The Causes of the Destruction of the Disbelievers from the People of Hud (peace be upon him);
Disbelief in Allah Almighty
Selections from the Book Prophet Hud (peace be upon him) And the Causes for the Demise of the Civilization of the People of Aad…
Written by Dr. Ali Muhammad al-Sallabi...
Episode (16)
One of the most significant reasons for divine punishment and the destruction of the civilization founded by the tribe of ‘Aad was disbelief in Allah. The root of the word "kufr" (disbelief) in the Arabic language means to cover and conceal. The disbeliever is called a "kafir" because he conceals with disbelief what should be evident in terms of faith. Disbelief is the opposite of faith, which entails belief, conviction, and acknowledgment of the oneness, lordship, and divinity of Allah, belief in the angels, Allah’s law, the message of Hud (peace be upon him), the Last Day, and belief in Allah’s decree, both good and bad.
The people of ‘Aad rejected Hud’s (peace be upon him) call to monotheism and the messages of Allah, disbelieved in them, and opposed them. Allah described them as disbelievers in His words: {Said the eminent ones who disbelieved among his people, "Indeed, we see you in foolishness, and indeed, we think you are of the liars."} [Al-A'raf: 66]. And Allah Almighty said: {Unquestionably, ʿAad denied their Lord; then away with ʿAad, the people of Hud.} [Hud: 60].
Describing the people of ‘Aad as disbelievers indicates that at that historical period of human history, they were disconnected from religion and free from the obligations of faith in Allah and His law. This leads to moral decay and degradation. This is what happened in terms of the misery and wretchedness the people of ‘Aad lived in due to their distance from the guidance of the heavens. The materialistic inclination that has always characterized the forces of disbelief since the dawn of history and up to our present time—as a necessary result of their attachment to the earth and rejection of any belief in the unseen or higher ideals—does not represent happiness in its comprehensive sense. On the contrary, this inclination represents a great deficiency and a dangerous deviation in an experience filled in all its aspects with misery and wretchedness.
In any case, civilization—any civilization—is governed by divine Sunnahs. These Sunnahs, in the realm of civilization, are of two types:
- Partial Sunnahs related to the observable world; these are Sunnahs that reward anyone who applies them according to their effort, without distinguishing between believer and disbeliever.
- Comprehensive overarching Sunnahs that govern these partial laws; chief among them is the Sunnah of faith in Allah Almighty and His oneness. This is the law that determines the fate of civilizations—whether they grow or collapse. All other causes of a civilization’s downfall are considered secondary to this primary factor: the absence of faith in Allah alone.
Thus, the people of ‘Aad were subject to the Sunnah of Allah due to several reasons, among them disbelief in Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He). Allah’s punishment befell them in the form of a violent, roaring wind and a destructive blast—among the great punishments recorded in human history. Allah immortalized their story in the Holy Qur’an, where He said: {But if they turn away, then say, "I have warned you of a thunderbolt like the thunderbolt [that struck] ʿAad and Thamud. (13) [That occurred] when the messengers had come to them before them and after them, [saying], "Worship not except Allah." They said, "If our Lord had willed, He would have sent down the angels, so indeed we, in that with which you have been sent, are disbelievers." (14)} [Fussilat: 13-14]. These words clearly express their disbelief in what Hud (peace be upon him) brought.
- Ali Muhammad al-Sallabi, Prophet Hud (peace be upon him) And the Causes for the Demise of the Civilization of the People of Aad, pp. 497-499.
- The Story of Divine Sunnahs, Wafaa Muhammad Saeed, p. 169.
- The Islamic Vision and the Civilizational Issue: A Study and Comparison, Abdullah Muhammad Al-Amin, p. 103.
For further information and review of the sources for the article, see:
The Book of Prophet Hud (peace be upon him) And the Causes for the Demise of the Civilization of the People of Aad on the official website of Sheikh Dr. Ali Muhammad al-Sallabi:
