Surah al-Ahqaf (Sand Dunes) 46 : 23

Overview (Verses 21 - 25)

This third part of the surah addresses its central question in a different way to that of its earlier parts. It speaks of the fate of the (Ad and other townships around Makkah. Towards Had, their brother, whom God sent as His messenger, they adopted a similar attitude to that of the idolaters in Makkah towards Muhammad, their brother and God's messenger. Both raised the same objections. Had answered them in the splendid manner of prophets, but within the limits of his human ability and the mission assigned to him. When they paid no heed to his warnings, they were smitten by God's punishment that left them utterly destroyed. Although they were more powerful, wealthy and intelligent than the Makkan unbelievers, none of this was of any avail to them. Nor did their alleged deities, which they claimed would bring them closer to God, avail them of anything.

The Makkan unbelievers are also reminded of the fate their own ancestors met, given they too had adopted the same attitude. They are told in no uncertain terms that they will suffer the same fate. The surah also shows them the line the Divine message follows: it is consistent and unchanging. Likewise, God's law applies to all and does not change. We see the tree of faith with firm roots, its branches stretched wide across the generations. It is the same faith for all times and communities.

At the Sand Dunes

Remember that brother of the 'Ad who warned his people who lived in the Valley of the Sand Dunes. Other warners have come and gone both before and after him. He said: 'Worship none but God. I fear lest suffering befall you on a terrible day.' (Verse 21)

The brother of the 'Ad is the Prophet Had (peace be upon him) who is mentioned here by his position as a brother to his people. This highlights the relation of mutual love and care that existed between him and his people, which should have made them more responsive to his call and motivated them to think well of him and what he taught. The same bond existed between Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his people who similarly opposed him.

The 'Ad used to build their homes on the high sand dunes in a valley in the south of the Arabian Peninsula, said to be near Hadramawt.' God in His glory directs His messenger to remember Had and how he warned his people at the Valley of the Sand Dunes. This to give him encouragement as he realises that Had was similarly rejected by his people. Such remembrance also serves to remind the Makkan unbelievers of the fate of those earlier communities that rejected God's messages.

Had warned his people, but he was not the first messenger to warn his community. Other messengers did the same before him: "Other warners have come and gone both before and after him." Those messengers came close to him in time and place as also far from him. The chain of God's messages is a continuous one, and the warnings are given at all times. This whole issue is familiar to all. Had gave them the same warnings given by all messengers to their communities: "Worship none but God. I fear lest suffering befall you on a terrible day." (Verse 21) Worshipping God means faith at heart and a code of living. To discard all this inevitably leads to terrible suffering in this present life, or in the life to come, or in both. When reference is made to a day, as it is made here, it means the Day of Judgement when the suffering is far greater and more terrible.

What response did Had's people give him for his caring instructions and warnings? "They said to him: 'Have you come to turn us away from our gods? Bring, then, upon us that with which you threaten us, if what you say is true."' (Verse 22) Their response betrays mistrust, lack of understanding, rejection of the warning, hastening the punishment he warned them against, arrogance and a persistent adherence to false beliefs.

For his part, Had receives all this with patience, showing the manners that behove a prophet. He makes no personal claims as he outlines his attitude and makes his limits clear to them: "He said: 'Only God knows when it will come. I only convey to you the message I am entrusted with; but I see that you are insolent people.''' (Verse 23) I am giving you this warning as I was commanded to do, but I do not know when such punishment falls, or what form it will take. All this is known to God alone. I am only delivering a message entrusted to me, making no further claim. "But I see that you are insolent people." (Verse 23) What could be more foolish and insolent than to give such a hostile reception to a brother who is only offering sincere and honest advice?

The surah gives no further details of the long argument that took place between Had and his people, moving straight to report on the fate they suffered. 

This is intended here as a reply to their challenge and hastening of punishment: When they saw a cloud approaching their valleys, they said: This cloud will bring us rain.' 'No, indeed. It is the very thing you wanted to hasten: a storm wind bearing painful suffering which will destroy everything by the command of its Lord.' When the morning came, there was nothing to see of them except their ruined dwellings. Thus do We requite guilty people. (Verses 24-25)

Reports suggest that the 'Ad suffered a period of intense heat, coupled with absence of rain. They endured this unbearable climate for some time. Then God  sent them clouds, and they were delighted. They went into the surrounding valleys hoping that rain would quickly ensue. Yet the truth of what the clouds brought signified their ultimate demise: "No, indeed. It is the very thing you wanted to hasten: a storm wind bearing painful suffering which will destroy everything by the command of its Lord." Elsewhere in the Qur'an, this storm wind is described as "furiously raging." (69: 6) Another description of it states that it "spared nothing of what it came upon, but caused it all to become like bones dead and decayed." (51: 42)

The Qur'anic text depicts the wind as if it was alive, aware of what it was doing, fulfilling its orders to destroy everything in its wake: "which will destroy everything by the command of its Lord." This is a universal fact which the Qur'an is wont to impress on people. This universe is alive, and every force in it is aware of what God wants of it, proceeding to fulfil it. Man is one of these forces. When he is a true believer, his heart becomes open to greater knowledge and he becomes able to understand more of the universal forces around him and respond to them. This opens the way to a mutual response that differs from what people generally know of life and understanding. Everything around us has life, but we do not appreciate this because shapes and forms limit our understanding. The universe around us is full of secrets which are appreciated by faculties of understanding, even though they cannot be seen by our eyes.

The storm wind fulfilled the task assigned to it, destroying everything. Thus, "when the morning came, there was nothing to see of them except their ruined dwellings." (Verse 25) No trace of the (Ad was left behind, not even their animals or belongings. Everything disappeared. All that was left were desolate dwellings, empty, lacking all signs of life: "Thus do We requite guilty people." (Verse 25) This rule applies to all guilty people.