The story of prophet HOD.PART(5)

Hours passed. Fearful, black clouds appeared in the horizon. They moved gradually. Then they covered whole the sky of-Ahqāf.

The people of ،Ād rejoiced at the clouds. They said: “Our gods have responded to our prayer. They’ve sent us clouds full of rain, thus valleys and gardens will be full of grass.”

When prophet HUD saw the signs of punishment, he said: “Nay! it is what you sought to hasten on, a blast of wind in which there is painful punishment.”

Prophet HUD and the believers sought protection in the mountain. The punishment was close at hand. The pagans were gazing at the black clouds waiting for rain. However, there was no rain.

A cold wind blew. Then a destructive storm started. Lightning flashed in the sky. Thunder boomed in the sky. Thunderbolts stroke the pagans.

The pagans were shaking with fear, so they went running to their houses. They had no hope in the clouds.

They did not listen to the words of prophet HUD. They only looked at their idols. They thought that their idols would do well for them.

The storm of heavenly wrath began. The wind was strong, cold and dry.

The wind did not carry clouds nor did it carry rain, rather it carried cold and thick sand.

The fearful hours passed. Yet the storm went on blowing. The waves of sands were moving to the valley.

The people of ،Ād were proud of their strength. They thought that they would overcome the drought, dryness and the storm.

They thought that the storm would abate at night or in the morning of the next day.

The destructive wind began blowing on Wednesday. It went on blowing for seven nights and eight days.

The wind abated on Wednesday. It had filled the fertile valley with sand.

The wind buried the wonderful city of Iram under the sands. It had destroyed its houses and their strong marble pillars. It had also knocked down the people who disbelieved in the message of prophet HUD (A. S.) Those people fell on the sand. They were tall, so they looked like dry date-palms.

The idols fell on their faces and broke into pieces. The temples became ruins. The curse befell them. They were tyrannical people whose hearts were void of mercy. Their life was full of play. They built their palaces for playing.

They made no use of their palaces. They disbelieved in Allah and persecuted the believers.

For this reason, Allah destroyed the people of ،Ād. He saved prophet HUD and the believers among them. He wanted people to return to their nature and lead a life full of good, fertility growth.

END

By Kamāl al-Sayyid
Translated by jāsim al-Rasheed