Page 85 - Perished Nations

Today, the region where ‘Ad lived is full of sand dunes.

were in such delusion that they could not even understand what was hap-
pening when they saw the destruction approaching them and continued
with their denial.
Then, when they saw the (Penalty in the shape of) a cloud traversing the
sky, coming to meet their valleys, they said, "This cloud will give us rain!".
Nay, it is the (Calamity) ye were asking to be hastened!- A wind wherein
is a Grievous Penalty! (Surat al-Ahqaf : 24)
In the verse, it is stated that the people saw the cloud that would bring
them calamity, but could not understand what it was and thought that it
was a rain cloud. This is an important indication as to how the calamity
was as it drew near to the people, because a cyclone proceeding along
whipping up the desert sand also seems like a rain cloud from a distance.
It is possible that the people of ‘Ad were deceived by this appearance and
did not notice the calamity. Doe gives a description of these sand storms
(which seems to be from personal experience): "The first sign (of a dust or
sandstorm) is an approaching wall of dust-laden air which may be several

Perished Nations
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