وَأَنَّهُ أَهلَكَ عادًا الأولىٰ

That it is He who destroyed the former ʿĀd.

EXEGESIS

Ūlā (former) is the feminine of awwal, meaning that which is first. ʿĀd is described as being former because they came before the Arabs contemporary to the Prophet.^{‎[1]Tibyan, 9/438.}

EXPOSITION

This verse is the final one that begins with wa annahu that started from verse 42. God closes the discussion on His unity and complete control over all affairs by reminding people of what happened to previous nations who thought themselves mighty and firmly seated in power.

ʿĀd were the people of Prophet Hūd (a), an ancient Arab civilisation. It is said that the people of Prophet Hūd (a) were known as the former ʿĀd, and after they were destroyed some of them survived and were known as the latter ʿĀd. These are said to have died out later from infighting with the ʿAmāliqah.^{‎[2]Tibyan, 9/438; Tabrisi, 9/277; Tabari, 27/46; Mizan, 19/50.} Others have said they are described as ūlā because they were the first nation to get destroyed after ʿĀd.^{‎[3]Qurtubi, 17/120; Alusi, 14/69.}

[1] Tibyan, 9/438.
[2] Tibyan, 9/438; Tabrisi, 9/277; Tabari, 27/46; Mizan, 19/50.
[3] Qurtubi, 17/120; Alusi, 14/69.