Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Ahqaf Verse 21

Mufti Taqi Usmani

And recall the brother of (the nation of) ‘Ād, when he warned his people at the long, curved sand dunes- while many warners have passed before him and after him (with the same message)-saying, “Do not worship anyone except Allah. Surely I fear for you the punishment of a terrible day.”

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

And remember the brother of ’Ȃd, when he warned his people, who inhabited the sand-hills[[ The people of ’Ȃd were the residents of the hills in the southern part of the Arabian Peninsula.]]—there were certainly warners before and after him—˹saying,˺ “Worship none but Allah. I truly fear for you the torment of a tremendous day.”

Ruwwad Translation Center

Remember [Hūd] the brother of ‘Ād, when he warned his people in the [land of] sand dunes – and indeed there came warners before him and after him – [saying], “Worship none but Allah. Indeed, I fear for you the punishment of a horrible day.”

A. J. Arberry

And remember the brother of Ad, when he warned his people beside the sand-dunes -- and already warners had passed away alike before him and behind him -- saying, 'Serve none but God! Truly I fear for you the chastisement of a dreadful day.

Abdul Haleem

Mention [Hud] of the tribe of Ad: he warned his people among the sand dunes- other warners have come and gone both before and after him- ‘ Worship no one but God: I fear for you, that you will be punished on a terrible Day,’

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And remember thou the brother of the Aad when We warned his people in the sandhills - and surely there have passed away warners before him and after him - saying: worship none save Allah, verily I fear for you the torment of a mighty Day.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Mention (Hud) one of 'Ad's (own) brethren; Behold, he warned his people about the winding Sand-tracts; but there have been warners before him and after him; "Worship ye none other than Allah; Truly I fear for you the Penalty of a Mighty Day."

Abul Ala Maududi

Recount to them the story of (Hud), the brother of (the tribe of) 'Ad. Hud warned his people beside the sand-dunes -- and there have been other warners before him and since his time -- saying: “Serve none but Allah. Verily I fear that the chastisement of an awesome day shall come upon you.”

Ahmed Ali

Remember (Hud) the brother of 'Ad. When he warned his people in Ahqaf -- though many a warner had come and gone before and after him: "Do not worship any one but God, for I fear the punishment of an awful day for you,"

Ahmed Raza Khan

And remember the fellowman of the tribe of A’ad; when he warned his nation in the Ahqaf* – and indeed Heralds of warning passed away before and after him – that, “Do not worship anyone except Allah; indeed I fear the punishment of a Great Day upon you. (* A country among sand dunes.)

Ali Quli Qarai

And mention [Hud] the brother of ‘Ad, when he warned his people at Ahqaf—and warners have passed away before and after him—saying, ‘Do not worship anyone but Allah. Indeed I fear for you the punishment of a tremendous day.’

Ali Ünal

Make mention of (Hud) the brother of Ad: he warned his people in al-Ahqaf – as indeed warners came and went before and after him (to warn their peoples) – saying: "Worship none but God alone. I surely fear for you the punishment of an awesome day."

Amatul Rahman Omar

And make mention of the kinsman of `âd (- Hûd, a Messenger of God to them), when he warned his people (living) in wind-curved sand-dunes (in Hadzramût, south of Arabia) to whom Warners had already come before him and after him (saying), `Worship none but Allâh. I, indeed, fear lest the agony of a dreadful day should befall you.´

English Literal

And remember Aad`s brother when He warned/gave notice (to) his nation by the long winding sand (patterns/dunes), and the warnings/notices had past/expired from between his hands and from behind him (the warnings were given before and during his time): "That you not worship except God, that I, I fear on (for) you a great day`s/time`s torture."

Faridul Haque

And remember the fellowman of the tribe of A’ad; when he warned his nation in the Ahqaf * - and indeed Heralds of warning passed away before and after him - that, “Do not worship anyone except Allah; indeed I fear the punishment of a Great Day upon you. (* A country among sand dunes.)

Hamid S. Aziz

And mention the brother of A´ad; when he warned his people in the wind-curved sand-hills - and indeed Warners came before him and after him - saying, "Serve none but Allah; surely I fear for you the punishment of a grievous day."

Hilali & Khan

And remember (Hud) the brother of 'Ad, when he warned his people in Al-Ahqaf (the curved sand-hills in the southern part of Arabian Peninsula). And surely, there have passed away warners before him and after him (saying): "Worship none but Allah; truly, I fear for you the torment of a mighty Day."

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And on the day when those who disbelieve are brought before the Fire: You did away with your good things in your life of the world and you enjoyed them; so this day you are rewarded with the chastisement of abasement because you were unjustly proud in the land and because you transgressed.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And mention the brother of Ad; when he warned his people in the sandy plains,-- and indeed warners came before him and after him-- saying Serve none but Allah; surely I fear for you the punishment of a grievous day.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And make mention (O Muhammad) of the brother of A'ad when he warned his folk among the wind-curved sandhills - and verily warners came and went before and after him - saying: Serve none but Allah. Lo! I fear for you the doom of a tremendous Day.

Muhammad Sarwar

(Muhammad), recall the brother of the people of Ad, when he warned his people in the valley of al-ahqaf saying, "There existed many warners before and after him. Do not worship anything other than God. I am afraid for you about the torment of the great Day".

Qaribullah & Darwish

Remember Aad's brother who warned his nation in (the valley of) Al Ahqaf. Warners had already preceded and succeeded him saying: 'Worship noneexcept Allah! (he said) 'Indeed, I fear for you the punishment of a Dreadful Day'

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And remember the brother of `Ad, when he warned his people in Al-Ahqaf. And surely, warners had already passed on before him and after him (saying): "Worship none but Allah; truly, I fear for you the torment of a mighty Day."

Wahiduddin Khan

Tell of the brother of 'Ad; when he warned his people in the sand dunes -- and indeed warners came and went before him and after him -- saying, "Worship none but God; surely I fear for you the punishment of an awful Day,"

Talal Itani

And mention the brother of Aad, as he warned his people at the dunes. Warnings have passed away before him, and after him: “Worship none but God; I fear for you the punishment of a tremendous Day.”

Tafsir jalalayn

And mention the brother of `d, namely, Hd, peace be upon him, when (idh ... [from here] to the end [of the verse] constitutes an inclusive substitution) he warned his people, he threatened them, at Ahqf, [`the Sand dunes' is the name of] a valley in Yemen, where their dwellings were located -- and already warners, messengers, had passed away before him and after him, that is to say, before Hd [came to them] and after him, to their peoples -- saying, `Do not worship anyone but God (the statement [beginning with] wa-qad khalat, `and already [warners] had passed away', is a parenthetical one). Truly I fear for you -- should you worship other than God -- the chastisement of a dreadful day'.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

The Story of `Ad

Allah says, consoling His Prophet in regard to the rejection of those who opposed him among his people,

وَاذْكُرْ أَخَا عَادٍ

And remember the brother of `Ad,

This refers to Hud, peace be upon in him.

إِذْ أَنذَرَ قَوْمَهُ بِالاَْحْقَافِ

when he warned his people in Al-Ahqaf.

Allah sent him to the first people of `Ad who inhabited Al-Ahqaf.
Ahqaf is plural of Haqf. According to Ibn Zayd, it means a sand dune; and according to Ikrimah, it means a mountain or a cave.

Qatadah said;

"We were informed that `Ad was a tribe in Yemen. They dwelt among sand (hills), and overlooked the sea in a land called Ash-Shihr."

Under the chapter, "He Who supplicates should first mention Himself," Ibn Majah recorded that Ibn Abbas narrated that the Prophet said;

يَرْحَمُنَا اللهُ وَأَخَا عَاد

May Allah have mercy on us and the Brother of `Ad.

Allah then says,

وَقَدْ خَلَتْ النُّذُرُ مِن بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِ

And surely, warners had already passed on before him and after him.

meaning, Allah had sent Messengers and warners to the towns surrounding the land of `Ad.

This is similar to Allah's saying,

فَجَعَلْنَـهَا نَكَـلً لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهَا وَمَا خَلْفَهَا

And We made it a deterrent punishment for those who were present and those who succeeded them. (2;66)

And it is also similar to Allah's saying,

فَإِنْ أَعْرَضُواْ فَقُلْ أَنذَرْتُكُمْ صَـعِقَةً مِّثْلَ صَـعِقَةِ عَادٍ وَثَمُودَ إِذْ جَأءَتْهُمُ الرُّسُلُ مِن بَيْنِ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ أَلاَّ تَعْبُدُواْ إِلاَّ اللَّهَ

But if they turn away, then say;"I have warned you of a thunderbolt like the thunderbolt that struck `Ad and Thamud. (That occurred) when the Messengers had come to them from before them and after them (saying);"Worship none but Allah." (41;13-14)

أَلاَّ تَعْبُدُوا إِلاَّ اللَّهَ

"Worship none but Allah;

Allah then says,

إِنِّي أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ




truly, I fear for you the torment of a mighty Day.

meaning, Hud said this to them (his people), and they responded to him saying