. The people of ‘Ad as mentioned in the Quran lived immediately after the people of Noah (7:70). This shows that the Semites and other peoples referred to in history as existing before the Aramites were also sections of the ‘Adites.
3. They built monuments on elevated places (26:129). There still exist ruins of great buildings in Arabia. Only a few miles from Aden there can still be seen remains of lofty buildings erected on high hills,
4. It appears from 46:26 that the history of these people has now become wrapped in obscurity and only some remains of their buildings are to be seen.
5. The territory in which these people lived is called Ahqaf (46:22). Ahqaf, which literally means meandering and zigzag sandhills, is the name given to two parts of Arabia, one in the south, known as the Southern Ahqaf, the other in the north, called the Northern Ahqaf These tracts are fertile, but as they lie near the desert, sandhills are caused there by the sand of the desert having been heaped up by the wind. These sand-hills may not have existed in the time when these people lived there and may have come into being when ‘Ad were punished by a sandstorm.
6. From 69:7 it appears that the destruction of the ‘Adites was caused by the blowing of a violent wind which continued to rage over their territory for seven days, burying their chief cities under heaps of sand and dust. This disaster broke the power of these peoples and brought about their fall. The words, so that thou mightest have seen the people therein lying overthrown (69:8), show that their habitations lie buried under mounds of sand and their ruins may still be brought to light if the ground is cleared of the sandhills. This verse also shows that the territory received the name Ahqaf only when after the Divine visitation they became buried under sandhills.
a
7:66.
1323
Some European critics have denied the very existence of the Adites. They say that none of the inscriptions that have so far been discovered in Arabia mention ‘Ad as the name of any people in that country, and therefore they allege that the Qur’an has only quoted one of the popular legends that were current among the Arabs in the Holy Prophet’s time. This objection is based on a misunderstanding. In fact, sections of the human race are generally known by two sets of names, one representing the whole race and the other some particular group thereof. ‘Ad was not the name of a single tribe but of a group of tribes, whose different sections rose to power at different times. They left behind them inscriptions bearing the name of particular groups. But they all belonged to the main ‘Ad family. The fact that this name is found in ancient books of geography also shows that a people of the name of ‘Ad did indeed live. The geographical works compiled in Greece state that in the pre- Christian era, Yemen w
كَذَّبَتْ عَادٌ ٱلْمُرْسَلِينَ
7:66, 67.
قرآن کریم نے باربار ایک رسول کے انکار کو سب رسولوں کا انکار قرار دیا ہے جس سے اس طرف اشارہ کیا گیا ہے کہ سب رسول ایک منہاج نبوت کے مطابق آتے ہیں پس جب منہاج نبوت کی موجودگی میں ایک رسول کا انکار کیا جائے تو اس سے نتیجہ نکلتا ہے کہ اگر منکر پہلے کسی رسول کے وقت میں ہوتا تو وہ اس کا بھی انکار کرتا۔ کیونکہ جو دلائل اس کی صداقت کے تھے وہی دلائل اس موجودہ رسول کی صداقت کے ہیں۔
7:66, 67.
7:66-67.
Commentary:
For a more detailed note on ‘Ad see 11:51. Briefly, ‘Ad was not the name of a single but of a group of tribes whose different sections rose to power at different times. The name ‘Ad is found in ancient books of geography which shows that a people bearing this name did indeed live in the past. The tribe has also been called ‘Adi Iram in the Quran, (89:8). The Quran has also mentioned the following facts about this tribe: (1) They built lofty buildings and no other people in Arabia attained to that height of power to which they had attained (89:9). (2) They lived immediately after Noah. (3) They built monuments on elevated places (26:129) of which the ruins still exist in Arabia. (4) The territory in which these people lived was called Ahqaf (46:22) which literally means meandering and zigzag sandhills. (5) They were destroyed by a violent wind which continued to blow over their territory consecutively for seven days, burying their chief cities under heaps of sand and dust (69:7-8). (6) The history of these people has now become wrapped in obscurity (46:26).
c
7:66, 67.
1
قرآن کریم نے باربار ایک رسول کے انکار کو سب رسولوں کا انکار قرار دیا ہے جس سے اس طرف اشارہ کیا گیا ہے کہ سب رسول ایک منہاج نبوت کے مطابق آتے ہیں پس جب منہاج نبوت کی موجودگی میں ایک رسول کا انکار کیا جائے تو اس سے نتیجہ نکلتا ہے کہ اگر منکر پہلے کسی رسول کے وقت میں ہوتا تو وہ اس کا بھی انکار کرتا۔ کیونکہ جو دلائل اس کی صداقت کے تھے وہی دلائل اس موجودہ رسول کی صداقت کے ہیں۔
c
7:66-67.
2771
Commentary:
For a more detailed note on ‘Ad see 11:51. Briefly, ‘Ad was not the name of a single but of a group of tribes whose different sections rose to power at different times. The name ‘Ad is found in ancient books of geography which shows that a people bearing this name did indeed live in the past. The tribe has also been called ‘Adi Iram in the Quran, (89:8). The Quran has also mentioned the following facts about this tribe: (1) They built lofty buildings and no other people in Arabia attained to that height of power to which they had attained (89:9). (2) They lived immediately after Noah. (3) They built monuments on elevated places (26:129) of which the ruins still exist in Arabia. (4) The territory in which these people lived was called Ahqaf (46:22) which literally means meandering and zigzag sandhills. (5) They were destroyed by a violent wind which continued to blow over their territory consecutively for seven days, burying their chief cities under heaps of sand and dust (69:7-8). (6) The history of these people has now become wrapped in obscurity (46:26).
a
7:66, 67.
إِذْ قَالَ لَهُمْ أَخُوهُمْ هُودٌ أَلَا تَتَّقُونَ
إِنِّى لَكُمْ رَسُولٌ أَمِينٌ
۞ وَٱذْكُرْ أَخَا عَادٍ إِذْ أَنذَرَ قَوْمَهُۥ بِٱلْأَحْقَافِ وَقَدْ خَلَتِ ٱلنُّذُرُ مِنۢ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِۦٓ أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوٓا۟ إِلَّا ٱللَّهَ إِنِّىٓ أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ
7:66; 11:51.
اَحْقَاف‘ حِقْفٌ کی جمع ہے جس کے معنے ریت کے اونچے ٹیلے کے ہوتے ہیں۔ یہ نام اس قوم کے انجام کی وجہ سے رکھا گیا ہے۔ ورنہ پہلے تو وہ سر سبز زمین میں رہتے تھے۔ مگر جیسا کہ قرآن کریم میں بیان کیا گیا ہے‘ ان پر ایک سخت آندھی آئی جو سات رات دن تک چلتی رہی اور وہ تباہ ہو گئے (سورۃ الحآقۃ: ۷‘۸) اور اس آندھی کی وجہ سے ان کے ملک میں کثرت سے ریت کے ٹیلے پیدا ہو گئے جن کے نیچے وہ قوم دَب گئی۔
عذاب کی چھوٹی گھڑی بھی لمبی معلوم ہوتی ہے۔ اس لئے قرآن کریم میں عذاب کے دن کو اکثر یوم عظیم کہا جاتا ہے کیونکہ عذاب کا دن ختم ہوتا نظر نہیں آتا۔
7:66; 11:51.
7:66; 11:51.
Commentary:
‘Ad was not the name of one tribe but of a group of tribes. The tribe has been called ‘Adi Iram in the Quran (89:8). They were a highly powerful and cultured people and had specialized in architecture. They ruled over rich and fertile territories in Yemen. As a result of their rejection of the Prophet Hud, and their wicked and immoral deeds, they were destroyed by a violent wind which continued to lash them for seven consecutive days, burying their chief cities under heaps of sand and dust. For detailed notes on ‘Ad see 11:51 and 26:124.
c
7:66; 11:51.
1
اَحْقَاف‘ حِقْفٌ کی جمع ہے جس کے معنے ریت کے اونچے ٹیلے کے ہوتے ہیں۔ یہ نام اس قوم کے انجام کی وجہ سے رکھا گیا ہے۔ ورنہ پہلے تو وہ سر سبز زمین میں رہتے تھے۔ مگر جیسا کہ قرآن کریم میں بیان کیا گیا ہے‘ ان پر ایک سخت آندھی آئی جو سات رات دن تک چلتی رہی اور وہ تباہ ہو گئے (سورۃ الحآقۃ: ۷‘۸) اور اس آندھی کی وجہ سے ان کے ملک میں کثرت سے ریت کے ٹیلے پیدا ہو گئے جن کے نیچے وہ قوم دَب گئی۔
2
عذاب کی چھوٹی گھڑی بھی لمبی معلوم ہوتی ہے۔ اس لئے قرآن کریم میں عذاب کے دن کو اکثر یوم عظیم کہا جاتا ہے کیونکہ عذاب کا دن ختم ہوتا نظر نہیں آتا۔
b
7:66; 11:51.
3775
Commentary:
‘Ad was not the name of one tribe but of a group of tribes. The tribe has been called ‘Adi Iram in the Quran (89:8). They were a highly powerful and cultured people and had specialized in architecture. They ruled over rich and fertile territories in Yemen. As a result of their rejection of the Prophet Hud, and their wicked and immoral deeds, they were destroyed by a violent wind which continued to lash them for seven consecutive days, burying their chief cities under heaps of sand and dust. For detailed notes on ‘Ad see 11:51 and 26:124.
a
7:66; 11:51.
قَالُوٓا۟ أَجِئْتَنَا لِتَأْفِكَنَا عَنْ ءَالِهَتِنَا فَأْتِنَا بِمَا تَعِدُنَآ إِن كُنتَ مِنَ ٱلصَّٰدِقِينَ
7:71.
7:71.
7:71.
Important Words:
لتأفکنا (that thou turn us away) is derived from أفک (afaka). أفکه means, he changed his or its condition or manner of being; he turned him or it away or back from a thing by lying; he perverted his judgement; he deceived or beguiled him; he lied or said what was untrue (Lane & Aqrab). Almost all these meanings are applicable here.
d
7:71.
a
7:71.
3776
Important Words:
لتأفکنا (that thou turn us away) is derived from أفک (afaka). أفکه means, he changed his or its condition or manner of being; he turned him or it away or back from a thing by lying; he perverted his judgement; he deceived or beguiled him; he lied or said what was untrue (Lane & Aqrab). Almost all these meanings are applicable here.
b
7:71.
قَالَ إِنَّمَا ٱلْعِلْمُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ وَأُبَلِّغُكُم مَّآ أُرْسِلْتُ بِهِۦ وَلَٰكِنِّىٓ أَرَىٰكُمْ قَوْمًا تَجْهَلُونَ
As God alone knows the circumstances under which a man does his actions, good or bad, therefore only He knows whether or not he has incurred Divine punishment; and the knowledge of the time, manner and form of the punishment also rests with Him.
11:34.
Commentary:
When tauntingly asked by his people, when and how they would be punished for rejecting him, Hud pleaded ignorance of the time and manner of the Divine punishment. But he warned them at the same time that Divine punishment was sure to overtake them and that if they had some wisdom left with them they should have read the writing on the wall because the rejection of Divine Message never goes unpunished. This is the significance of the words: "but I see you to be a very ignorant people."
b
11:34.
3777
Commentary:
When tauntingly asked by his people, when and how they would be punished for rejecting him, Hud pleaded ignorance of the time and manner of the Divine punishment. But he warned them at the same time that Divine punishment was sure to overtake them and that if they had some wisdom left with them they should have read the writing on the wall because the rejection of Divine Message never goes unpunished. This is the significance of the words: "but I see you to be a very ignorant people."
2729
As God alone knows the circumstances under which a man does his actions, good or bad, therefore only He knows whether or not he has incurred Divine punishment; and the knowledge of the time, manner and form of the punishment also rests with Him.