Hud (11)

Surah Hud is a Mekkah surah that was revealed in a time of great sorrow for our beloved Prophet (May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Surah Hud followed the deaths of the Prophet's uncle, Abu Talib and his wife, Khadijah (May Allah be pleased with her). This surah served as a comfort to him and a reminder to us of the difficulties faced by our Prophets and the strength they gained after every challenge. It teaches us that life is a continuous test, one mountain after another; we must exercise endurance and patience, for those who never leave the foot of the mountain will never enjoy the splendor of it's summit.

Surah Hud talks about the lives of many of the Prophets, Hud, Salih, Shuayb, Lut, Musa, Ibrahim and Nuh. There is great focus on the story of Prophet Hud (May Allah be pleased with him) who Allah swt sent to the people of Ad. The people of Ad believed that there was no one more powerful then them and they were well known for their superiority over those around them. They carried themselves with arrogance and thought that it was there physical strength that caused them to be self-sufficient. They did not recognize that Allah swt was the one giving them power so He punished them by uprooting their entire civilization. Allah swt shows us in this story that it is not material power or physical power that serve as a criteria for greatness, rather it is sincerity and taqwa that raise our status in the eyes of Allah. As we enjoy the benefits of Ramadan within a community of great blessing and influence, we must always remind ourselves that it is through remembrance of Allah and gratitude towards Him that we will gain His pleasure and reward. This story also served as a reminder to the Meccans that their power and wealth would not protect them from Allah swt. It warned them to turn to Allah in sincerity in order that He blesses them and increase them in their possessions.

Prophet Hud (May Allah be pleased with Him) calls his people to seek forgiveness and to repent to Allah swt for their wrong doings. It reminds us that turning to Allah swt in seeking forgiveness does not make a person weak, rather it strengths the person in every aspects. Surah Hud also reminds us that seeking forgiveness from Allah swt is a means for becoming closer to Him and purifying our souls, but it is also an act of worship itself. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), was the most perfect of creation, yet he was known to have made istighfar over a hundred times each day. This is proof that seeking forgiveness draws you neared to Allah. We should take the example and teachings of these two prophets and ask ourselves what are doing each day to distance ourselves from our mistakes and bring ourselves closer to our Creator.

Furthermore in Surah Hud verse 100 Allah tells us that He mentions these stories in order that we may reflect upon them. He reminds us that we will be held to account on the Day of Judgment regarding how we managed that which Allah blessed us with. Were we generous with our wealth? Did we abuse our power and strength? Did we give to those in need, aware that Allah is the one who provides and replenishes our provisions? Did we spread kindness and justice by way of our positions or status? Were we kind to our spouses, our parents, our children? Allah reminds us that the Day will come when we will wish that we had taken the time to reflect on these matters but on that day, we will not be able to change our deeds. Ramadan is a time of self-evaluation and improvement. We must evaluate how we use each blessing granted to us and how it will speak for us on the day when all of humanity is gathered together to stand before Allah All Mighty.

May Allah swt forgive our sins and bring us nearer to Him.