﴿وَلَمَّا جَآءَ أَمْرُنَا﴾

(And when Our commandment came,) This is referring to the barren wind with which Allah destroyed them, to the very last of them. The mercy and kindness of Allah, the Exalted saved Hud and his followers from this terrible punishment.

﴿فوَتِلْكَ عَادٌ جَحَدُواْ بِآيَـتِ رَبِّهِمْ﴾

g(Such were `Ad (people). They rejected the Ayat of their Lord) This means they disbelieved in the proofs and revelations (of Allah) and they disobeyed the Messengers of Allah. This is due to the fact that whoever disbelieves in a Prophet, then verily, he has disbelieved in all of the Prophets, peace be upon them. There is no difference between any one of them, in the sense that it is necessary to believe in all of them. Therefore, `Ad disbelieved in Hud and their disbelief was considered disbelief in all of the Messengers.

﴿وَاتَّبَعُواْ أَمْرَ كُلِّ جَبَّارٍ عَنِيدٍ﴾

(and followed the command of every proud, obstinate.) This means that they abandoned following their rightly guided Messenger and they followed the command of every proud, obstinate person. Thus, they were followed in this life by a curse from Allah and His believing servants whenever they are mentioned. On the Day of Resurrection a call will be made against them in front of witnesses.

﴿أَلا إِنَّ عَادًا كَفَرُواْ رَبَّهُمْ﴾

(Verily, `Ad disbelieved in their Lord.)

﴿وَإِلَى ثَمُودَ أَخَاهُمْ صَـلِحاً قَالَ يقَوْمِ اعْبُدُواْ اللَّهَ مَا لَكُمْ مِّنْ إِلَـهٍ غَيْرُهُ هُوَ أَنشَأَكُمْ مِّنَ الاٌّرْضِ وَاسْتَعْمَرَكُمْ فِيهَا فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ ثُمَّ تُوبُواْ إِلَيْهِ إِنَّ رَبِّى قَرِيبٌ مُّجِيبٌ ﴾

(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.'')