The (people of) Aad denied the messengers when their brother Hud said to them, “Will you not guard (against evil)? (Al Quran, Surah Ash Shuara, Chapter 26: Verses 123-124)
The above verse shall be understood in context with the following verses:
26-123: The (people of) Aad denied the messengers
26-124: when their brother Hud said to them, “Will you not guard (against evil)?
26-125: I am certainly a trustworthy messenger to you
26-126: so fear Allah and obey me,
26-127: and I do not ask you for any reward for it, my reward is with none but the Fosterer of the worlds.
26-128: Do you build a monument on every high place, without any purpose?
26-129: And you take (for dwellings) strong fortresses that perhaps you may stay (in them for ever).
26-130: And when you take hold (of people), you take hold (of them) as tyrants.
26-131: So fear Allah and obey me.
26-132: And fear Him Who helped you with that which you know,
26-133: He has helped you with cattle and sons
26-134: and gardens and springs,
26-135: I certainly fear for you the punishment of the great day.”
26-136: They said, “It is equal to us whether you admonish or you do not be of those who admonish.
26-137: This is nothing but a customary (warning) of the ancient,
26-138: and we will not be punished.”
26-139: Thus they denied him, therefore We destroyed them, there is certainly a sign in that, but the majority of them does not believe.
26-140: And your Fosterer, He is certainly the Mighty, the Merciful. (R7)
As described in The Quran Asks 7-65, several prophets were sent by Allah (SWT) to their people and here in this Surah too a mention is made of those prophets:
– Nuuh (PBH) – Verses 105-122
– Hud (PBH) – Verses 123-140
– Saleh (PBH) – Verses 141-159
– Lut (PBH) – Verses 160-175
– Shuaib (PBH) – Verses 176-191
In Surah Ash Shuara, following the details mentioned in The Quran Asks 26-106 where the events related to Prophet Nuuh (PBH) were provided, the above verses show that similar to Nuuh (PBH) who was sent to his own people to invite them towards Allah (SWT), and after his people rejected him, Allah (SWT) saved Nuuh (PBH) and a boatfull of followers and destroyed the rest.
Hud (PBH) was sent to the tribe of Aad (Chapter 7: Verse 65, Chapter 26: Verses 123-124) who were established in the earth as successors after the people of Nuh (PBH) (Chapter 7: Verse 69). The people of Aad built structures on high places (Chapter 26: Verese 128), who had cattle, sons, gardens and springs as bounties from Allah (SWT) (Chapter 26: Verses 133-134), they grew into a great nation and an extensive creation (Chapter 7: Verese 69) and were invited towards Allah (SWT) and were warned by Hud (PBH) at Al Ahqaf (the sand hills) (Chapter 46: Verse 21). The people of Aad rejected and denied Hud (PBH) as Allah’s Messenger (Chapter 26: Verses 136-139) and asked the punishment to be brought on them (Chapter 46: Verse 22), so when they saw the punishment in the form of clouds coming towards their valley they misunderstood it as good news of rain, but it was the painful punishment which they sought to be hastened. (Chapter 46: Verse 24). Then why did those whom they had taken as gods besides Allah (for achieving) nearness (to Him), not help them? No, they disappeared from them, and that was their falsehood and that which they used to forge (Chapter 46: Verse 28). And a curse was made to follow them in this world and on the day of resurrection. Beware! Aad did not believe in their Fosterer, so away with Aad the people of Hud. (Chapter 11: Verse 60)
Narrated Ibn `Abbas:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “I have been made victorious with As-Saba (i.e. an easterly wind) and the people of ‘Ad were destroyed by Ad-Dabur (i.e. a westerly wind).”
Sahih al-Bukhari 3343 and Sahih Muslim 900 a (wording is from Bukhari)