وَأَمَّا عَادٌ فَأُهْلِكُوا۟ بِرِيحٍ صَرْصَرٍ عَاتِيَةٍ 6
Translations
And as for ʿAad, they were destroyed by a screaming, violent wind
Transliteration
Wa-amma AAadun fa-uhlakoo birihin sarsarin AAatiyah
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the destruction of the people of Ad, who were annihilated by a fierce, violent wind—a punishment from Allah for their arrogance and rejection of Prophet Hud's message. Ibn Kathir explains that the 'sarsar' (intensely cold) wind lasted for seven nights and eight days, uprooting everything in its path, while Al-Tabari emphasizes this as a tangible sign of Allah's power over those who persist in disbelief despite clear warnings.
Revelation Context
Surah Al-Haqqah, revealed in Mecca, presents various signs of the Day of Judgment and historical examples of destroyed nations. This ayah is part of a series (verses 4-8) recounting the fates of previous peoples (Ad, Thamud, and Pharaoh) as evidence of Allah's justice and the reality of divine punishment, serving to warn the Meccan disbelievers.
Related Hadiths
The destruction of Ad is referenced in Sahih Muslim (2787) where the Prophet Muhammad described the wind that destroyed them. Additionally, Surah Al-Ahqaf (46:24-25) provides complementary details about this same event, mentioned in various hadith collections discussing the signs before the Day of Judgment.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that rejecting divine guidance and persisting in arrogance inevitably leads to destruction, regardless of material wealth or power—a timeless warning that obedience to Allah and His messengers is the only path to salvation and security.