Overall meaning : Allah, Exalted be He, recounts part of the story of Hud, peace be upon him, with his people. He says: The tribe of ‘Aad denied all of Allah’s messengers—because their denial of Hud was tantamount to their denial of all the messengers—when their brother Hud said to them, ‘Will you not fear Allah’s punishment, obey His commands, worship Him alone and abandon the worship of idols? I am a messenger from Allah to you, faithful to the message with which He has entrusted to me to convey it to you exactly as it is. Fear Allah’s punishment, then, and obey me. I do not ask you for any reward in return for my advice to you. My reward rests with none but the Lord of all the worlds. Why do you build a tall landmark on every height out of pride and in a vain endeavour, and construct for yourselves mighty fortresses and palaces as though you will live for ever, and when you exercise your power, you exercise it ruthlessly and act like oppressive tyrants towards people? Fear, therefore, Allah’s wrath and His punishment and obey me. Fear Allah who has bestowed on you all the favours you know. He has given you grazing livestock and children, and gardens and springs. I truly fear for you the torment of a day that is full of great terrors.’
His people said to him, ‘It makes no difference to us whether or not you preach to us. This religion of ours is the very practice of our forefathers, in whose footsteps we follow, and we are not going to be punished in this world or in the hereafter.’
Allah Almighty then points out their persistent denial and the terrible fate they suffered as a result: These idolaters rejected their messenger, and thus We utterly destroyed them. Surely in Our destruction of the people of Hud there was a great lesson, yet most of Hud’s people would not believe. And surely your Lord, Muhammad, is the Almighty who vanquishes and severely punishes His enemies, and the All-Compassionate towards His servants, who does not hasten their punishment once they commit a sin.