Don’t be arrogant about your blessings from Allah
Surat Al-A’raf recounts the stories of five prophets: Nuh, Hud, Salih, Lut, and Shuayb (peace be upon them all). As a Makkan surah, it offers consolation to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), reassuring him that he was not alone in facing rejection, hostility and ridicule. Every prophet before him endured similar opposition from their people.
Notably, Hud, Salih, and Shuayb were Arab prophets, and their nations—Aad, Thamud, and Madyan—were located within the Arabian Peninsula. This made their stories particularly relevant and close to home for the people of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
A striking pattern emerges in these accounts: the downfall of each of these nations was rooted in kibr (arrogance). The surah begins with the story of Iblis, whose arrogance led to his downfall, and this same trait is mirrored in the defiance of the people mentioned throughout the surah.
Prophet Nuh (peace be upon him)
We start with the story of Nuh (peace be upon him), and how he gave dawah so patiently for such a long time, despite receiving blanket rejection. Very few people accepted imaan – not even his own son.
If you see your children are not on the straight path, don’t despair. As parents, we all feel pain in our hearts when this happens, but do your best and leave the rest to Allah. Guidance is in His hands.
In the story of Nuh we see rejection of imaan and the mocking of idol worshippers. Then Allah sent the flood which wiped them off the earth – and that was the end of them.
The people of Aad and Thamud
Allah granted the people of Aad remarkable physical strength and towering stature. However, they became so impressed by their own power, that they arrogantly challenged Allah, forgetting that their strength was a blessing from Him.
Likewise, Allah bestowed immense wealth, vast lands, and grand palaces upon the people of Thamud. Yet, they became engrossed in their riches, believing them to be a source of security—only to realise that their wealth could not shield them from Allah’s punishment.
The people of Prophet Lut and Prophet Shuayb (peace be upon them)
The people of Lut were overpowered by their own desires, to the extent that they went beyond any boundaries. Meanwhile the people of Shuayb (who lived in Madyan) used to cheat people and con them, to get their money. Shuayb told them not to do this, but they did not believe in the punishment that was coming.
Use your blessings for good
The common theme in all these stories is arrogance and rebellion against Allah, and being obsessed with your own power because of the blessings that were given to you by Allah in the first place. We need to use our blessings in a way that pleases Allah, otherwise He will make them a tool against us.
Pride comes before a fall
We see this pattern repeating even today. Nations that boast of their wealth and military power, using them to oppress, destroy, and inflict suffering, believing they are untouchable. But just as history has shown, their arrogance will not go unanswered. Wait and see what will happen to them in the Akhirah.
There is a common saying, ‘He who laughs last, laughs best.’ Meaning we need to wait and see who will win and who will lose in the end. Allah has made it clear that the ultimate losers will be the ones who transgress and overstep the limits. While the winners will be the ones who were with Him.
Delivered by Shaykh Haytham Tamim on 9th Ramadan 2025. Transcribed by H Khan.
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