Ash-Shu'ara Verse 128

˹Why˺ do you build a landmark on every high place in vanity,

Do you build a landmark on every high place for no purpose?

What, do you build on every prominence a sign, sporting,

How can you be so vain that you set up monuments on every high place?

Build ye on every eminence a landmark in vanity?

"Do ye build a landmark on every high place to amuse yourselves?

What, you build a monument on every hill merely for fun

You construct monuments on every hill in vain,

“What! You build a structure on every height, to laugh at the passers-by?”

Do you build futile a sign on every prominence?

"Will you continue to build on every high spot monumental buildings for fun and show;

`What is (wrong with you)? You build a monument on every prominent place, in vain you do it.

Do you build/construct at every/each high hill an evidence , something useless in vanity ?"

“What! You build a structure on every height, to laugh at the passers-by?”

"I ask of you no fee for it; my wage is only the concern of the Lord of the Worlds.

"Do you build high palaces on every high place, while you do not live in them?

So keep your duty to Allah and obey me.

Do you build on every height a monument? Vain is it that you do:

Build ye on every high place a monument for vain delight?

"Do you build useless monuments on every mountain

Do you build over each high place a sign to amuse yourselves!

"Do you build on every Ri` an Ayah for your amusement"

Do you build monuments on every high place in vanity,

Do you build a monument on every height for vanity's sake?

Do you build on every prominence, every high place, a monument, an edifice as a signpost for passers-by, so that you may hurl abuse?, at those who pass by you and deride them (ta`bathna, is a circumstantial qualifier referring to the subject of [the verb] tabnna, `you build').

`Ad denied the Messengers. When their brother Hud said to them;

"Will you not have Taqwa! Verily, I am a trustworthy Messenger to you. So, have Taqwa of Allah, and obey me. No reward do I ask of you for it; my reward is only from the Lord of all that exists."

Here Allah tells us about His servant and Messenger Hud, when he called his people `Ad. His people used to live in the Ahqaf, curved sand-hills near Hadramawt, on the borders of Yemen. They lived after the time of Nuh, as Allah says in Surah Al-A`raf;

وَاذكُرُواْ إِذْ جَعَلَكُمْ خُلَفَأءَ مِن بَعْدِ قَوْمِ نُوحٍ وَزَادَكُمْ فِى الْخَلْقِ بَسْطَةً

And remember that He made you successors after the people of Nuh and increased you amply in stature. (7;69)

This refers to the fact that they were physically strong and well-built, and very violent, and very tall; they had also been given a great deal of provisions, wealth, gardens, rivers, sons, crops and fruits. Yet despite all of that, they worshipped others besides Allah. So Allah sent Hud, one of their own, as a Messenger bringing them good news and delivering warnings. He called them to worship Allah alone, and he warned them of Allah's wrath and punishment if they were to go against him and treating him harshly.

He said to them, as Nuh had said to his people;

أَتَبْنُونَ بِكُلِّ رِيعٍ ايَةً تَعْبَثُونَ