So Noah’s people became past history: the great majority who denied his message were drowned and forgotten. They were banished from life on earth as also from God’s grace. The survivors were established on earth in fulfilment of God’s promise:

“The future belongs to those who are God-fearing.” (Verse 49). God’s promise to Noah is summed up in the following verse: “The word was spoken: ‘Noah, disembark in peace from Us, and with Our blessings upon you as well as upon generations from those who are with you. As for other folk, We shall let them have enjoyment, and then there will befall them grievous suffering from Us.’” (Verse 48) As time passed and history took its course, God’s promise was fulfilled. The `Ād were part of Noah’s offspring who dispersed on earth, as were the Thamūd. Both of these communities deserved to be punished:

“As for other folk, We shall let them have enjoyment, and then there will befall them grievous suffering from Us.” A full cycle had turned and the forces of jāhiliyyah were back in full sway.

Successive generations of mankind, whose number is known only to God, must have lived and passed away, having been guided by true submission to God. This means that they lived according to Islam, which was the faith of their parents, Adam and Eve. They remained so until Satan cajoled them from the straight path, which, in turn, gave rise to the kind of jāhiliyyah Noah faced. Noah (peace be upon him), however, was saved with his followers by God. The rest of mankind were destroyed in the floods, in response to Noah’s prayers. Again, numerous generations, known only to God, adopted as the basis of their social order the principle of submission to God. They continued to do so until Satan was able once again to cause them to stray.

The peoples of `Ād and Thamūd belonged to jāhiliyyah.

The `Ād were a tribe living at al-Aĥqāf, or the sand dunes, in the south of the Arabian peninsula. The Thamūd lived in the townships of al-Ĥijr, an area between Madinah and Tabūk in North Arabia. Both tribes were extremely powerful and affluent. Both also deviated from the right path and chose idol worship in preference to the worship of God alone. They accused God’s messengers of fabricating lies.

Hence, their histories are full of lessons for the believers, confirming the facts outlined in the opening passage of the sūrah.

To `Ād, We sent their brother Hūd. He said: My people! Worship God alone; you have no deity other than Him. You are indeed inventors of falsehood. No reward do I ask of you, my people, for this [message]. My reward rests with Him who brought me into being. Will you not, then, use your reason? My people! Seek your Lord’s forgiveness, and then turn to Him in repentance. He will cause the sky to rain abundance on you, and will add strength to your strength. Do not turn away as guilty criminals.’ (Verses 50-52)

Hūd belonged to the tribe of `Ād. He was, then, their brother, tied to them by the blood relations that bind all tribesmen. This tie is emphasized here because it should generate confidence, compassion and honest counsel between brethren. Hence, their attitude towards their brother and prophet seems very odd and exceedingly repugnant. The parting of the ways between the `Ād and their brother comes about because of an ideological conflict. Thus the concept of the invalidity of all ties when the bond of faith is non-existent is strongly emphasized. This bond is thus given prominence in Islamic society, making absolutely clear the nature of Islamic faith and its line of action.

Hūd commences his call recognizing that he and his people belong to the same community. They are united together by ties of family, clan, tribe and land. They end up, however, as two different nations: one submissive to God and another worshipping deities beside Him. The two are in conflict. God’s promise to give victory to the believers and to destroy the unbelievers comes to pass only when the parting of the ways takes place and the two sides are clearly distinguished and separated. The Prophet and those who believe in God with him disassociate themselves from their people and consider all their former ties with them as invalid.

They no longer have any loyalty to their former people and former leadership. They are loyal only to God, their Lord, and to their own Islamic’ leadership which called on them to submit themselves to God alone. Only at this moment when issues are clearly outlined and directions totally marked out, with no meeting point in the middle, are they given victory.

“To `Ād, We sent their brother Hūd.” (Verse 50) In the same way as Noah was previously sent to his people. He said: “My people!” His appeal is friendly, reminding them of the ties that unite them together so that they may have confidence in what he says. He would not have cheated his own people.

“Worship God alone; you have no deity other than Him.” (Verse 50) These are the very same words with which every messenger addressed his people. Deviation certainly took place after the believers with Noah disembarked from the ark. Perhaps the first deviant step was an attempt to glorify their small group who were saved in the ark with Noah. This glorification might have increased gradually with successive generations until their spirits were represented in trees and stones supposedly providing some sort of beneficial qualities. With the passage of time these stones and trees became idols which were worshipped and served by priests who made people submit to the will of others in the name of such claimed idols. This is only one of the numerous forms of jāhiliyyah which can overtake society. We have to remember that any deviation, even by one step, from the line of the absolute oneness of God and total submission to Him will inevitably be followed by further steps which take mankind far away from the right path.

Such was the sum of the message presented by Hūd to his people. It appears that it was not supported by a miracle to convince those who persisted with unbelief.

Perhaps this was so because the floods were still alive in people’s memories. In another sūrah that gives an account of Hūd and his people we learn that he reminded them of what happened to Noah’s people when they rejected God’s message.

However, his people still entertained bad thoughts about him: “They replied: ‘Hūd, you have brought us no clear evidence. We are not forsaking our gods on your mere word, nor will we believe in you. All we can say is that one of our gods may have smitten you with something evil.’” (Verses 53-54)

Hūd’s people had gone so far astray that they thought him deranged, that one of their deities had smitten him with something evil. They claimed that Hūd did not bring them any clear evidence of his message. Little did they consider that no evidence is needed to prove God’s oneness. All that people need to accept this truism is to be properly reminded of it and guided on the line of thought they should follow. They only needed to consult their consciences. They were, however, not prepared to do that. They told God’s Messenger point blank that they were not prepared to abandon their false gods just because he, Hūd, encouraged them to do so, without clear proof of the truthfulness of his message. They simply did not believe him: “We are not forsaking our gods on your mere word, nor will we believe in you.” (Verse 53)

There was little Hūd could do at this point apart from throwing down a challenge to them and putting his trust entirely in God. In this way, he delivered a final warning to those who denied him and his message, disassociating himself completely from their erring practices.

He said: ‘I call God to witness, and you, too, bear witness, that I disassociate myself from all those you claim to be partners with God. Scheme against me, all of you, if you will, and give me no respite. Indeed I have placed my trust in God, my Lord and your Lord. There is no living creature which He does not hold by its forelock. Straight indeed is my Lord’s way. But if you turn away, I have delivered to you the message with which I was sent to you. My Lord may replace you with another people. You can do Him no harm. My Lord watches over all things.’ (Verses 54-57)

Hūd’s statement shows how he cut himself off completely from them, despite the fact that they were his brethren. He was not happy to stay among them when they had chosen a way different from God’s. With the tie of faith severed the two sides had nothing to hold them together. Hūd asked God to be his witness as he disassociated himself from them altogether. He also asked them to be his witnesses so that there could be no doubt as to his final position. Throughout, Hūd had the dignity, confidence and reassurance which faith imparts.

Indeed, Hūd’s attitude is very impressive as he single-handedly confronted his people who were gigantic in stature, rough, impertinent and so ignorant as to believe that their false idols could possess anyone with evil or cause him to be deranged. He goes further and challenges them to cause him any harm they could, allowing him no respite. A man full of faith, Hūd was confident that God’s promises would be.

“He said: ‘I call God to witness, and you, too, bear witness, that I disassociate myself from all those you claim to be partners with God.’” (Verse 54) I call God to be my witness that I am innocent of all those you associate with Him as His partners. You also should testify for me that I have disclaimed all your false gods. Assemble together, all of you and all your invented gods whom you claim to have smitten me with evil and scheme together against me, giving me not a moment’s notice, for I do not fear anything from you. “Indeed I have placed my trust in God, my Lord and your Lord.” (Verse 56) Your denials and rejection notwithstanding, the truth remains that God is the Lord of us all. He is indeed the only Lord of the universe. He has no partners.

“There is no living creature which He does not hold by its forelock.” (Verse 56) This is a very real image of God’s power. It portrays Him as holding every creature24 that walks on the earth by its forelock, whether man or animal. He has indeed power over them all. His power is depicted so vividly that it fits well with the strength, roughness and insensibility of the people Hūd was addressing. This is followed by a statement that divine laws never fail: “Straight indeed is my Lord’s way.” (Verse 56) All this reflects the combination of Hūd’s strength and determination. Why should he fear anything the `Ād may cause when they cannot have power over him unless God wills?

When an advocate of God’s cause feels this truth within himself, he is left with no doubt as to his own destiny. He feels no hesitation to go along his way. The truth we mean here is that of Godhead which is clearly felt by those who truly believe in God.

When Hūd has made his challenge, relying on God’s might which he portrays in its most majestic form, he warns his people that he has done his duty, conveyed his message and has left them to face God’s power: “If you turn away, still, I have delivered to you the message with which I was sent to you. My Lord may replace you with another people.” (Verse 57) Such people would be more worthy of God’s message because they would follow His guidance after Hūd’s people had been destroyed. They have no power to cause God any harm. Their departure leaves no vacuum whatsoever.

And God will surely protect His good servants and enforce His laws. The wicked have no escape: “You can do Him no harm. My Lord watches over all things.” (Verse 57)

This was the decisive word. All argument is over and the warnings are fulfilled:

“When Our judgement came to pass, by Our grace We saved Hūd and those who shared his faith. We have indeed saved them from severe suffering.” (Verse 58) Hūd and his followers were saved by a direct act of God’s mercy which singled them out and kept them safe from the general punishment which engulfed their people. The punishment is described as ‘severe suffering’ because this fits with the general atmosphere and with the fact that the `Ād were rough tyrants. Now, even though they have been removed, their crimes are recorded against them and they are pursued with a curse: “Such were the `Ād. They denied their Lord’s revelations, disobeyed His messengers, and followed the bidding of every arrogant, unrestrained tyrant. They were pursued by a curse in this world and on the Day of Judgement. Indeed, the `Ād denied their Lord. Oh, away with the `Ād, the people of Hūd.” (Verses 59-60)

Let us pause here a little to reflect briefly on the history of Hūd with his people, within the context of the sūrah. The Qur’ān gives this account of the history of the age-old call to Islam in order to provide landmarks for the advocates of Islam throughout all generations. These landmarks are not only relevant to the first Muslim community, the first to be addressed by the Qur’ān, and the first to make it its operational guide as opposed to jāhiliyyah, but also to every Muslim community which stands up to jāhiliyyah anywhere in the world, at any time. This is what makes the Qur’ān the permanent constitution of the Islamic message and the manual of every Islamic movement.

Every time the Qur’ān mentions the approach of any messenger sent by God to any people, it quotes the messenger as saying: ‘My people, worship God alone. You have no deity other than Him. “I have repeatedly stated that ‘worship God alone” means total submission to Him alone in all matters which relate to this life or to the hereafter.

This is indeed the original meaning of the word. The dictionary shows the word `abada [which we now use primarily to denote worship] as meaning: to yield, submit and to lower one’s rank to another. A mu`abbad road is one which has been levelled to facilitate travelling. `Abbada is to enslave; that is, to cause someone to submit to another. The Arabs who were first addressed by the Qur’ān did not confine the import of the term `abada to mere worship rituals. Indeed, when the Arabs were first addressed by this term in Makkah, no worship rituals had then been assigned to them. They understood it to mean that they were required to submit themselves to God alone in all their life affairs and to renounce submission to anyone else. The Prophet defined ‘worship’ in one of his pronouncements as meaning ‘compliance’, not as offering worship rituals. He was answering `Ādī ibn Ĥātim’s question about the Jews and the Christians and their treatment of their rabbis and monks as gods.

He said: “Yes, indeed. They (meaning the rabbis and monks) made lawful to them what God has forbidden, and forbade them what God has made lawful, and they complied. This is how they worshipped them.” The term ‘worship’ has come to signify worship rituals since these are one form of showing submission to God. This form does not by any means, however, encompass the full meaning of ‘worship’. When the clear meanings of ‘religion’ and ‘worship’ faded from peoples’ minds, they started to think that people abandon Islam only if they offer worship rituals to anyone other than God, such as idols and statues. They believe that if they avoid this particular form of jāhiliyyah they are protected against atheism, polytheism or any other form of jāhiliyyah generally and remain Muslims who could not be deprived of this status. They would thus continue to enjoy all the privileges of a Muslim with regard to the protection of life, honour and property.

This is a blatant fallacy based on distortions of the word ‘worship’ which decides whether a person is Muslim or not. This term signifies total submission to God in all matters and all affairs. As we have already said, this is the linguistic meaning of the word and the specific definition of it by the Prophet. When the Prophet has so clearly defined a certain term, no one can provide any other definition.

Let us now pause a little to listen to the Prophet Hūd speaking to his people: “My people! Seek your Lord’s forgiveness, and then turn to Him in repentance. He will cause the sky to rain abundance on you, and will add strength to your strength. Do not turn away as guilty criminals.” (Verse 52) It is the same idea mentioned at the beginning of the sūrah, when the Prophet Muĥammad called on his people to believe in Islam: “Seek forgiveness of your Lord, and then turn towards Him in repentance, and He will grant you a goodly enjoyment of life for an appointed term. He will grant everyone with merit a fill reward for his merit. But if you turn away, I dread for you the suffering of a great Day.” (Verse 3) “messenger without having revealed to him that there is no deity other than Me.

Therefore, you shall worship Me alone.” (21: 16-25)

Mankind! If you are in doubt as to the resurrection, remember that We have created you out of dust, then out of a drop of sperm, then out of a germ-cell, then out of an embryonic lump complete and yet incomplete, so that We might make things clear to you. We cause to rest in the [mothers] wombs whatever We please for an appointed term, and then We bring you forth as infants, that you may grow up and attain your prime. Some of you die young, and some live on to abject old age when all that they once knew they know no more. You can see the earth dry and barren; and [suddenly,] when We send down water upon it, it stirs and swells and puts forth every kind of radiant bloom. That is because God alone is the Ultimate Truth; and He alone brings the dead to life; and He has the power to will anything. And that the Last Hour is certain to come, beyond any doubt; and that God will certainly resurrect all who are in their graves. (22: 5-7)

Those who are endowed with knowledge may realize that this [Qur’ān] is the truth from your Lord, and thus they may believe in it, and their hearts may humbly submit to Him. God will surely guide those who believe to a straight path. Yet the unbelievers will not cease to be in doubt about Him until the Last Hour comes suddenly upon them, or suffering befalls them on a day with no more [days] to follow.

On that day, all dominion shall belong to God. He shall judge between them. Thus, all who believe and do righteous deeds shall find themselves in gardens of bliss, whereas for the unbelievers who have denied Our revelations there shall be shameful suffering in store. As for those who leave their homes to serve God’s cause, and are then slain or die, God will most certainly grant them a goodly provision. God is indeed the most munificent provider. He will most certainly admit them to a place with which they shall be well pleased. God is surely All-knowing, Most forbearing.

Thus shall it be. If one retaliates only to the extent of the injury he has received, and then is wronged again, God will certainly succour him. God is certainly the One who absolves sin, Much forgiving. Thus it is, because God causes the night to pass into the day, and the day to pass into the night; and because God hears all and sees all.

Let us now move on with the sūrah and look at the account it gives of the Prophet Şāliĥ and his people, Thamūd: “To Thamūd, We sent their brother Şāliĥ. He said: ‘My people! Worship God alone. You have no deity other than Him. He it is who brought you into being out of the earth and settled you therein. Seek His forgiveness and then turn to Him in repentance. My Lord is ever near. He answers all.’” (Verse 61)

We again encounter the same words outlining the same basic issue, and the same course of action. Şāliĥ calls on people to believe in God’s oneness, to seek His forgiveness and to feel His presence with them wherever they are and whatever they are doing. Şāliĥ also reminds them that they originate from the earth. This refers to the origin of the human race as well as to the fact that every human being depends on the nourishment that he receives from the earth, or from the elements which are available in it, for his growth. Despite this origin they are put in charge of the earth and given the task of building it. This applies to the human race generally and to the Thamūd in particular, in their period of history.

All this, however, does not deter them from associating partners with God. Şāliĥ, therefore, calls on them to “Seek His forgiveness and then turn to Him in repentance.” (Verse 61) If they do so, He will respond favourably and answer their prayers: ‘My Lord is ever near. He answers all.” (Verse 61) Note here the use of the possessive pronoun “My Lord” and the attributes which are chosen here, “ever near, He answers all.” Coming so close together, they give the impression of the reality of Godhead as felt by one of the chosen elite of believers. They impart an air of friendliness, compassion and very real contact between the benevolent prophet’s heart and the hearts of his audience.

Their hearts, however, have been blinded by their corruption. They are no longer responsive. Hence, they do not feel the beauty or the majesty of the reality of Godhead, nor do they appreciate the friendliness and the care with which Şāliĥ addresses them. On the contrary, they are surprised and start to doubt their trusted brother. “They answered: ‘Şāliĥ.! Great hopes did we place in you before this. Would you now forbid us to worship what our forefathers worshipped? We are indeed in grave doubt about that to which you call us.’” (Verse 62)

They tell him that they had placed great hopes in him. Where once they had appreciated his wide knowledge, honesty, sensibility and wisdom, they are now totally disappointed. Why? “Would you now forbid us to worship what our forefathers worshipped?” (Verse 62) To them, that was the calamity. They expected anything but this. And this raised grave doubts in their minds about everything Şāliĥ had said.

“We are indeed in grave doubt about that to which you call us.” (Verse 62)

Thus, the Thamūd are puzzled by what is straightforward. They consider as strange and singular what is right and clear. They are amazed that their brother, Şāliĥ, should call them to worship God alone. Their astonishment, however, is not based on any evidence, argument, or intellectual thought. They are astonished only because their forefathers worshipped such false gods. People can indeed reach this level of blindness. They base their beliefs on nothing more than the fact that their forefathers believed in the same thing. Once again we find that the faith based on God’s oneness is, in essence, a call for the complete and total liberation of the human mind from its bonds of blind imitation of the past, and from the shackles of legendary illusions.

This is another episode of the history of the divine message to mankind. It is the same message, speaking about the essence of Islam, in the broad sense of the word:

to worship God and submit to Him alone, associating no partners with Him. Again we are faced with a state of jāhiliyyah that follows deviation from the divine faith based on God’s oneness. Like the `Ād before them, the Thamūd descended from the believers saved in Noah’s ark, but they deviated from the right faith and ended up in a dreadful state of jāhiliyyah. Şāliĥ was sent to return them to the true faith.

They are given a miraculous sign, as they asked for, but this does not lead them to believe; rather, it makes them more hostile and they cruelly slaughter the she-camel.

The Arab idolaters also demanded that the Prophet bring them some miraculous sign to help them accept his message. But the sign given to Şāliĥ’s people benefitted them nothing. To believe in God does not require miracles: the message is both simple and straightforward when approached with clear thinking. Jāhiliyyah, however, seals both hearts and minds leaving people in a state of ignorance.

Again we find here the truth of Godhead as manifested in the heart of one of the noble messengers chosen to deliver His message. It is stated by Şāliĥ, as he is quoted in the Qur’ān: “Think, my people! If I take my stand on a clear evidence from my Lord who has bestowed on me His grace, who will save me from God were I to disobey Him? You are, in such a case, only aggravating my ruin.” (Verse 63) He says this after having given them a clear description of his Lord as he feels His presence in his own heart: “My Lord is ever near. He answers all.” (Verse 61)

Nowhere are the beauty, majesty and perfection of the reality of Godhead better reflected than in the hearts of this noble group of God’s chosen people. These hearts stand out as a clear, unstained exhibition of this great reality.

We also find here how jāhiliyyah considers as erroneous what is clearly right, and looks at the truth as extremely singular! Şāliĥ was much appreciated by his people because of his fine character, clear thinking and wisdom. His people placed great hope in him. But once he had delivered his message to them, they looked upon him with much disappointment. Why this sudden change? It was only because he called on them to submit themselves to God alone. This was at variance with what they had learnt from their forefathers. When the human heart deviates even slightly from the true faith, its error takes it so far away as to make it unable to appreciate the truth, simple and logical as it is. By contrast, such deviant hearts are able to accept deviation that flies in the face of natural and rational logic.

Şāliĥ called on his people: “My people! Worship God alone. You have no deity other than Him. He it is who brought you into being out of the earth and settled you therein.” (Verse 61) He thus appealed to them by what they could easily recognize as natural and irrefutable evidence based on how they were brought into being. Never had they claimed that they were the ones who brought themselves into being, ensured their survival and provided themselves with the sustenance available on earth. They did not deny that it was God who brought them into being. But they did not follow this through to its logical outcome, namely, submission to God alone and following His guidance. This indeed was the essence of what Şāliĥ called on them to do: “Worship God alone. You have no deity other than Him.” It is, then, not the issue of Godhead that is subject to contention. As always, it is the issue of God’s Lordship and sovereignty and man’s submission and obedience.