Hud - Hud
Arabic Name: هُوْد
Urdu Name: حود
Type: Makki
Serial Number: 11
Revelation Order: 52
Total Verses: 123
Parah: 12,11
Rukus: 10
Sajda: None
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Quick Facts about this Verse
Surah
Hud
Revealed
Makki
Position
Juz 12,11
Explore this Verse
Verse Meaning
According to the classical exegesis of Ibn Kathir, Quran 11:77 captures the profound and immediate distress of Prophet Lot upon the arrival of angel messengers, who appeared as exceptionally handsome young men. This was a divine test, and Lot, unaware of their true identity, was instantly grieved (`sī'a bihim`), fearing his notoriously corrupt people would harm them. Al-Tabari provides a deep linguistic analysis, explaining that Lot 'felt powerless to protect them' (`ḍāqa bihim dhar'an`), an idiom signifying that his capacity to handle the situation was completely overwhelmed. This synthesis of scholarly opinion reveals Lot's reaction not as a lack of faith, but as the compassionate anguish of a righteous man burdened with the protection of guests in a depraved society. His exclamation, 'This is a grievous day' (`hādhā yawmun 'asīb`), as Al-Qurtubi notes, signifies a day compacted with severe trial and hardship, setting the stage for the dramatic confrontation to come.
Questions for Reflection
The Psychology of Crisis
Al-Wasit's tafsir notes the sequence: internal grief (`sī'a`), feeling of powerlessness (`ḍāqa dhar'an`), and then verbal expression (`qāla`). Contemplate a moment of crisis in your own life. Does this sequence resonate? How does the Quran's portrayal of Lot's reaction validate the natural human response to overwhelming stress?
Faith in Powerlessness
Lot felt completely powerless (`ḍāqa bihim dhar'an`) to protect his guests. As Ibn Kathir explains, he was unaware of their divine nature. Reflect on a time you felt utterly incapable of preventing a wrong. How does this verse teach that the test of faith is not about having worldly power, but about maintaining one's principles even in a state of perceived helplessness?
The Burden of Righteousness
Al-Qurtubi emphasizes that Lot's entire distress was for the sake of his guests. Contemplate the weight of responsibility that comes with upholding moral and spiritual values in a corrupt environment. How does this verse illustrate the personal cost and emotional toll of being a guardian of faith and hospitality?
Practical Applications
Cultivate a 'Protector's Instinct' for the vulnerable in your community, acting on righteous impulse even before a clear solution appears.
Applicable when witnessing injustice, online bullying, or when a newcomer feels unwelcome in a community.
Practice honest acknowledgment of hardship by verbalizing your struggle to Allah, as Lot did by saying 'This is a grievous day.'
Useful during personal crises, financial hardship, intense stress, or when facing societal moral decay.
Hidden Gem
The synthesis of tafsirs reveals that Lot's exclamation, 'This is a grievous day,' was not a cry of despair, but a statement of fact that also served as a testimony against his people. As some narrations mentioned by Baghawi suggest, the angels were commanded not to act until Lot himself testified against his people. His repeated warnings and this final statement fulfilled that condition, turning his personal anguish into a divine legal proof against the transgressors.
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Common Questions
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