Tafseer of Explained in detail · Fussilat · 41:15
As for 'Aad, they were arrogant upon the earth without right and said, "Who is greater than us in strength?" Did they not consider that Allah who created them was greater than them in strength? But they were rejecting Our signs.
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The statement concerning the explanation of His word, the Exalted: فَأَمَّا عَادٌ فَاسْتَكْبَرُوا فِي الأَرْضِ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ وَقَالُوا مَنْ أَشَدُّ مِنَّا قُوَّةً أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا أَنَّ اللَّهَ الَّذِي خَلَقَهُمْ هُوَ أَشَدُّ مِنْهُمْ قُوَّةً وَكَانُوا بِآيَاتِنَا يَجْحَدُونَ (15) ("As for ʿĀd, they were arrogant on the earth without right and said: Who is mightier than us in strength? Have they not seen that Allah, who created them, is mightier than them in strength? And they used to deny Our signs.")
He, exalted is His mention, says: فَأَمَّا عَادٌ ("As for ʿĀd"), the people of Hūd, فَاسْتَكْبَرُوا ("they were arrogant") toward their Lord and behaved as tyrants فِي الأرْضِ ("on the earth") with haughtiness and rebelliousness, without Allah having permitted them that, وَقَالُوا مَنْ أَشَدُّ مِنَّا قُوَّةً أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا أَنَّ اللَّهَ الَّذِي خَلَقَهُمْ ("and said: Who is mightier than us in strength? Have they not seen that Allah, who created them") and gave them what He gave them of immense bodily build and severe striking-power, هُوَ أَشَدُّ مِنْهُمْ قُوَّةً ("He is mightier than them in strength"), so that they would fear His punishment and beware of His violence on account of their disbelief (kufr) in Him and their denial of His messengers. He says: and they used to deny Our tokens and Our proofs against them.
