Al-Ahqaf means "the sand dunes" and is named in the Quran as the homeland of the people of 'Ad: "And remember the brother of 'Ad (Hud), when he warned his people in al-Ahqaf" (46:21). Surat al-Ahqaf takes its name from this phrase. The Quran relates that 'Ad were destroyed by a violent wind after rejecting their prophet Hud.
Most classical sources describe al-Ahqaf as a sandy region of southern Arabia between Hadhramaut in Yemen and Oman; some reports place it near the coasts of Mahra or al-Shihr. As its exact extent is unknown, the main marker stands for a wide region. A shrine attributed to the prophet Hud is also visited in Hadhramaut.
Some details in this entry are still being verified.