Overall meaning : If the idolaters among your people, Muhammad, turn away from the truth to which you call them, say to them, ‘I warn you of a severe punishment that will utterly destroy you, like that which struck ‘Aad and Thamud.’
Allah’s messengers came to them from all directions and made every effort to convey to them His message, saying, ‘Worship none but Allah without ascribing any partners to Him.’ They replied, ‘If our Lord had willed us to worship Him alone, He would have sent down to us from the havens angels commanding us to do so. We reject the message commanding us to worship Him alone with which He has sent you!’
As for ‘Aad, the people of Hud, they acted arrogantly in the land and unjustly oppressed those around them. ‘Who has greater strength than us?’ they boastfully said. Did they not see that Allah, who created them from nothing, is far mightier than them?! They persisted in denying Our clear signs, and so We let loose on them a freezing, piercing gale that lasted several disastrous days, bringing them great misfortune, to make them taste a humiliating punishment in this life; but more humiliating still will be the punishment of the life to come, and they will have none to save them from it!
And as for Thamud, the people of Salih, We showed them the path of truth and right guidance, but they wilfully preferred unbelief over faith and misguidance over guidance. Therefore, the terrible blast of a disgracing punishment seized them on account of the evil deeds to which they were given, and We delivered Salih and the believers with him who feared their Lord and obeyed His commands.