Hud, the prophet sent to the people of Ad

Q: Who is the Prophet Hud in Islam?

Hud is an Arab prophet sent to the people of Ad, a powerful tribe who lived after the flood of Nuh (Noah). He came from among them, and called them to worship Allah alone and to abandon their idols: O my people, worship Allah. You have no deity other than Him (Surah Hud, verse 50). A surah of the Quran bears his name.

Q: How were the people of Ad destroyed?

Allah sent against them a roaring, furious wind for seven nights and eight days in succession, so that the people lay on the ground like hollow palm trunks (Surah Al-Haqqah, verses 6-7). Hud and the believers who had followed him were saved by Allah's mercy (Surah Hud, verse 58).

Q: What lesson does the story of Hud teach?

The story of Hud teaches humility before Allah: neither wealth, nor strength, nor grand buildings protect anyone from punishment when they persist in wrongdoing. It also recalls the prophet's trust in his Lord and the deliverance granted to the believers, a theme common to the accounts of the peoples named in the Quran.

Hud, the prophet sent to the people of Ad: his call, their refusal and their fate in the Quran, on Muslim Alim

Houd

The Call to the People of Ad

"And to Ad, their brother Hud: 'O my people,' he said, 'worship Allah. You have no deity other than Him. You do nothing but invent lies.'"

— Quran, Surah Hud, verse 50

The Power of Ad

"As for Ad, they were arrogant upon the earth without right, and said: 'Who is greater than us in strength?' Did they not see that Allah, who created them, is greater than them in strength? And they went on rejecting Our signs."

— Quran, Surah Fussilat, verse 15

The Warning of the Drought

"O my people, ask forgiveness of your Lord and turn to Him in repentance, and He will send the sky upon you with abundant rain and add strength to your strength. And do not turn away as criminals."

— Quran, Surah Hud, verse 52

His People's Denial

"They said: 'O Hud, you have not brought us any clear proof, and we are not going to abandon our gods on your word, and we do not believe in you.'"

— Quran, Surah Hud, verse 53

The Destroying Wind

"As for Ad, they were destroyed by a roaring, furious wind, which Allah loosed upon them for seven nights and eight days in succession; you would have seen the people lying dead as though they were hollow palm trunks."

— Quran, Surah Al-Haqqah, verses 6-7

Trust in Allah

"I put my trust in Allah, my Lord and your Lord. There is no living creature He does not hold by its forelock. My Lord is indeed on a straight path."

— Quran, Surah Hud, verse 56

The Believers Saved

"And when Our command came, We saved Hud, and those who believed with him, by a mercy from Us. And We saved them from a severe punishment."

— Quran, Surah Hud, verse 58

What Became of Ad

"And that was Ad: they denied the signs of their Lord, disobeyed His messengers and followed the command of every obstinate tyrant. And they were pursued in this world by a curse, and on the Day of Resurrection."

— Quran, Surah Hud, verses 59-60

Important Note

This collection brings together a selection of authentic texts about the Prophet Hud (peace be upon him). The English translations are given as a guide.

Refer to the original Arabic texts
Consult the commentaries of the scholars
Study the historical context of each account
Check the authentic sources

Discover the story of the Prophet Hud on Muslim Alim

The Prophet Houd holds an important place in the story of the messengers of Allah. He was sent to the people of Ad, a powerful tribe who lived in the Arabian Peninsula after the flood of Nuh. They were known for their exceptional physical strength and their impressive buildings.

The people of Ad had built a prosperous civilisation but had turned away from the path of Allah. They worshipped idols and refused to acknowledge the oneness of God. Hud, who was one of them, was given the task of guiding them to the truth. He spoke to them with wisdom and patience, calling them to abandon their false gods.

Despite his constant efforts, most of the people rejected his message. They mocked Hud and called him a liar. Only a small group of believers accepted his teaching. The Quran records their arrogant words and their stubborn refusal to heed the divine warnings.

Allah then sent a terrible punishment: a violent, destroying wind that blew for seven nights and eight days. That devastating storm wiped out the rebellious people entirely, leaving nothing but traces of their former greatness. Hud and the believers were spared by divine mercy.

This story teaches us how important humility before Allah is. It also shows that wealth and power give no protection from punishment when one persists in error. The accounts of the prophets of Islam such as that of Hud are set down in the Quran to remind us of these essential lessons. Sincere faith and obedience to Allah remain the true wealth of every believer.

Continue reading

All of Prophets

The Prophet's ﷺ farewell sermon at Arafat: the full address in English and its lessons, on Muslim Alim

The Prophet's Farewell Sermon

Adam, the first prophet of Islam and father of mankind: his story told from the Quran, on Muslim Alim

The Prophet Adam

Al-Yasa (Elisha), successor of the prophet Ilyas: his story and his mention in the Quran, on Muslim Alim

The Prophet Al-Yasa

Ayyub (Job), the prophet of patience: his trial and his reward as told in the Quran, on Muslim Alim

The Prophet Ayyub

Shuayb, the prophet sent to the people of Madyan: his call to honest dealing in trade, on Muslim Alim

The Prophet Shuayb

Dawud (David), the prophet-king of the Zabur: his story and the Psalms as told in the Quran, on Muslim Alim

The Prophet Dawud

Frequently asked questions

You may be wondering…

Who is the Prophet Hud in Islam?

Hud is an Arab prophet sent to the people of Ad, a powerful tribe who lived after the flood of Nuh (Noah). He came from among them, and called them to worship Allah alone and to abandon their idols: O my people, worship Allah. You have no deity other than Him (Surah Hud, verse 50). A surah of the Quran bears his name.

Who were the people of Ad?

The people of Ad were a tribe of the Arabian Peninsula known for their physical strength and their imposing buildings. The Quran records their pride: Who is greater than us in strength? (Surah Fussilat, verse 15). Drunk on their own power, they rejected Hud, called him a liar and refused to give up their gods.

How were the people of Ad destroyed?

Allah sent against them a roaring, furious wind for seven nights and eight days in succession, so that the people lay on the ground like hollow palm trunks (Surah Al-Haqqah, verses 6-7). Hud and the believers who had followed him were saved by Allah's mercy (Surah Hud, verse 58).

Where is the grave of the Prophet Hud?

The Quran and the authentic hadiths do not say where he was buried. A local tradition places the grave of the Prophet Hud in the Hadhramaut, in Yemen, where it is visited, but this is not established by reliable sources. Scholars therefore advise caution on the point.

What lesson does the story of Hud teach?

The story of Hud teaches humility before Allah: neither wealth, nor strength, nor grand buildings protect anyone from punishment when they persist in wrongdoing. It also recalls the prophet's trust in his Lord and the deliverance granted to the believers, a theme common to the accounts of the peoples named in the Quran.

Quiz

Test your knowledge of Islam

3 questions, then as many rounds as you like.

Loading questions…