Hūd
This chapter, as is evident from its opening, ending, and the context in which its verses flow, clarifies the purpose of the Qurʾan’s numerous and varied verses, expounds the essence of their aims, and summarizes their contents.
It begins by recalling that it encompasses various religious teachings, such as the foundations of divine knowledge, noble human morals, and legal ordinances pertaining to the generalities of worship, transactions, and governance. Then it describes the breadth of the creation, such as the Throne, the Footstool, the Tablet, the Pen, the heavens, the earth, the angels, the jinn, the devils, plants, animals, and humans. It describes the beginning of creation and what will become of it, namely how it will be annihilated and return to God Almighty. This, of course, will be the Day of Resurrection, preceded by the world of the grave, which is also known as the Isthmus (Barzakh), then being brought before the Lord of the Worlds, the gathering, the questioning, the reckoning, the weighing, the testimony of witnesses, then the final judgment, then Paradise or Hell with their varying degrees and levels.
Next, the chapter expounds the connection between the creation of man, his deeds, and his consequent happiness or misery, bliss or wrath, and rank in heaven or depth in hell, and all of this is related to the divine promise and threat, warning and glad tidings, exhortation, good argument, and wisdom.
So, the Qur’anic verses, while containing details of these divine teachings and religious truths, are founded on a single fundamental reality, which is the root from which all of them step. This is the foundation on which the edifice of religion is built. And this single truth is nothing other than the oneness of God, the monotheism of Islam, by believing that He, the Exalted, is the Lord of everything, with no other lord or lords besides Him, and submitting to Him from every angle, fulfilling the dues of His lordship, and having no fear in one’s heart or submission in action except for Him, the Almighty.
This is the foundation upon which all the contents of Qurʾanic ideas ultimately rest, whether doctrines or laws. No matter how complex or detailed, this single truth undergirds all of them.
The chapter illustrates this in a general way through the four verses with which it begins, before going into more detail. This detail is achieved through delivering warnings and giving good tidings, mentioning God’s practice in dealing with His servants, recounting the stories of past nations, and the stories of the peoples of Noah, Hūd, Ṣāliḥ, Lot, Jethro, and Moses. It mentions the arrogance of their peoples in rejecting the divine call, spreading corruption on earth, and overstepping the bounds in their affairs. It describes what God has promised to those who believe and do good deeds, and what He has threatened to do to those who disbelieve and deny His signs. In the course of this discussion, the Qurʾan clarifies the doctrines of monotheism, prophethood, and the Resurrection.
From the above, it becomes apparent why some scholars have said that this chapter has the same overarching concerns as the previous one, Sūrah Yūnus. Namely, the fundamentals of the beliefs of Islam in monotheism, prophethood, Resurrection, recompense, and doing righteous deeds, with the difference that it goes into detail what was only alluded to in Sūrah Yūnus about the stories of these messengers.
However, it is evident that these two chapters are, in fact, driven by two different objectives, neither of which refers back to the other. Sūrah Yūnus expounds God’s practice of judging between His messengers and the nations who denied them, then it warns the Prophet’s nation about the punishments that had befallen those before them. On the other hand, the present chapter illustrates that Qurʾanic knowledge, when analyzed, all devolves from pure monotheism. Similarly, monotheism, when fully elaborated, provides us with the fundamental doctrines and practices of Islam.
The present chapter, as attested to by its verses, their contents, and the clear connection between them, is of Meccan provenance, and it was revealed in a single go. Some have reported that the exception was the verse, lest you should disregard aught of what has been revealed to you (), which they say is Medinan.
Others have also singled out the verse, Is he who stands on a manifest proof from its Lord … (), while others still suggest, Maintain the prayer at the two ends of the day, and during the early hours of the night … () as an exception. However, there is no textual evidence to support these claims, and the apparent continuity of the chapter indicates that it is entirely Meccan, from start to finish.
This is the ʿAllāmah's introduction to the sūrah, from the opening of the commentary.