Surah “Hûd- Hood”

Name:

The same way this Sûrah has been named after Prophet Hûd whose story has been narrated in verses 50-60.

 

Period of Revelation:

Looking closely into the subject matter of this Sûrah it gives the feelings that it would have been revealed in the same period, in which Sûrah Yûnus was revealed.  It is quite possible that it has been revealed right after it, because the topic of the speech is same, but the style of warning is severer than that.

 

It is narrated in the Hadith that Hadrat Abu-Bakr asked Prophet Muhammad sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, “I see that you are growing older, what is the reason of it”?  In response Prophet Muhammad sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said, "Surah Hûd and its alike Sûrahs have grown me old”.  This gives an idea that how difficult that time would be for the Prophet Muhammad sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam when on one side the Kâfûr of Quraish by all means were trying their best to crush the Islamic movement and on the other hand continuous severe warnings were being sent down from Allâh subhaana wa ta’aala.  In this situation, all the time Prophet Muhammad sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam would have the fear that the respite given by Allâh subhaana wa ta’aala should not end and that last limit should not approach when Allâh subhaana wa ta’aala decides to seize any nation by torment.  In fact, while reciting this Sûrah it gives the feelings that last warning has been given to those neglected habitants of the country who are going to come under the attack of the severe storm.

 

Subject Matter and Discussion:

The topic of the speech; as has been just described, is the same as of Sûrah Yûnus -- the invitation, warning and punishment.  The only difference is that -- it has brief invitation, less argumentation in the warning, and more of preaching and advice, but the warning is detailed and severe. 

 

The invitation is obey the Messenger of Allâh subhaana wa ta’aala, reject shirk, serve Allâh subhaana wa ta’aala Alone by denouncing all others, and establish the entire system of your worldly life on the belief that there will be accountability in the Hereafter.

 

The advice is -- those nations, who rejected the invitation of the Messengers of Allâh subhaana wa ta’aala, by trusting the apparent worldly resources, they already have suffered the bad consequences of it, now is it necessary that you should also follow those steps which have already been proven destructive by the continuous experience of the history.

 

The warning is – that the delay in approaching the punishment is in fact a respite that Allâh subhaana wa ta’aala is granting you by HIS Grace.  If you did not mend your ways in the period of this respite, such an inevitable torment will come that will destroy the entire nation except the Believers.

 

Instead of presenting the subject matter in a direct address, the methodology of telling the stories of the nation of Noah, Hûd, Sâlih, Lot, Shu'aib, and Musâ has been adopted.  The thing which has been made most prominent in these stories is that when Allâh subhaana wa ta’aala passes HIS decision, HE passes it without any hesitation.  No respite is given to anyone. At that time, it has not seen that who is to whom.  Blessed are only those who adopted the righteous path, otherwise, no one is spared from the torment of Allâh subhaana wa ta’aala, whether he/she is son or wife of the Prophet.  More to the point – when a decision is being made between Islam and Kufr – it is the demand of Islam that the believer himself/herself should forget the relationships of father and son, husband and wife and completely devote towards only one just cause of Allâh subhaana wa ta’aala and leave all other relations except the only relationship of the Faith.  On such occasion, to show and consideration towards the kinship is against the spirit of Islam.  This was the education, which was practically demonstrated after 3-4 years by the immigrants of Makkah at the time of the Battle of Badr.

Your opinion counts