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
وَيَصْنَعُ ٱلْفُلْكَ وَكُلَّمَا مَرَّ عَلَيْهِ مَلَأٌ مِّن قَوْمِهِۦ سَخِرُوا۟ مِنْهُ ۚ قَالَ إِن تَسْخَرُوا۟ مِنَّا فَإِنَّا نَسْخَرُ مِنكُمْ كَمَا تَسْخَرُونَ
And he constructed the ship, and whenever an assembly of the eminent of his people passed by him, they ridiculed him. He said, "If you ridicule us, then we will ridicule you just as you ridicule.
وَيَـٰقَوْمِ أَوْفُوا۟ ٱلْمِكْيَالَ وَٱلْمِيزَانَ بِٱلْقِسْطِ ۖ وَلَا تَبْخَسُوا۟ ٱلنَّاسَ أَشْيَآءَهُمْ وَلَا تَعْثَوْا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ مُفْسِدِينَ
And O my people, give full measure and weight in justice and do not deprive the people of their due and do not commit abuse on the earth, spreading corruption.
أَمْ يَقُولُونَ ٱفْتَرَىٰهُ ۖ قُلْ إِنِ ٱفْتَرَيْتُهُۥ فَعَلَىَّ إِجْرَامِى وَأَنَا۠ بَرِىٓءٌ مِّمَّا تُجْرِمُونَ
Or do they say [about Prophet Muḥammad (ﷺ)], "He invented it"? Say, "If I have invented it, then upon me is [the consequence of] my crime; but I am innocent of what [crimes] you commit."
وَأُوحِىَ إِلَىٰ نُوحٍ أَنَّهُۥ لَن يُؤْمِنَ مِن قَوْمِكَ إِلَّا مَن قَدْ ءَامَنَ فَلَا تَبْتَئِسْ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَفْعَلُونَ
And it was revealed to Noah that, "No one will believe from your people except those who have already believed, so do not be distressed by what they have been doing.