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Prophet / MessengerPhase 1 · Adam to IsaMajor figure

Prophet Hud (AS)

هود

unknown/traditional date disputed

The Arab prophet sent to the powerful people of 'Ad in al-Ahqaf. When they arrogantly rejected him, they were destroyed by a furious wind lasting seven nights and eight days.

Biography

The Quran describes 'Ad as successors after the people of Nuh (7:69), given great stature and power, builders of monuments on every height (26:128-130), and associated with 'Iram of the pillars, the like of which was not created in the lands' (89:7-8). Their land was al-Ahqaf, the sand dunes (46:21), traditionally located in southern Arabia (between Yemen and Oman).

Hud, 'their brother', called them to worship Allah alone, seek forgiveness and avoid tyranny (11:50-52). They boasted 'Who is greater than us in strength?' (41:15) and accused him of foolishness. When a cloud appeared they thought it would bring rain, but it was the punishment (46:24): a screaming, cold wind that Allah imposed upon them for seven nights and eight days, leaving them like hollow palm trunks (69:6-7). Hud and the believers were saved (11:58).

The Prophet ﷺ said he was given victory by the east wind (saba) and 'Ad were destroyed by the west wind (dabur) (Sahih Bukhari; Sahih Muslim).

The location and dating of 'Ad and Iram are uncertain; claims linking Iram to specific archaeological sites (e.g. Ubar in Oman) are speculative.

Sources & explanation

۞ Qur'an

7:65 7:66 7:67 7:68 7:69 7:70 7:71 7:72 11:50 11:51 11:52 11:53 11:56 11:58 11:59 11:60 26:123 26:124 26:128 26:129 26:130 26:139 41:15 41:16 46:21 46:22 46:24 46:25 54:18 54:19 54:20 69:6 69:7 69:8 89:6 89:7 89:8

Links open quran.com.

📜 Hadith verified on sunnah.com

  • Sahih al-Bukhari 1035 Sahih

    'I was given victory by the east wind (saba), and the people of 'Ad were destroyed by the west wind (dabur).'

💬 Explanation Unverified

Engineer Muhammad Ali Mirza's perspective

Methodological note (not a direct quote): Engineer Muhammad Ali Mirza's widely known approach is to build narratives primarily on the Quran and Sahih Hadith, to set aside Israiliyat (Judeo-Christian lore absorbed into later tafsir) and weak or fabricated narrations, and to avoid sectarian framing. Applied to this node: The Quran is the primary source; legends about the giant height of 'Ad or the 'garden of Shaddad' come from weak or Israiliyat-type narrations and would be set aside.

Further references

  • Quran 7:65-72
  • Quran 11:50-60
  • Quran 46:21-26
  • Quran 69:6-8
  • Quran 89:6-8
  • Sahih Bukhari & Muslim (saba and dabur winds)

Connections

Comes from

  • Prophet Nuh (AS) prophetic succession — 'Ad were successors after Nuh's people (7:69)

Leads to