وَٱذۡكُرۡ أَخَا عَادٍ إِذۡ أَنذَرَ قَوۡمَهُۥ بِٱلۡأَحۡقَافِ وَقَدۡ خَلَتِ ٱلنُّذُرُ مِنۢ بَيۡنِ يَدَيۡهِ وَمِنۡ خَلۡفِهِۦٓ أَلَّا تَعۡبُدُوٓاْ إِلَّا ٱللَّهَ إِنِّىٓ أَخَافُ عَلَيۡكُمۡ عَذَابَ يَوۡمٍ عَظِيمٍ
And mention, [O Muhammad], the brother of ‘Aad, when he warned his people in [the region of] al-Ahqaf — and warners had already passed on before him and after him — [saying], “Do not worship except Allah. Indeed, I fear for you the punishment of a terrible day.”
وَٱذۡكُرۡ أَخَا عَادٍ
And mention the brother of ‘Aad.
This is Prophet Hud, who is referred to as the brother of the people of ‘Aad.
إِذۡ أَنذَرَ قَوۡمَهُۥ بِٱلۡأَحۡقَافِ
When he warned his people in al-Ahqaf.
Ahqaf means long, high sand dunes. The people of ‘Aad, to whom Prophet Hud was sent as a prophet, lived in Yemen in a place overlooking the sea where such high, long sand dunes were found.
These were not primitive people; they were a powerful and prosperous nation.
The ayah states:
وَقَدۡ خَلَتِ ٱلنُّذُرُ مِنۢ بَيۡنِ يَدَيۡهِ وَمِنۡ خَلۡفِهِۦٓ
And warners had already passed on before him and after him.
Hud (peace be upon him) was not the first warner, nor would he be the last.
His message was extremely clear:
أَلَّا تَعۡبُدُوٓاْ إِلَّا ٱللَّهَ
Do not worship except Allah.
This is the core message of every prophet: complete submission to Allah alone.
إِنِّىٓ أَخَافُ عَلَيۡكُمۡ عَذَابَ يَوۡمٍ عَظِيمٍ
Indeed, I fear for you the punishment of a terrible day.
This was not a threat born of ill will, but a warning born of genuine concern.
A prophet’s fear for the fate of his people. However they respond to him, it drives him to warn them.