Sūrah 11 · Meccan

How Sūrah Hud was revealed.

Where and when it came down, what it teaches, and the hadith about it — all on one calm page.

Read Hud → The revelation story
Where revealed Meccan

Revealed in the Meccan period, before the migration to Madīnah.

Order of revelation #52

Its place in the traditional order in which the sūrahs were revealed.

Length 123 ayahs

10 reading sections in the Muṣḥaf.

The revelation story

How and when it came down.

This Makkan surah is a profound warning that consoles the Prophet (ﷺ) against the rejection he faced. Its purpose is to affirm Monotheism and the Resurrection by recounting the struggles of six major prophets and the terrifying destruction of their nations, all culminating in the weighty command to the believers: "Be steadfast."

Themes and purpose:

This Makkan surah is a profound warning that consoles the Prophet (ﷺ) against the rejection he faced. Its purpose is to affirm Monotheism and the Resurrection by recounting the struggles of six major prophets and the terrifying destruction of their nations, all culminating in the weighty command to the believers: "Be steadfast."

Context of Revelation:

Era: Makkan. It has been suggested that some verses are Madinan but the stronger view is that it is entirely Makkan.

Time: The well-known chronological list (of Jābir ibn Zayd) places this surah after Yūnus. However, Ibn ʿĀshūr supports the view that it was revealed before Sūrat Yūnus, as Hūd [13] gives a challenge to produce ten surahs, while Yūnus [38] makes a challenge to produce a single surah, and according to most scholars, the challenge to produce ten surahs came before the challenge to produce a single surah.

Context: It was revealed in the late Makkan period, amid intense hostility from the Quraysh. Its central command, "Be steadfast" [112], and its detailed accounts of ancient nations were meant to console and strengthen the Prophet (ﷺ) during severe hardship and confront the Quraysh.

Name and Ayah Count:

Name: "Sūrat Hūd". It has no other known name. It is named for the Prophet Hūd, whose name is repeated five times and whose story is detailed more extensively here than elsewhere. It also serves to distinguish it from the other Alif-Lām-Rā surahs.

Virtue: It is the surah the Prophet (ﷺ) famously said "made my hair gray," due to the severity of its warnings and the profound responsibility of the command to "be steadfast."

Ayah Count: 123 (Kūfan, Baṣran), 122 (Shāmī; also the early Madīnan count), or 121 (the later Madīnan count).
Surah Overview:

  • Hinting at the inimitability of the Quran, and the related challenge. [1, 13-14]
  • Praising the Quran and prohibiting the worship of any other than Allah. [1-2]
  • Warning polytheists of a great punishment and giving glad tidings to believers of a good end. [2-3]
  • Proving the Resurrection and establishing Allah’s encompassing knowledge and governance of creation. [4-7]
  • Consoling the Prophet (ﷺ) regarding the disbelievers' demands for specific miracles (e.g., a treasure or an angel). [12]
  • Using the Quran itself as sufficient proof, proving the deniers are losers in the Hereafter. [17-24]
  • Detailed accounts of the struggles of past nations and their destruction (Nūḥ, Hūd, Ṣāliḥ, Ibrāhīm, Lūṭ, Shuʿayb, Mūsā). [25-99]
  • Uniquely detailing the Great Flood and its subsiding. [40-44]
  • The central command to the Prophet and his followers to "be steadfast" (istiqāmah) and not incline toward the wrongdoers. [112-113]
  • Commanding the establishment of prayer and patience. [114-115]
  • Press forward in calling to positive change, for no community will be destroyed while its people are working to achieve reform. [116–117]

Sūrah background — via the Quran Foundation Content API. Shown as supplied by the provider. We do not edit, summarise or generate it.

Hadith about this sūrah

What the hadith say.

These 7 narrations in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī are connected to specific āyāt of this sūrah — a linkage reviewed by the Quran Foundation. Open any one to read it in full, in Arabic and English.

  1. Relates to āyah5
    Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 4682

    حَدَّثَنِي إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ مُوسَى، أَخْبَرَنَا هِشَامٌ، عَنِ ابْنِ جُرَيْجٍ، وَأَخْبَرَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبَّادِ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ، أَنَّ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ، قَرَأَ ‏{‏أَلاَ إِنَّهُمْ تَثْنَوْنِي صُدُورُهُمْ‏}‏ قُلْتُ يَا أَبَا الْعَبَّاسِ مَا تَثْنَوْنِي صُدُورُهُمْ قَالَ كَانَ الرَّجُلُ يُجَامِعُ امْرَأَتَهُ فَيَسْتَحِي أَوْ يَتَخَلَّى فَيَسْتَحِي فَنَزَلَتْ ‏﴿‏أَلاَ إِنَّهُمْ يَثْنُونَ صُدُورَهُمْ‏﴾‏

    Narrated Muhammad bin `Abbas bin Ja`far: Ibn `Abbas recited. "No doubt! They fold up their breasts." I said, "O Abu `Abbas! What is meant by "They fold up their breasts?" He said, "A man used to feel shy on having sexual relation with his wife or on answering the call of nature (in an open space) so this Verse was revealed:-- "No doubt! They fold up their breasts."

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    Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 4683

    حَدَّثَنَا الْحُمَيْدِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرٌو، قَالَ قَرَأَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ ‏﴿‏أَلاَ إِنَّهُمْ يَثْنُونَ صُدُورَهُمْ لِيَسْتَخْفُوا مِنْهُ أَلاَ حِينَ يَسْتَغْشُونَ ثِيَابَهُمْ‏﴾‏ وَقَالَ غَيْرُهُ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ‏{‏يَسْتَغْشُونَ‏}‏ يُغَطُّونَ رُءُوسَهُمْ ‏﴿‏سِيءَ بِهِمْ‏﴾‏ سَاءَ ظَنُّهُ بِقَوْمِهِ‏.‏ ‏﴿‏وَضَاقَ بِهِمْ‏﴾‏ بِأَضْيَافِهِ ‏﴿‏بِقِطْعٍ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ‏﴾‏ بِسَوَادٍ‏.‏ وَقَالَ مُجَاهِدٌ ‏{‏أُنِيبُ‏}‏ أَرْجِعُ‏.‏

    Narrated `Amr: Ibn `Abbas recited:-- "No doubt! They fold up their breasts in order to hide from Him. Surely! Even when they cover themselves with their garments.." (11.5)

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  2. Relates to āyah56
    Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 4684

    حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ، أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الزِّنَادِ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏"‏ قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَنْفِقْ أُنْفِقْ عَلَيْكَ ـ وَقَالَ ـ يَدُ اللَّهِ مَلأَى لاَ تَغِيضُهَا نَفَقَةٌ، سَحَّاءُ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ ـ وَقَالَ ـ أَرَأَيْتُمْ مَا أَنْفَقَ مُنْذُ خَلَقَ السَّمَاءَ وَالأَرْضَ فَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَغِضْ مَا فِي يَدِهِ، وَكَانَ عَرْشُهُ عَلَى الْمَاءِ، وَبِيَدِهِ الْمِيزَانُ يَخْفِضُ وَيَرْفَعُ ‏"‏‏.‏ ‏{‏اعْتَرَاكَ‏}‏ افْتَعَلْتَ مِنْ عَرَوْتُهُ أَىْ أَصَبْتُهُ، وَمِنْهُ يَعْرُوهُ وَاعْتَرَانِي ‏﴿‏آخِذٌ بِنَاصِيَتِهَا‏﴾‏ أَىْ فِي مِلْكِهِ وَسُلْطَانِهِ‏.‏ عَنِيدٌ وَعَنُودٌ وَعَانِدٌ وَاحِدٌ، هُوَ تَأْكِيدُ التَّجَبُّرِ، ‏{‏اسْتَعْمَرَكُمْ‏}‏ جَعَلَكُمْ عُمَّارًا، أَعْمَرْتُهُ الدَّارَ فَهْىَ عُمْرَى جَعَلْتُهَا لَهُ‏.‏ ‏{‏نَكِرَهُمْ‏}‏ وَأَنْكَرَهُمْ وَاسْتَنْكَرَهُمْ وَاحِدٌ ‏﴿‏حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ‏﴾‏ كَأَنَّهُ فَعِيلٌ مِنْ مَاجِدٍ‏.‏ مَحْمُودٌ مِنْ حَمِدَ‏.‏ سِجِّيلٌ الشَّدِيدُ الْكَبِيرُ‏.‏ سِجِّيلٌ وَسِجِّينٌ وَاللاَّمُ وَالنُّونُ أُخْتَانِ، وَقَالَ تَمِيمُ بْنُ مُقْبِلٍ وَرَجْلَةٍ يَضْرِبُونَ الْبَيْضَ ضَاحِيَةً ضَرْبًا تَوَاصَى بِهِ الأَبْطَالُ سِجِّينَا

    Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Allah said, 'Spend (O man), and I shall spend on you." He also said, "Allah's Hand is full, and (its fullness) is not affected by the continuous spending night and day." He also said, "Do you see what He has spent since He created the Heavens and the Earth? Nevertheless, what is in His Hand is not decreased, and His Throne was over the water; and in His Hand there is the balance (of justice) whereby He raises and lowers (people).

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  3. Relates to āyah73
    Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 4684

    حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ، أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الزِّنَادِ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏"‏ قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَنْفِقْ أُنْفِقْ عَلَيْكَ ـ وَقَالَ ـ يَدُ اللَّهِ مَلأَى لاَ تَغِيضُهَا نَفَقَةٌ، سَحَّاءُ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ ـ وَقَالَ ـ أَرَأَيْتُمْ مَا أَنْفَقَ مُنْذُ خَلَقَ السَّمَاءَ وَالأَرْضَ فَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَغِضْ مَا فِي يَدِهِ، وَكَانَ عَرْشُهُ عَلَى الْمَاءِ، وَبِيَدِهِ الْمِيزَانُ يَخْفِضُ وَيَرْفَعُ ‏"‏‏.‏ ‏{‏اعْتَرَاكَ‏}‏ افْتَعَلْتَ مِنْ عَرَوْتُهُ أَىْ أَصَبْتُهُ، وَمِنْهُ يَعْرُوهُ وَاعْتَرَانِي ‏﴿‏آخِذٌ بِنَاصِيَتِهَا‏﴾‏ أَىْ فِي مِلْكِهِ وَسُلْطَانِهِ‏.‏ عَنِيدٌ وَعَنُودٌ وَعَانِدٌ وَاحِدٌ، هُوَ تَأْكِيدُ التَّجَبُّرِ، ‏{‏اسْتَعْمَرَكُمْ‏}‏ جَعَلَكُمْ عُمَّارًا، أَعْمَرْتُهُ الدَّارَ فَهْىَ عُمْرَى جَعَلْتُهَا لَهُ‏.‏ ‏{‏نَكِرَهُمْ‏}‏ وَأَنْكَرَهُمْ وَاسْتَنْكَرَهُمْ وَاحِدٌ ‏﴿‏حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ‏﴾‏ كَأَنَّهُ فَعِيلٌ مِنْ مَاجِدٍ‏.‏ مَحْمُودٌ مِنْ حَمِدَ‏.‏ سِجِّيلٌ الشَّدِيدُ الْكَبِيرُ‏.‏ سِجِّيلٌ وَسِجِّينٌ وَاللاَّمُ وَالنُّونُ أُخْتَانِ، وَقَالَ تَمِيمُ بْنُ مُقْبِلٍ وَرَجْلَةٍ يَضْرِبُونَ الْبَيْضَ ضَاحِيَةً ضَرْبًا تَوَاصَى بِهِ الأَبْطَالُ سِجِّينَا

    Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Allah said, 'Spend (O man), and I shall spend on you." He also said, "Allah's Hand is full, and (its fullness) is not affected by the continuous spending night and day." He also said, "Do you see what He has spent since He created the Heavens and the Earth? Nevertheless, what is in His Hand is not decreased, and His Throne was over the water; and in His Hand there is the balance (of justice) whereby He raises and lowers (people).

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The link between each āyah and these narrations is the Quran Foundation's reviewed reference map. The wording is reproduced verbatim from a public-domain edition of Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and is not edited, summarised or generated; every narration also opens at Sunnah.com so it can be checked against another copy.

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