Day 124 · Surah Hud Verses 89-108

Hud 89–108

The people of Madyan who threatened to kill Prophet Shuaib were finally destroyed by lightning, then the turn of Pharaoh who is described as leading his followers into the Fire.

• Prophet Shuaib invites his people to repent and ask for forgiveness before a punishment like that which befell the previous peoples comes.
• They mock him and only refrain because they respect his family, so he questions why his family is honored more than Allah.
• A very strong lightning finally destroys them, except Prophet Shuaib and his believing followers.
• The leaders of disbelief are said to enter the Fire before their followers.
• Some remnants of the destroyed peoples are intentionally left to remain as a lesson for future generations.

Verses 89-95 still explain the disobedience of Madyan society and the persistence of Prophet Shuaib in trying to save them from deviations in the concept of life that would cause Allah's anger. Based on the experience of previous peoples—the peoples of Nuh, Hud, Saleh and Hud—when disobedience to Allah and His Messenger exceeded all bounds, Allah immediately punished them with terrible punishment. This is what Prophet Shuaib feared for his people. Therefore, he urged his people to repent and ask for Allah's forgiveness for the mistakes and sins they committed. Allah will certainly accept their repentance because Allah is the Most Forgiving and Most Merciful.

What Prophet Shuaib feared actually happened. They mocked Prophet Shuaib and said they did not understand much of what he said. They were truly brutal and terrorized him with threats of murder, if only they did not respect Prophet Shuaib's family. Then Prophet Shuaib explained that their attitude and conduct were very strange and deviant while saying: Why do you honor my family more than Allah and ignore Allah in such a way? Yet Allah knows what you do.

Prophet Shuaib resigned himself to the disobedience of his people. Nevertheless, he continued to hint at Allah's punishment that would come upon them in this world and also the punishment of the Hereafter they would face. At that time it would be known who was humiliated by Allah and who was honored. Then Allah sent a very strong lightning that they died lying dead, with none escaping except Prophet Shuaib and his believing followers.

Verses 96 & 97 explain that Allah sent Musa to Pharaoh with revelation and miracles. The chiefs of Pharaoh remained faithful to him, even though he was astray.

Verses 98-108 continue the previous verse regarding Pharaoh and his faithful followers. On the Day of Resurrection, Pharaoh will lead them into the Fire. Wretched is Pharaoh, the chiefs and his faithful followers! In this world they receive punishment and the curse of Allah, while in the Hereafter they enter the Fire. These verses also explain some systems of life that Allah has established for mankind:

1. The leaders of disbelief will be admitted into the Fire before their followers. They receive punishment in this world and in the Hereafter.
2. Allah has erased some aspects of the history of the peoples whom He punished and destroyed, while other aspects are left to remain as a lesson for the people after them.
3. Allah does not wrong mankind at all; rather it is they who wrong themselves by turning away and rebelling against the system of life that Allah has created for them.
4. When the rebellion and disbelief of a people against Allah and His Messenger exceed all bounds, Allah will deal with them with terrible punishment so that they could be wiped out from the earth. The purpose is so that it becomes a lesson for those who hope for His Paradise.
5. The final abode in the Hereafter is only two: Paradise or the Fire, and its nature is eternal.

Loading the full version…