The more I persist in conveying your message the more these...

The more I persist in conveying your message the more these people persist in disbelief.” The Almighty revealed to him that He would prevent rain. Hud told his people that the Almighty has assured him that He will destroy the people. This warning of Hud reached every nook and corner of the earth and the wild animals, birds and other creatures heard it too. They all rushed to Hud and pleaded.

“Surely, you don’t intend to destroy as with the disobedient people?” Hud heard their plaintive cry and prayed for them to the Almighty. The Almighty revealed to him that He would not destroy those who have not disobeyed him. ‘Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated that ‘Ad was a tribe of the people of Hud inhabiting a village that stretched from Shugooq to Akhzar. They had four-storeyed cities, a flourishing agriculture, and numerous date palms.

They had long life spans and towering buildings but they were idol worshippers. Hud was sent by Allah to invite them towards Islam and restrain them from idolatry. The people refused to accept this and instead began to torture Hud in various ways. The Almighty prevented rain for seven years causing a terrible famine. Hud himself practiced agriculture and irrigated his fields. One day a group of people came to the door of Hud. The door was opened by a woman, grey-haired and one-eyed.

“Who are you?” She asked them. “We have come from a certain town, and are inflicted with draught. We have come to request Hud to pray for rain.” The old woman told them that if the prayers of Hud were effective for this purpose he himself would have prayed. For his own crops have withered away due to lack of rain. The people asked for the whereabouts of Hud. She told them. The people came to him and said, “O Prophet of Allah! Our towns have dried up. There is no rain.

Please pray to the Almighty to send rain for us and bestow us with excess of bounties.” Hud listened to them and prepared for prayers. After the prayers he told the people to return and that the Almighty will send rain and bounties for them. The people said, “O Messenger of Allah! We have beheld an astonishing sight.” “What?” asked Hud They told him of the old, grey-haired and one-eyed woman at his house who had spoken to them.

Hud said, “She is my wife, and I pray to the Almighty to grant her a long life.” When the people asked him why he prayed thus, he said, “Allah has not created any believer but that he has an enemy too; who continues to torture him. And my enemy is that woman.