Surah Hud Ayat 61 (11:61 Quran) With Tafsir

Ala-Maududi

(11:61) And to Thamud We sent their brother Sali’h.^[66] He said: My people! Serve Allah; you have no god other than Him. He brought you into being out of the earth, and has made you dwell in it.^[67] So ask Him to forgive you, and do turn towards Him in repentance.^[68] Indeed My Lord is near, responsive to prayers .^[69]

66. Please keep in view (Surah Al-Aaraf, ayat 73-78) note 57-62.

67. This is the proof of the claim: “You have no other Deity than Allah” .The argument is based on the fact which the mushriks themselves acknowledged that it is Allah Who is their Creator. Therefore Prophet Salih (peace be upon him) argued like this: You yourselves acknowledge that it is Allah Who has created your wonderful human body out of the lifeless particles of the earth and that it is Allah Who has made the earth a suitable place for you to live. How can then there be any Deity other than Allah Who may be worthy of Godhead, service and worship?

68. That is, so ask His forgiveness for the sin you have been committing by worshiping others.

69. In this concise sentence, the Quran has refuted a grave misunderstanding of the mushriks, which has in every age misled people into wrong creeds. They presumed that Allah lived far away from them and, therefore, was unapproachable like their own rulers on the earth. As the only way of approach to them was an intercessor who alone could receive and present their requests and applications to their rulers, and convey their answers to them, they presumed that there should be some intercessor to help approach Allah and bring to them the answers to their prayers. Obviously this is a false presumption, which has been endorsed and encouraged by clever people that Allah is out of the reach of common people and it is not possible for them to reach Him and present their prayers and get their answers. So they should search for such sacred beings as may have an approach to Him. Accordingly, they tried to secure the services of those who were well versed in the art of conveying the requests with the necessary presents and gifts to the Highest Authority. This misunderstanding created hosts of intercessors, and the establishment of the system of priesthood, which has so incapacitated the followers of mushrik creeds of ignorance that they cannot perform by themselves any religious ceremony from birth to death.

Now let us consider the concise answer of Prophet Salih (peace be upon him), by which he broke asunder the false presumption of the mushriks. It is this: Allah is near at hand, so you can invoke His help directly without the help of any interceder. He answers prayers, so you can yourselves receive the answer to your prayer. Though He is the Highest, each one of you will find Him so near to yourself that you will be able to convey your request even in a whisper, nay, you are permitted to convey your requests openly or secretly to Him. Therefore give up the folly of seeking interceders and setting them up as His partners, and address your prayers to Him Who is near at hand and answers prayers. Refer also to (Surah Al-Baqarah, ayat 186) note 188.

Ibn-Kathir

61. And to Thamud (people We sent) their brother Salih. He said: “O my people! Worship Allah: you have no other god but Him. He brought you forth from the earth and settled you therein, then ask forgiveness of Him and turn to Him in repentance. Certainly, my Lord is Near (to all by His knowledge), Responsive.”

Allah, the Exalted, says,

(And) This is an introduction to that which is implied, “Verily, We sent.”

(to Thamud) They were a group of people who were living in cities carved from the rocks, between Tabuk and Al-Madinah (in Arabia). They lived after the people of `Ad, so Allah sent to them,

(their brother Salih.) He (Salih) commanded them to worship Allah alone. He said to them,

(He brought you forth from the earth) This means: `He began your creation from it (the earth). From it He created your father, Adam.’

(and settled you therein,) This means: `He made you prosperous in the earth. You are settled in it and you treasure it.’

(then ask forgiveness) `This is in reference to your previous sins. ‘

(and turn to Him in repentance.) `This is in reference to the future.’

(Certainly, my Lord is Near (to all by His knowledge), Responsive.) This is similar to Allah’s statement,

(And when My servants ask you concerning Me, then (answer them), I am indeed Near (to them by My knowledge). I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me.) ﴿2:186﴾