Tafsir of Hud 11:50-52

"And to ‘Ad [We sent] their brother..."

{Their brother}: One of their own. Its accusative case (nasb) is due to it being conjoined to [the implied verb] "We sent" in the story of Noah. {Hud} is an explanatory apposition (‘atf bayan).

{Other than Him}: In the nominative case (raf‘), it is an adjective describing the position of the prepositional phrase. It is also read in the genitive case (jarr), as an adjective describing the literal wording.

{You are nothing but fabricators}: You fabricate lies against Allah by taking idols as partners for Him. Every messenger confronted his people with this statement, for the nature of a messenger is to offer sincere advice (nasiha). Sincere advice is neither refined nor purified except by cutting off [all] personal ambitions; as long as any [ambition] is suspected, the advice will neither succeed nor benefit.

{Will you not then use your reason?}: By rejecting the advice of one who seeks no reward for it except from Allah—which is the reward of the Hereafter. Nothing is more effective at dispelling suspicion than that.

It is said: {Seek forgiveness of your Lord}: Believe in Him. {Then repent to Him}: From the worship of others, for repentance is not valid except after faith.

{Al-midrar} (the abundant rain): That which pours forth copiously, like al-mighzar (a camel with abundant milk). He intended to win them over to faith and entice them toward it by [promising] abundant rain and increased strength, because the people were owners of crops, gardens, and buildings, and were extremely eager for them; thus, they were in the greatest need of water. They were also boastful of the strength, might, prowess, and courage they had been given, feeling secure from enemies through it, and were feared in every region.

It is said: He meant strength in wealth. It is also said: Strength in procreation. It is also said: Rain was withheld from them for three years, and the wombs of their women became barren.

It is narrated that al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with them both) visited Mu‘awiyah. When he left, one of the chamberlains followed him and said, "I am a man of wealth, but I have no children. Teach me something, perhaps Allah will provide me with a child." He replied, "You must seek forgiveness (istighfar)." The man began to seek forgiveness frequently, sometimes seven hundred times in a single day, and he was blessed with ten sons. When this reached Mu‘awiyah, he said, "Why did you not ask him from where he derived that?" When the man visited again, he asked him, and al-Hasan replied, "Have you not heard the words of Hud (peace be upon him): {And add strength to your strength}, and the words of Noah (peace be upon him): {And provide you with wealth and children} (Nuh: 12)?"

{And do not turn away}: Do not turn away from me and from that to which I invite you and encourage you.

{As criminals}: Persisting in your crimes and sins.

{They said, "O Hud, you have not brought us any clear evidence, and we are not going to leave our gods just because of what you say, and we are not believers in you."}