وَإِلَىٰ عَادٍ أَخَاهُمْ هُودًا ۚ قَالَ يَـٰقَوْمِ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَـٰهٍ غَيْرُهُۥٓ ۖ إِنْ أَنتُمْ إِلَّا مُفْتَرُونَ 50
Translations
And to ʿAad [We sent] their brother Hūd. He said, "O my people, worship Allāh; you have no deity other than Him. You are not but inventors [of falsehood].
Transliteration
Wa-ilaa AAdin akhāhum hūdan qāla yā qawmi oAAbudū Allāha mā lakum min ilāhin ghayruhu in antum illā muftarūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah sent Hud, a messenger from among the people of 'Ad themselves, to call them to monotheistic worship and abandon idolatry. Hud's message was clear: there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone, and the people's assertion of multiple gods is nothing but fabrication and falsehood. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this ayah emphasizes the divine pattern of sending messengers from within communities to ensure clarity of message and remove the excuse of unfamiliarity.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the Meccan surah Hud, which extensively narrates the stories of various prophets and their peoples. The context is the account of Prophet Hud's mission to the 'Ad people, an ancient Arabian civilization known for their arrogance and rejection of monotheism. This narrative serves as a warning to the Quraysh and all disbelievers about the consequences of rejecting divine guidance.
Related Hadiths
The theme of messengers being sent from among their own people is corroborated by Surah Al-Ankabut (29:28). A related concept appears in Sahih Bukhari where the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is described as a mercy to the worlds, similar to how each messenger was sent as a mercy to their people.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that true guidance comes from Allah through His chosen messengers, and that rejecting monotheism in favor of invented deities is a form of deception and self-delusion. For modern believers, it reinforces the importance of adhering to authentic Islamic teachings and recognizing that the message of pure monotheism is universal and timeless across all prophetic traditions.
Related Ayahs
قَالُوا۟ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ مَا لَنَا فِى بَنَاتِكَ مِنْ حَقٍّ وَإِنَّكَ لَتَعْلَمُ مَا نُرِيدُ
They said, "You have already known that we have not concerning your daughters [i.e., women] any claim [i.e., desire], and indeed, you know what we want."
فَعَقَرُوهَا فَقَالَ تَمَتَّعُوا۟ فِى دَارِكُمْ ثَلَـٰثَةَ أَيَّامٍ ۖ ذَٰلِكَ وَعْدٌ غَيْرُ مَكْذُوبٍ
But they hamstrung her, so he said, "Enjoy yourselves in your homes for three days. That is a promise not to be denied [i.e., unfailing]."
ذَٰلِكَ مِنْ أَنۢبَآءِ ٱلْقُرَىٰ نَقُصُّهُۥ عَلَيْكَ ۖ مِنْهَا قَآئِمٌ وَحَصِيدٌ
That is from the news of the cities, which We relate to you; of them, some are [still] standing and some are [as] a harvest [mowed down].
۞ وَمَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ إِلَّا عَلَى ٱللَّهِ رِزْقُهَا وَيَعْلَمُ مُسْتَقَرَّهَا وَمُسْتَوْدَعَهَا ۚ كُلٌّ فِى كِتَـٰبٍ مُّبِينٍ
And there is no creature on earth but that upon Allāh is its provision, and He knows its place of dwelling and place of storage. All is in a clear register.