He emphasized again...

He emphasized again: now that the situation was like that and they were aware of it, too, they should be afraid of Allah and obey him, because obeying him was indeed obeying Allah. The verse says: “Then be in awe of Allah and obey me.” If you think that I seek for wealth and these things are for earning money and rank, you may know that I do not demand you the least recompense for my call.

The verse says: “And I do not ask you any recompense for it, my recompense is only from the Lord of the worlds.” Surah Ash-Shu‘ara - Verses 128-131 أَتَبْنُونَ بِكُلِّ رِيعٍ آيَةً تَعْبَثُونَ وَتَتَّخِذُونَ مَصَانِعَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَخْلُدُونَ وَإِذَا بَطَشْتُم بَطَشْتُمْ جَبَّارِينَ فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُونِ 128. “Do you build a landmark on every height for vain delight?” 129. “And you get strong buildings in the hope of living therein for ever.” 130.

“When you assault, you assault like tyrants!” 131. “Then be in awe of Allah and obey me.” The things which are attractive in the eye of the lovers of the world, are insignificant in viewpoint of the friends of Allah, and they rebuke people concerning them. The criticism of the Qur’an is about the thought of revelry and dwellers of castles and, not the building of castle itself.

Unfortunately, wealth, capital, and high glorious buildings are usually in possession of the deviated people and are used for satisfying lusts and low desires, while industry, invention, art, potentialities and human power must be used along the path of real needs. Concerning the life of Hud and the People of ‘Ad, the Qur’an has referred to four parts of it.

At first, it points to the content of the call of Hud which is monotheism and piety, the subject that was explained through former verses, thea it refers to their faults and their wrong deeds, and reminds them three subjects. In the form of a positive interrogation with a negative sense, the Qur’an addresses them and says: “Do you build a landmark on every height for vain delight?” The Arabic word /ri‘/ originally means ‘a height’.

The Qur’anic word /ta‘baun/ is derived from /‘aba/ which means an action in which no correct aim is pursued, and with regard to the word /’ayah/ which means ‘sign’, it makes clear that this rich tribe, for gaudiness and in order to boast to others, used to build some buildings (like fortress and the like) upon high mountains and heights that had got no correct aim but attracting others’ attention to them and show their own power and authority to other people.

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