كَذَّبَتْ عَادٌ فَكَيْفَ كَانَ عَذَابِى وَنُذُرِ 18
Translations
ʿAad denied; and how [severe] were My punishment and warning.
Transliteration
Kadzdzabat 'Aadun fakayfa kaana 'adzaabi wa nuzuri
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refers to the people of 'Ad who rejected the warnings of their Prophet Hud and thus faced severe punishment from Allah. The rhetorical question 'How was My punishment and My warnings?' emphasizes the terrible nature of their destruction—a complete annihilation—which serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of rejecting divine guidance. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari note this ayah highlights the inevitable justice of Allah upon those who deny their messengers despite receiving clear warnings.
Revelation Context
Surah Al-Qamar is a Meccan chapter that repeatedly emphasizes the certainty of the Hour and warns against disbelief through historical examples of destroyed nations. This particular ayah continues the thematic pattern of the surah, which cites the destruction of 'Ad, Thamud, Pharaoh's people, and Noah's people as cautionary tales for the Meccan disbelievers of the Prophet Muhammad's time.
Related Hadiths
The destruction of 'Ad is referenced in various hadiths regarding signs of the Day of Judgment. A relevant thematic hadith is found in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet (peace be upon him) mentioned that nations are shown their deeds before the Day of Judgment, which relates to how 'Ad witnessed the consequences of their rejection before final destruction.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that rejecting clear signs and warnings from Allah carries grave consequences that are beyond human capacity to endure. For believers today, it serves as a reminder to embrace divine guidance with humility and to reflect upon historical lessons, recognizing that the path of faith is a mercy, while stubbornness leads to ruin.