THE STORY OF THE PROPHET SALIH - The iniquity of the Thamud

Surah Asy-Syams verses 11-15:

كَذَّبَتۡ ثَمُودُ بِطَغۡوَىٰهَآ  ١١ إِذِ ٱنۢبَعَثَ أَشۡقَىٰهَا  ١٢ فَقَالَ لَهُمۡ رَسُولُ ٱللَّهِ نَاقَةَ ٱللَّهِ وَسُقۡيَٰهَا  ١٣ فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَعَقَرُوهَا فَدَمۡدَمَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ رَبُّهُم بِذَنۢبِهِمۡ فَسَوَّىٰهَا  ١٤ وَلَا يَخَافُ عُقۡبَٰهَا  ١٥

11.  Thamud denied [their prophet] by reason of their transgression,

12.  When the most wretched of them was sent forth.

13.  And the messenger of Allah [Salih] said to them, "[Do not harm] the she-camel of Allah or [prevent her from] her drink."

14.  But they denied him and hamstrung her. So their Lord brought down upon them destruction for their sin and made it equal [upon all of them].

15.  And He does not fear the consequence thereof.

Prophet Salih always invites the Thamud to only worship Allah SWT and leave idols. But infidels always opposed the Prophet Salih, even challenging the Prophet Salih to bring miracles if he was truly a prophet. Allah SWT gave miracles in the form of large and fat female camels. Female camel's milk is very beneficial for the surrounding population.

Since the appearance of the female camel, those who have believed are stronger and thicker in their faith. Whereas the disbelievers were increasingly jealous and grudge against the Prophet Salih. Unbelievers incessantly obstruct the mission of the Prophet Salih.

Then the pagans held a contest. Whoever can kill the female camel will get a beautiful woman. There were two young people who participated in the contest. They managed to kill the female camel and get beautiful women.

After the female camel dies, the unbelievers feel satisfied and relieved. Then they challenged the Prophet Salih to immediately bring punishment for killing the camel. The Prophet Salih allowed unbelievers to have fun for three days and after that the punishment would come. This event is explained in several verses of the Holy Qur'an

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Surah Al-A'raaf verse 77:

فَعَقَرُواْ ٱلنَّاقَةَ وَعَتَوۡاْ عَنۡ أَمۡرِ رَبِّهِمۡ وَقَالُواْ يَٰصَٰلِحُ ٱئۡتِنَا بِمَا تَعِدُنَآ إِن كُنتَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُرۡسَلِينَ  ٧٧

77.  So they hamstrung the she-camel and were insolent toward the command of their Lord and said, "O Salih, bring us what you promise us, if you should be of the messengers."

Surah Hud verse 65:

فَعَقَرُوهَا فَقَالَ تَمَتَّعُواْ فِي دَارِكُمۡ ثَلَٰثَةَ أَيَّامٖۖ ذَٰلِكَ وَعۡدٌ غَيۡرُ مَكۡذُوبٖ  ٦٥

65.  But they hamstrung her, so he said, "Enjoy yourselves in your homes for three days. That is a promise not to be denied."

Surah Ash-Shuaraa verse 157:

فَعَقَرُوهَا فَأَصۡبَحُواْ نَٰدِمِينَ  ١٥٧

157.  But they hamstrung her and so became regretful.

Three days is actually a deadline for the disbelievers of the Thamud to immediately repent and ask forgiveness from Allah SWT. But they even mocked the Prophet Salih. They considered the Prophet Salih to be only a bragger.

It was not until three days that the unbelievers met the Prophet Salih and said that why the punishment was not hastened. The Prophet Salih said that why did they ask for the coming of punishment, instead of asking for good.

Surah An-Naml verses 45-47:

وَلَقَدۡ أَرۡسَلۡنَآ إِلَىٰ ثَمُودَ أَخَاهُمۡ صَٰلِحًا أَنِ ٱعۡبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ فَإِذَا هُمۡ فَرِيقَانِ يَخۡتَصِمُونَ  ٤٥ قَالَ يَٰقَوۡمِ لِمَ تَسۡتَعۡجِلُونَ بِٱلسَّيِّئَةِ قَبۡلَ ٱلۡحَسَنَةِۖ لَوۡلَا تَسۡتَغۡفِرُونَ ٱللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تُرۡحَمُونَ  ٤٦ قَالُواْ ٱطَّيَّرۡنَا بِكَ وَبِمَن مَّعَكَۚ قَالَ طَٰٓئِرُكُمۡ عِندَ ٱللَّهِۖ بَلۡ أَنتُمۡ قَوۡمٞ تُفۡتَنُونَ  ٤٧

45.  And We had certainly sent to Thamud their brother Salih, [saying], "Worship Allah," and at once they were two parties conflicting.

46.  He said, "O my people, why are you impatient for evil instead of good? Why do you not seek forgiveness of Allah that you may receive mercy?"

47.  They said, "We consider you a bad omen, you and those with you." He said, "Your omen is with Allah. Rather, you are a people being tested."

Secretly the unbelievers are afraid. The words of the Prophet Shalih are always true and proven. They are afraid that the punishment will really come. According to unbelievers, so that the coming of doom can be prevented, then the day before the specified deadline, they discuss secretly. They intended to kill the Prophet Salih so that the punishment would not occur.

But Allah has saved the Prophet Salih and the believers. The Prophet Salih was spared the plot of murder. It is said that when the disbelievers came to the house of the Prophet Salih to commit murder, suddenly a large stone appeared from the sky that fell on them.

Surah An-Naml verses 48-51:

وَكَانَ فِي ٱلۡمَدِينَةِ تِسۡعَةُ رَهۡطٖ يُفۡسِدُونَ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَا يُصۡلِحُونَ  ٤٨ قَالُواْ تَقَاسَمُواْ بِٱللَّهِ لَنُبَيِّتَنَّهُۥ وَأَهۡلَهُۥ ثُمَّ لَنَقُولَنَّ لِوَلِيِّهِۦ مَا شَهِدۡنَا مَهۡلِكَ أَهۡلِهِۦ وَإِنَّا لَصَٰدِقُونَ  ٤٩ وَمَكَرُواْ مَكۡرٗا وَمَكَرۡنَا مَكۡرٗا وَهُمۡ لَا يَشۡعُرُونَ  ٥٠ فَٱنظُرۡ كَيۡفَ كَانَ عَٰقِبَةُ مَكۡرِهِمۡ أَنَّا دَمَّرۡنَٰهُمۡ وَقَوۡمَهُمۡ أَجۡمَعِينَ  ٥١

48.  And there were in the city nine family heads causing corruption in the land and not amending [its affairs].

49.  They said, "Take a mutual oath by Allah that we will kill him by night, he and his family. Then we will say to his executor, 'We did not witness the destruction of his family, and indeed, we are truthful.' "

50.  And they planned a plan, and We planned a plan, while they perceived not.

51.  Then look how was the outcome of their plan - that We destroyed them and their people, all.

The next day there was a terrible punishment. Thamud were struck by a thunderous thunder and thundered through the sky. The land of the Thamud was shaken violently so that the magnificent buildings were destroyed. No one survived the people who denied it. Only the Holy Prophet and his faithful followers survived. Previously with the permission of Allah SWT, the Prophet Salih along with his faithful followers left for Ramlah, a place in Palestine.

Surah Al-A'raaf verses 78-79:

فَأَخَذَتۡهُمُ ٱلرَّجۡفَةُ فَأَصۡبَحُواْ فِي دَارِهِمۡ جَٰثِمِينَ  ٧٨ فَتَوَلَّىٰ عَنۡهُمۡ وَقَالَ يَٰقَوۡمِ لَقَدۡ أَبۡلَغۡتُكُمۡ رِسَالَةَ رَبِّي وَنَصَحۡتُ لَكُمۡ وَلَٰكِن لَّا تُحِبُّونَ ٱلنَّٰصِحِينَ  ٧٩

78.  So the earthquake seized them, and they became within their home [corpses] fallen prone.

79.  And he turned away from them and said, "O my people, I had certainly conveyed to you the message of my Lord and advised you, but you do not like advisors."

Surah Hud verses 66-68:

فَلَمَّا جَآءَ أَمۡرُنَا نَجَّيۡنَا صَٰلِحٗا وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مَعَهُۥ بِرَحۡمَةٖ مِّنَّا وَمِنۡ خِزۡيِ يَوۡمِئِذٍۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ ٱلۡقَوِيُّ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ  ٦٦ وَأَخَذَ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ ٱلصَّيۡحَةُ فَأَصۡبَحُواْ فِي دِيَٰرِهِمۡ جَٰثِمِينَ  ٦٧ كَأَن لَّمۡ يَغۡنَوۡاْ فِيهَآۗ أَلَآ إِنَّ ثَمُودَاْ كَفَرُواْ رَبَّهُمۡۗ أَلَا بُعۡدٗا لِّثَمُودَ  ٦٨

66.  So when Our command came, We saved Salih and those who believed with him, by mercy from Us, and [saved them] from the disgrace of that day. Indeed, it is your Lord who is the Powerful, the Exalted in Might.

67.  And the shriek seized those who had wronged, and they became within their homes [corpses] fallen prone

68.  As if they had never prospered therein. Unquestionably, Thamud denied their Lord; then, away with Thamud.

Surah Ash-Shu'ara verses 158-159:

فَأَخَذَهُمُ ٱلۡعَذَابُۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَةٗۖ وَمَا كَانَ أَكۡثَرُهُم مُّؤۡمِنِينَ  ١٥٨ وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَهُوَ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ  ١٥٩

158.  And the punishment seized them. Indeed in that is a sign, but most of them were not to be believers.

159.  And indeed, your Lord - He is the Exalted in Might, the Merciful.

Surah An-Naml verses 52-53:

فَتِلۡكَ بُيُوتُهُمۡ خَاوِيَةَۢ بِمَا ظَلَمُوٓاْۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَةٗ لِّقَوۡمٖ يَعۡلَمُونَ  ٥٢ وَأَنجَيۡنَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَكَانُواْ يَتَّقُونَ  ٥٣

52.  So those are their houses, desolate because of the wrong they had done. Indeed in that is a sign for people who know.

53.  And We saved those who believed and used to fear Allah.

Thamud civilization was destroyed. Their homes, property, and pets have perished. That is the punishment for those who deny.