The People of ar-Rass

These nations were destroyed before the time of Moosa (peace be upon him). This can be clearly seen in the verse:
“And We gave Moosa the Book after We had destroyed the former generations.” (Qur’an 28:43)

Ibn Jareer and Ibn Abi Hâtim reported that Abu Sa’eed al-Kudri said: “Allah did not destroy any nation by a punishment from the heaven or from the earth after the Torah was revealed, except the town of the people who were turned into monkeys.” Then he recited the verse, “And We gave Moosa the Book after We had destroyed the former generations.” (Qur’an 28:43)

Allah said in Soorah al-Furqan:
“And ‘Âd, Thamood, the people of ar-Rass and many generations between them. For every one We set a similitude and each We destroyed utterly.” (Qur’an 25:38-39)

And in Soorah Qâf:
“Before them, the people of Nooh rejected, and the people of ar-Rass and Thamood. And ‘Âd and Pharaoh and the brethren of Lot. And the dwellers of the al-Aikah and the people of Tubba. Each one rejected the Messengers and so My threat was fulfilled.” (Qur’an 50:12-14)

All these verses show that all these nations were destroyed and annihilated. Ibn Jareer reported that Ibn ‘Abbâs (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the people of ar-Rass were from one of the towns of Thamood. (Tafseer at-Tabari vol. 25 p.97)

Ibn Asâkir mentioned in the beginning of his book of history along with the mention of the building of Damascus, that Allah sent a Prophet to the people of ar-Rass called Handhalah ibn Safwân. The people belied and killed him. So ‘Âd ibn Aws ibn Eram ibn Sam ibn Nooh and his son left ar-Rass and descended in al-Ahqâf. After that, Allah destroyed the people of ar-Rass and the descendants of these other people spread all over Yemen and other parts of Earth. Then Jabroon ibn Sa’d ibn ‘Âd ibn Aws ibn Eram ibn Sâm ibn Nooh went to Damascus and built a city there, which he named Jabroon. This is the same city which is referred to in the Qur’an as “Eram of the pillars”. Then Allah sent Hood ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Rabah ibn Khâlid ibn Jalood ibn ‘Âd. This is referred to the descendants of ‘Âd, who had descendants in al-Ahqâf. They had subsequently rejected and belied him and so Allah destroyed them. All this prove that the people of ar-Rass came before the people of ‘Âd by many generations. And Allah knows best.

Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Hasan an-Naqqâsh said that the people of ar-Rass had a well from where they collected water from their needs and also irrigated their lands from it. Those people had a king over them who was just and kind. When he passed away, they mourned over him greatly and mourned for a long time. After some days, Shaytân approached them in guise of that king and said, “I did not die but only disappeared so that I could watch what you do after me.” The people became very happy. He then ordered them to erect a barrier between him and them and said that he will never die. Most of the people believed him, and then became a fitna for them. They then started worshipping him. So Allah sent to them a Prophet who informed them that the one speaking to them from behind the barrier was actually Shaytân. He forbade them from worshipping him and ordered them to worship Allah Alone, Who has no partner.

As-Suhaili said that the Prophet used to receive revelations during his sleep and that his name was Handhalah ibn Safwân. However, his people became his enemy and subsequently killed him and threw him in a well. The water of that well then dried up, thus the people became short of water to irrigate their lands or to drink from. Their town started ruining slowly to such an extent that after sometime, they were destroyed completely, with no one remaining alive.