| Hud: (53 - 56) They said, "O Hud..."

Know that when the Almighty recounted what Hud (peace be upon him) said to his people, He also recounted what the people said to him, which consists of several points:

1. First: Their saying: {ما جئتنا ببينة} (You have not brought us a clear proof). Al-Bayyinah (clear proof) is so named because it distinguishes truth from falsehood. It is known that he (peace be upon him) had indeed shown miracles, but due to their ignorance, the people denied them and claimed he brought no miracles.

2. Second: Their saying: {وما نحن بتاركىءالهتنا عن قولك} (And we are not going to abandon our gods because of your saying). This statement is also weak, because they acknowledged that Allah Almighty is the one who benefits and harms, and that the idols neither benefit nor harm. When this is the case, it is evident to the basic intellect that worshipping them is not permissible. Their abandonment of their gods would not be merely due to his word, but rather due to the judgment of rational thought and the instinct of the soul.

3. Third: Their saying: {وما نحن لك بمؤمنين} (And we will not believe you). This indicates obstinacy, blind following (taqlid), and denial.

4. Fourth: Their saying: {إن نقول إلا اعتراك بعض ءالهتنا بسوء} (We only say that some of our gods have afflicted you with evil). It is said, ‘itaraahu kadha’ (such-and-such afflicted him) meaning it overwhelmed him or struck him. The meaning is: You insulted our gods, so we deem you mad and that you have lost your mind.

Following this, the Almighty mentioned that when they said this, Hud (peace be upon him) replied: {إنى أشهد الله واشهدوا أنى برىء مما تشركون * من دونه} (I call Allah to witness, and you be witnesses, that I am innocent of what you associate [with Him] apart from Him). This is clear.

Then he said: {فكيدونى جميعا ثم لا تنظرون} (So plot against me all together, then do not delay me). This is similar to what Noah (peace be upon him) said to his people: {فأجمعوا أمركم وشركاءكم} (So resolve upon your plan and your partners...) up to {ولا تنظرون} (and do not delay me) (Jonah: 71).

Know that this is an overwhelming miracle. For a single man to approach a great assembly of people and tell them: "Exert your utmost in your enmity towards me and in the means of harming me, and do not postpone it," he would only say this if he was confident from Allah Almighty that He would protect him and guard him from the malice of his enemies.

Then he said: {ما من دابة إلا هو ءاخذ بناصيتها} (There is no creature whose forelock He does not hold). Al-Azhari said: The nasiyah (forelock) among the Arabs is the place where the hair grows on the front of the head, and the hair growing there is called nasiyah after its place of growth.

Know that when Arabs describe a person as humiliated and submissive, they say: "The forelock of so-and-so is in the hand of so-and-so," meaning he is obedient to him, because whoever has his forelock seized has been overpowered. When they captured a prisoner and wished to release him and show him favor, they would clip his forelock to serve as a sign of his subjugation. Thus, they were addressed in the Qur'an with what they understood. His statement: {ما من دابة إلا هو ءاخذ بناصيتها} means: There is no animal except that it is under His overpowering control and might, submitting to His decree and destiny.

Then he said: {إن ربى على صراط مستقيم} (Indeed, my Lord is on a straight path). This has several interpretations:

1. The First: Since He said: {ما من دابة إلا هو ءاخذ بناصيتها} (He holds the forelock of every creature), this implies a high power and great dominion. He followed it up with: {إن ربى على صراط مستقيم} (Indeed, my Lord is on a straight path). Meaning, although He is powerful over them, He does not wrong them, nor does He do anything to them except what is right, just, and correct. The Mu'tazila said that His statement: {ما من دابة إلا هو ءاخذ بناصيتها} indicates Tawhid (Oneness of God), and His statement: {إن ربى على صراط مستقيم} indicates ‘Adl (Justice). Thus, the religion is perfected only through Tawhid and ‘Adl.

2. The Second: Since He mentioned that His sovereignty encompasses all creation, He followed it up with: {إن ربى على صراط مستقيم} (Indeed, my Lord is on a straight path). Meaning, nothing hidden is concealed from Him, nor does any fugitive escape Him. He mentioned the Straight Path, meaning the path upon which no one can tread except upon it, just as He said: {إن ربك لبالمرصاد} (Indeed, your Lord is an Observer) (Al-Fajr: 14).

3. The Third: That {إن ربى} (Indeed, my Lord) indicates the Straight Path, meaning He urges or compels you by calling you to it.

{فإن تولوا فقد أبلغتكم مآ أرسلت به إليكم ويستخلف ربى قوما غيركم ولا تضرونه شيئا إن ربى على كل شىء حفيظ}

(But if you turn away, then I have conveyed to you that for which I was sent to you. And my Lord will replace you with another people, and you will not harm Him at all. Indeed, my Lord is over all things a Guardian.)