Hud (prophet)
Encyclopedia
Hud is the name of a prophet
of ancient Arabia, who is mentioned in the Qur'an
. The eleventh chapter
of the Qur'an, Hud
, is named after him, though the narrative of Hud comprises only a small portion of the chapter.
and western Oman
. In the 1980s there was the discovery of what is thought to be Ubar, mentioned in the Qur'an as Iram
, which is believed to have been the capital of ʿĀd. The town's ancestor, ʿĀd, is said to have been fourth in generation from Noah, his father being Uz
, who was the son of Aram
, who was the son of Shem
, who was the son of Noah.
Although Hud, at times, is identified with Eber
of the Old Testament
, his true Biblical
identity remains uncertain. Hud is believed to have lived in Arabia
before even the coming of Ishmael
and Hagar
. It is said that, at this time in Arabia
, the tribes present were ʿĀd, Thamud
, Jurhum
, Tasam, Jadis, Amim, Midian
, Amalek
Imlaq, Jasim, Qahtan
, Banu Yaqtan and others.
The people of ʿĀd were extremely powerful and wealthy and they built countless buildings and monuments to show their power. However, the ʿĀd people's wealth ultimately proved to be their failure, as they became arrogant and forsook God
and began to adopt idols
for worship, including three idols
named Samd, Samud and Hara. Hud, even in childhood, remained consistent in prayer to God
. It is related through exegesis that Hud's mother, a pious woman who had seen great visions at her son's birth, was the only person who encouraged Hud in his worship. Thus, the Lord
raised up Hud as a prophet
for the ʿĀd people.
When Hud started preaching and invited them to the worship of only the true God
and when he told them to repent for their past sins and ask for mercy and forgiveness, the ʿĀd people began to revile him and wickedly began to mock God's message. Hud's story epitomizes the prophetic cycle common to the early prophets mentioned in the Qur'an: the prophet is sent to his people to tell them to worship God only and tells them to acknowledge that it is God who is the provider of their blessings The Qur'an
states:
Hud preached to the people of ʿĀd for a long time. The majority of them, however, refused to pay any notice to his teachings and they kept ignoring and mocking all he said. As their aggression, arrogance and idolatry deepened, God, after plenty of warning, sent a thunderous storm to finish the wicked people of ʿĀd once and for all. The destruction of the ʿĀd is described in the Qur'an:
and Christianity
do not venerate Hud as a prophet
and as a figure he is absent from the Hebrew Bible
. However, there are several pre-Qur'anic references to individuals named Hud or possessing a name which is connected to Hud as well as references to the people of ʿĀd. The name has been linked to several Biblical names. Ammi-Hud is the name of several figures in the Bible
. Abi-Hud is the name given for a grandson of Benjamin
in 1 Chronicles. The name Hud also appears various ancient inscriptions, most commonly in the Hadhramaut
. A Palmyrene inscription, dated to 267-272 C.E., mentions a place or people called "Iyad" and Ptolemy
refers to the "Adites". The Book of Genesis also refers to the city of "Admah" as one of the cities of the plain
associated with Sodom and Gomorrah
. An Assyrian
inscription of Sargon II
, dated to 710 B.C.E., mentions the Arab
tribe
of "Ibb-Ad" and Sargon's conquest of "Adu-mu" in Arabia.
, around 90 miles north of Al Mukalla
and is a place of frequent Muslim pilgrimage
. R.B. Serjeant (Hud, 129) verified on the spots the facts related by Harawi
(Ziyarat, 97/220-1), who described, at the gate of the mosque
, on the west side, the rock onto which Hud climbed to make the call to prayer and mentioned, at the bottom of the ravine, the grotto of Balhut. Around the tomb and neighborhood, various ancient ruins and inscriptions have been found. However, as is often the case with the graves of prophets, other locations have been listed. It is said, for instance, that a possible location for his grave is said to be near the Zamzam Well
or in the south wall of the mosque in Damascus
. Some scholars have added that the mosque in Damascus
has an inscription stating: "This is the tomb of Hud..."; others, however, suggest that this belief is a local tradition spewing from the reverence the locals have for Hud.
Prophets of Islam
Muslims identify the Prophets of Islam as those humans chosen by God and given revelation to deliver to mankind. Muslims believe that every prophet was given a belief to worship God and their respective followers believed it as well...
of ancient Arabia, who is mentioned in the Qur'an
Qur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
. The eleventh chapter
Sura
A sura is a division of the Qur'an, often referred to as a chapter. The term chapter is sometimes avoided, as the suras are of unequal length; the shortest sura has only three ayat while the longest contains 286 ayat...
of the Qur'an, Hud
Hud (sura)
Sura Hud is the 11th chapter of the Qur'an with 123 verses. It is a Makkan sura.-Contents and themes:...
, is named after him, though the narrative of Hud comprises only a small portion of the chapter.
Historical context
The Qur'an states that in Arabia lived the people of ʿĀd, now eastern YemenYemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
and western Oman
Oman
Oman , officially called the Sultanate of Oman , is an Arab state in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the...
. In the 1980s there was the discovery of what is thought to be Ubar, mentioned in the Qur'an as Iram
Iram of the Pillars
Iram of the Pillars , also called Aram, Iram, Irum, Irem, Erum, Wabar, Ubar, or the City of a Thousand Pillars, is a lost city on the Arabian Peninsula.-Introduction:Ubar, a name of a region or a name of a people, was mentioned in ancient records, and was spoken of in folk...
, which is believed to have been the capital of ʿĀd. The town's ancestor, ʿĀd, is said to have been fourth in generation from Noah, his father being Uz
Uz (son of Aram)
According to the Table of nations of Genesis 10 in the Hebrew Bible, Uz is one of the sons of Aram, son of Shem. This makes him the great-grandson of Noah....
, who was the son of Aram
Aram, son of Shem
Aram is a son of Shem, according to the Table of Nations in Genesis 10 of the Hebrew Bible, and the father of Uz, Hul, Gether and Mash. The Book of Chronicles confirms Aram as one of Shem's sons, confirming Uz, Hul, Gether and Mash, as also on the list of Shem's descendants. Aram son of Shem is ...
, who was the son of Shem
Shem
Shem was one of the sons of Noah in the Hebrew Bible as well as in Islamic literature. He is most popularly regarded as the eldest son, though some traditions regard him as the second son. Genesis 10:21 refers to relative ages of Shem and his brother Japheth, but with sufficient ambiguity in each...
, who was the son of Noah.
Although Hud, at times, is identified with Eber
Eber
Eber is an ancestor of the Israelites, according to the "Table of Nations" in and . He was a great-grandson of Noah's son Shem and the father of Peleg born when Eber was 34 years old, and of Joktan. He was the son of Shelah a distant ancestor of Abraham...
of the Old Testament
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
, his true Biblical
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
identity remains uncertain. Hud is believed to have lived in Arabia
Arabian Peninsula
The Arabian Peninsula is a land mass situated north-east of Africa. Also known as Arabia or the Arabian subcontinent, it is the world's largest peninsula and covers 3,237,500 km2...
before even the coming of Ishmael
Ishmael
Ishmael is a figure in the Hebrew Bible and the Qur'an, and was Abraham's first born child according to Jews, Christians and Muslims. Ishmael was born of Abraham's marriage to Sarah's handmaiden Hagar...
and Hagar
Hagar (Bible)
Hagar , according to the Abrahamic faiths, was the second wife of Abraham, and the mother of his first son, Ishmael. Her story is recorded in the Book of Genesis, mentioned in Hadith, and alluded to in the Qur'an...
. It is said that, at this time in Arabia
Pre-Islamic Arabia
Pre-Islamic Arabia refers to the Arabic civilization which existed in the Arabian Plate before the rise of Islam in the 630s. The study of Pre-Islamic Arabia is important to Islamic studies as it provides the context for the development of Islam.-Studies:...
, the tribes present were ʿĀd, Thamud
Thamud
The Thamūd were a people of ancient Arabia who were known from the 1st millennium BC to near the time of Muhammad. Although they are thought to have originated in southern Arabia, Arabic tradition has them moving north to settle on the slopes of Mount Athlab near Mada'in Saleh...
, Jurhum
Jurhum
Jurhum was a Qahtani tribe in the Arabian peninsula. An old Arab tribe, their historical abode was Yemen before they emigrated to Mecca....
, Tasam, Jadis, Amim, Midian
Midian
Midian , Madyan , or Madiam is a geographical place and a people mentioned in the Bible and in the Qur'an. It is believed to be in northwest Saudi Arabia on the east shore of the Gulf of Aqaba and the northern Red Sea...
, Amalek
Amalek
The Amalekites are a people mentioned a number of times in the Hebrew Bible. They are considered to be descended from an ancestor Amalek....
Imlaq, Jasim, Qahtan
Qahtanite
The terms Qahtanite and Qahtani refer to Semitic peoples either originating in, or claiming genealogical descent from the southern extent of the Arabian Peninsula, especially from Yemen....
, Banu Yaqtan and others.
Narrative
This is a brief summary of Hud's narrative, with emphasis on two particular verses:The people of ʿĀd were extremely powerful and wealthy and they built countless buildings and monuments to show their power. However, the ʿĀd people's wealth ultimately proved to be their failure, as they became arrogant and forsook God
God in Islam
In Islamic theology, God is the all-powerful and all-knowing creator, sustainer, ordainer, and judge of the universe. Islam puts a heavy emphasis on the conceptualization of God as strictly singular . God is unique and inherently One , all-merciful and omnipotent. According to the Islamic...
and began to adopt idols
Cult image
In the practice of religion, a cult image is a human-made object that is venerated for the deity, spirit or daemon that it embodies or represents...
for worship, including three idols
Polytheism
Polytheism is the belief of multiple deities also usually assembled into a pantheon of gods and goddesses, along with their own mythologies and rituals....
named Samd, Samud and Hara. Hud, even in childhood, remained consistent in prayer to God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
. It is related through exegesis that Hud's mother, a pious woman who had seen great visions at her son's birth, was the only person who encouraged Hud in his worship. Thus, the Lord
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
raised up Hud as a prophet
Prophet
In religion, a prophet, from the Greek word προφήτης profitis meaning "foreteller", is an individual who is claimed to have been contacted by the supernatural or the divine, and serves as an intermediary with humanity, delivering this newfound knowledge from the supernatural entity to other people...
for the ʿĀd people.
When Hud started preaching and invited them to the worship of only the true God
Monotheism
Monotheism is the belief in the existence of one and only one god. Monotheism is characteristic of the Baha'i Faith, Christianity, Druzism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Samaritanism, Sikhism and Zoroastrianism.While they profess the existence of only one deity, monotheistic religions may still...
and when he told them to repent for their past sins and ask for mercy and forgiveness, the ʿĀd people began to revile him and wickedly began to mock God's message. Hud's story epitomizes the prophetic cycle common to the early prophets mentioned in the Qur'an: the prophet is sent to his people to tell them to worship God only and tells them to acknowledge that it is God who is the provider of their blessings The Qur'an
Qur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
states:
Hud preached to the people of ʿĀd for a long time. The majority of them, however, refused to pay any notice to his teachings and they kept ignoring and mocking all he said. As their aggression, arrogance and idolatry deepened, God, after plenty of warning, sent a thunderous storm to finish the wicked people of ʿĀd once and for all. The destruction of the ʿĀd is described in the Qur'an:
Hud outside Islam
JudaismJudaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
and Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
do not venerate Hud as a prophet
Prophet
In religion, a prophet, from the Greek word προφήτης profitis meaning "foreteller", is an individual who is claimed to have been contacted by the supernatural or the divine, and serves as an intermediary with humanity, delivering this newfound knowledge from the supernatural entity to other people...
and as a figure he is absent from the Hebrew Bible
Hebrew Bible
The Hebrew Bible is a term used by biblical scholars outside of Judaism to refer to the Tanakh , a canonical collection of Jewish texts, and the common textual antecedent of the several canonical editions of the Christian Old Testament...
. However, there are several pre-Qur'anic references to individuals named Hud or possessing a name which is connected to Hud as well as references to the people of ʿĀd. The name has been linked to several Biblical names. Ammi-Hud is the name of several figures in the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
. Abi-Hud is the name given for a grandson of Benjamin
Benjamin
Benjamin was the last-born of Jacob's twelve sons, and the second and last son of Rachel in Jewish, Christian and Islamic tradition. He was the founder of the Israelite Tribe of Benjamin. In the Biblical account, unlike Rachel's first son, Joseph, Benjamin was born in Canaan. He died in Egypt on...
in 1 Chronicles. The name Hud also appears various ancient inscriptions, most commonly in the Hadhramaut
Hadhramaut
Hadhramaut, Hadhramout, Hadramawt or Ḥaḍramūt is the formerly independent Qu'aiti state and sultanate encompassing a historical region of the south Arabian Peninsula along the Gulf of Aden in the Arabian Sea, extending eastwards from Yemen to the borders of the Dhofar region of Oman...
. A Palmyrene inscription, dated to 267-272 C.E., mentions a place or people called "Iyad" and Ptolemy
Ptolemy
Claudius Ptolemy , was a Roman citizen of Egypt who wrote in Greek. He was a mathematician, astronomer, geographer, astrologer, and poet of a single epigram in the Greek Anthology. He lived in Egypt under Roman rule, and is believed to have been born in the town of Ptolemais Hermiou in the...
refers to the "Adites". The Book of Genesis also refers to the city of "Admah" as one of the cities of the plain
Cities of the Plain
Cities of the Plain is the final volume of American novelist Cormac McCarthy's "Border Trilogy", published in 1998. A film adaptation to be directed by Andrew Dominik has been announced for release in 2012...
associated with Sodom and Gomorrah
Sodom and Gomorrah
Sodom and Gomorrah were cities mentioned in the Book of Genesis and later expounded upon throughout the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament and Deuterocanonical sources....
. An Assyrian
Assyria
Assyria was a Semitic Akkadian kingdom, extant as a nation state from the mid–23rd century BC to 608 BC centred on the Upper Tigris river, in northern Mesopotamia , that came to rule regional empires a number of times through history. It was named for its original capital, the ancient city of Assur...
inscription of Sargon II
Sargon II
Sargon II was an Assyrian king. Sargon II became co-regent with Shalmaneser V in 722 BC, and became the sole ruler of the kingdom of Assyria in 722 BC after the death of Shalmaneser V. It is not clear whether he was the son of Tiglath-Pileser III or a usurper unrelated to the royal family...
, dated to 710 B.C.E., mentions the Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
tribe
Tribe
A tribe, viewed historically or developmentally, consists of a social group existing before the development of, or outside of, states.Many anthropologists use the term tribal society to refer to societies organized largely on the basis of kinship, especially corporate descent groups .Some theorists...
of "Ibb-Ad" and Sargon's conquest of "Adu-mu" in Arabia.
Burial place
Several sites are revered as the tomb of Hud. The most noted site, Kabr Nabi Hud, is located in the deserted village of the HadhramautHadhramaut
Hadhramaut, Hadhramout, Hadramawt or Ḥaḍramūt is the formerly independent Qu'aiti state and sultanate encompassing a historical region of the south Arabian Peninsula along the Gulf of Aden in the Arabian Sea, extending eastwards from Yemen to the borders of the Dhofar region of Oman...
, around 90 miles north of Al Mukalla
Al Mukalla
Al Mukalla is a main sea port and the capital city of the Hadramaut coastal region in Yemen in the southern part of Arabia on the Gulf of Aden close to the Arabian Sea...
and is a place of frequent Muslim pilgrimage
Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
. R.B. Serjeant (Hud, 129) verified on the spots the facts related by Harawi
Harawi
Harawi is a song cycle for soprano and piano, written by Olivier Messiaen in 1945.Harawi is the first part of Messiaen's 'Tristan Trilogy', preceding the Turangalîla Symphony and the Cinq Rechants...
(Ziyarat, 97/220-1), who described, at the gate of the mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
, on the west side, the rock onto which Hud climbed to make the call to prayer and mentioned, at the bottom of the ravine, the grotto of Balhut. Around the tomb and neighborhood, various ancient ruins and inscriptions have been found. However, as is often the case with the graves of prophets, other locations have been listed. It is said, for instance, that a possible location for his grave is said to be near the Zamzam Well
Zamzam Well
The Well of Zamzam is a well located within the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, east of the Kaaba, the holiest place in Islam...
or in the south wall of the mosque in Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
. Some scholars have added that the mosque in Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
has an inscription stating: "This is the tomb of Hud..."; others, however, suggest that this belief is a local tradition spewing from the reverence the locals have for Hud.
See also
- Biblical narratives and the Qur'an
- Legends and the Qur'an
- Prophets of IslamProphets of IslamMuslims identify the Prophets of Islam as those humans chosen by God and given revelation to deliver to mankind. Muslims believe that every prophet was given a belief to worship God and their respective followers believed it as well...
- Stories of The ProphetsStories of The ProphetsStories of The Prophets or Qasas al-anbiya is a famous work of Islamic literature, written by the Muslim scholar Ibn Kathir. In the book, Kathir has compiled all accounts of information regarding various prophets and messengers through Islamic history...
Further reading
- Qur'anic Tafsir on chapters VII, XI, XXVI (cf. index: Hud)
- Ibn Kutayba, Ma'arif, ed. Uka'sha, 28, 56
- Tabari, History of the Prophets and Kings, I, 231
- Thalabi, Tales of the Prophets, 1290, ed. 63ff.
- Hamdani, Iklil, i, 37ff.
- Ibn Kathir, Stories of the Prophets, Story of Hud
- R.B. Sergeant, Hud and other pre-Islamic prophets of Hadramawt, Le Museon, xlvii, 1954