7-65 And to ‘Ad (We sent) their brother Hud. He said: O my people, serve Allah, you have no god other than Him. Will you not then guard against evil?a
وَإِلىٰ عادٍ أَخاهُم هودًا ۗ قالَ يا قَومِ اعبُدُوا اللَّهَ ما لَكُم مِن إِلٰهٍ غَيرُهُ ۚ أَفَلا تَتَّقونَ (۶۵)
7-65a: In accordance with the chronological order, the nation of Ad is mentioned after the people of Noah. This was a powerful nation that was settled in the south of Arabia in the area of Al Ahqaf. It is a historical fact that this nation at its zenith broke out of Arabia and conquered several countries. The national name of Ad is taken from the name of the grandson of Aram who is the grandson of Noah. This nation is also sometimes called the First Ad while Thamud which is its branch is sometimes called the Second Ad. Some historical relics of this nation have been discovered in the form of ruins and tablets. The tribe had built fortifications around its city. They chiefly worshipped four deities, Saqiyah, Hafizah, Raziqah, and Salimah, the first, as they imagined, supplying them with rain, the second preserving them from all dangers abroad, the third providing food for their sustenance and the fourth restoring them to health when afflicted with sickness. Hud who was Divinely ordained as a prophet for them is called their brother because he belonged to this tribe.
Besides this verse, Ad is mentioned in the Quran in the following places: 11:50-60, 14:9, 25:38, 26:123-140, 29:38, 41:13-16, 46:21-26, 51:41-42, 52:50, 54:18-21, 69:4, 6-8, and 89:6-8.
7-66 The chiefs of those who disbelieved from among his people said: Certainly we see thee in folly, and we certainly think thee to be of the liars.
قالَ المَلَأُ الَّذينَ كَفَروا مِن قَومِهِ إِنّا لَنَراكَ في سَفاهَةٍ وَإِنّا لَنَظُنُّكَ مِنَ الكاذِبينَ (۶۶)
7-67 He said: O my people, there is no folly in me, but I am a messenger of the Lord of the worlds.
قالَ يا قَومِ لَيسَ بي سَفاهَةٌ وَلٰكِنّي رَسولٌ مِن رَبِّ العالَمينَ (۶۷)
7-68 I deliver to you the messages of my Lord and I am a faithful adviser to you.a
أُبَلِّغُكُم رِسالاتِ رَبّي وَأَنا لَكُم ناصِحٌ أَمينٌ (۶۹)
7-68a: أَمينٌ – امن means peace and tranquility of soul and أَمينٌ is someone who puts one’s mind at peace about his personality (R). So أَمينٌ is someone who has such qualities of character that everyone considers him trustworthy and because the word امانة is used to describe all the duties that Allah has prescribed for humans (LA), hence أَمينٌ is someone who fulfills all the duties that Allah has prescribed for humans. By declaring one messenger as أَمينٌ that is honest, truthful, and sincere, the rule is established that all prophets are sinless. The meaning is certainly not that Hud is the only righteous prophet while Jesus is not because this word has not been used in the Quran for him.
7-69 Do you wonder that a reminder has come to you from your Lord through a man from among you that he may warn you? And remember when He made you successors after Noah’s people and increased you in excellence of make. So remember the bounties of Allah, that you may be successful.a
أَوَعَجِبتُم أَن جاءَكُم ذِكرٌ مِن رَبِّكُم عَلىٰ رَجُلٍ مِنكُم لِيُنذِرَكُم ۚ وَاذكُروا إِذ جَعَلَكُم خُلَفاءَ مِن بَعدِ قَومِ نوحٍ وَزادَكُم فِي الخَلقِ بَسطَةً ۖ فَاذكُروا آلاءَ اللَّهِ لَعَلَّكُم تُفلِحونَ (۶۹)
7-69a: بَسطَةً – It is derived from بَسۡط which means abundance (R), as in: وَزادَهُ بَسطَةً فِي العِلمِ وَالجِسمِ (and increased him abundantly in knowledge and physique) (2:247), and by بَسطَة or بَصطَة is meant abundance of power and physique.
الخَلقِ – The purport can be creation, that is birth or make and could also be people.
The nation of Ad in its power, and probably also in their strong physique, were superior to their contemporaries and had brought a large section of the world under their influence through their power.
7-70 They said: Hast thou come to us that we may serve Allah alone, and give up that which our fathers used to serve? Then bring to us what thou threatenest us with, if thou art of the truthful.
قالوا أَجِئتَنا لِنَعبُدَ اللَّهَ وَحدَهُ وَنَذَرَ ما كانَ يَعبُدُ آباؤُنا ۖ فَأتِنا بِما تَعِدُنا إِن كُنتَ مِنَ الصّادِقينَ (۷۰)
7-71 He said: Indeed uncleanness and wrath from your Lord have lighted upon you. Do you dispute with me about names which you and your fathers have named? Allah has not sent any authority for them. Wait, then; I too with you am of those who wait.a
قالَ قَد وَقَعَ عَلَيكُم مِن رَبِّكُم رِجسٌ وَغَضَبٌ ۖ أَتُجادِلونَني في أَسماءٍ سَمَّيتُموها أَنتُم وَآباؤُكُم ما نَزَّلَ اللَّهُ بِها مِن سُلطانٍ ۚ فَانتَظِروا إِنّي مَعَكُم مِنَ المُنتَظِرينَ (۷۱)
7-71a: أَسماءٍ (names) – The indication in this word is to the deities which they had appointed for themselves. See 7-65a. They are called just names because the names indicated attributes but in fact, these attributes had no reality.
7-72 So We delivered him and those with him by mercy from Us, and We cut off the roots of those who rejected Our messages and were not believers.
فَأَنجَيناهُ وَالَّذينَ مَعَهُ بِرَحمَةٍ مِنّا وَقَطَعنا دابِرَ الَّذينَ كَذَّبوا بِآياتِنا ۖ وَما كانوا مُؤمِنينَ (۷۲)
Bayan-ul-Quran 