7:73 Al-A'raaf (The Heights)

أي { و } أرسلنا { إِلَى ثَمُودَ } القبيلة المعروفة الذين كانوا يسكنون الحجر وما حوله، من أرض الحجاز وجزيرة العرب، أرسل اللّه إليهم { أَخَاهُمْ صَالِحًا } نبيا يدعوهم إلى الإيمان والتوحيد، وينهاهم عن الشرك والتنديد، فـ { قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مَا لَكُمْ مِنْ إِلَهٍ غَيْرُهُ } دعوته عليه الصلاة والسلام من جنس دعوة إخوانه من المرسلين، الأمر بعبادة اللّه، وبيان أنه ليس للعباد إله غير اللّه، { قَدْ جَاءَتْكُمْ بَيِّنَةٌ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ } أي: خارق من خوارق العادات، التي لا تكون إلا آية سماوية لا يقدر الناس عليها، ثم فسرها بقوله: { هَذِهِ نَاقَةُ اللَّهِ لَكُمْ آيَةً } أي: هذه ناقة شريفة فاضلة لإضافتها إلى اللّه تعالى إضافة تشريف، لكم فيها آية عظيمة. وقد ذكر وجه الآية في قوله: { لَهَا شِرْبٌ وَلَكُمْ شِرْبُ يَوْمٍ مَعْلُومٍ } وكان عندهم بئر كبيرة، وهي المعروفة ببئر الناقة، يتناوبونها هم والناقة، للناقة يوم تشربها ويشربون اللبن من ضرعها، ولهم يوم يردونها، وتصدر الناقة عنهم. وقال لهم نبيهم صالح عليه السلام { فَذَرُوهَا تَأْكُلْ فِي أَرْضِ اللَّهِ } فلا عليكم من مئونتها شيء، { وَلَا تَمَسُّوهَا بِسُوءٍ } أي: بعقر أو غيره، { فَيَأْخُذَكُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ }

قال علماء التفسير والنسب ثمود بن عاثر بن إرم بن سام بن نوح وهو أخو جديس بن عاثر وكذلك قبيلة طسم كل هؤلاء كانوا أحياء من العرب العاربة قبل إبراهيم الخليل عليه السلام وكانت ثمود بعد عاد ومساكنهم مشهورة فيما بين الحجاز والشام إلى وادي القرى وما حوله وقد مر رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم على ديارهم ومساكنهم وهو ذاهب إلى تبوك في سنة تسع قال الإمام أحمد حدثنا عبد الصمد حدثنا صخر بن جويرية عن نافع عن ابن عمر قال لما نزل رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم بالناس علي تبوك نزل بهم الحجر عند بيوت ثمود فاستقى الناس من الآبار التي كانت تشرب منها ثمود فعجنوا منها ونصبوا لها القدور فأمرهم النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فأهرقوا القدور وعلفوا العجين الإبل ثم ارتحل بهم حتى نزل بهم على البئر التي كانت تشرب منها الناقة ونهاهم أن يدخلوا علي القوم الذين عذبوا وقال "إني أخشى أن يصيبكم مثل ما أصابهم فلا تدخلوا عليهم" وقال أحمد أيضا حدثنا عفان حدثنا عبد العزيز بن مسلم حدثنا عبد الله بن دينار عن عبد الله بن عمر قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وهو بالحجر "لا تدخلوا على هؤلاء المعذبين إلا أن تكونوا باكين فإن لم تكونوا باكين فلا تدخلوا عليهم أن يصيبكم مثل ما أصابهم" وأصل هذا الحديث مخرج في الصحيحين من غير وجه وقال الإمام أحمد أيضا حدثنا يزيد بن هارون المسعودي عن إسماعيل بن أوسط عن محمد بن أبي كبشة الأنماري عن أبيه قال لما كان في غزوة تبوك تسارع الناس إلى أهل الحجر يدخلون عليهم فبلغ ذلك رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فنادى في الناس "الصلاة جامعة" قال فأتيت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وهو ممسك بعنزة وهو يقول "ما تدخلون على قوم غضب الله عليهم "فناداه رجل منهم نعجب منهم يا رسول الله؟ قال "أفلا أنبئكم بأعجب من ذلك: رجل من أنفسكم ينبئكم بما كان قبلكم وبما هو كائن بعدكم فاستقيموا وسددوا فإن الله لا يعبأ بعذابكم شيئا وسيأتي قوم لا يدفعون عن أنفسهم شيئا "لم يخرجه أحد من أصحاب السنن وأبو كبشة اسمه عمر بن سعد ويقال عامر بن سعد والله أعلم وقال الإمام أحمد حدثنا عبد الرزاق حدثنا معمر عن عبد الله بن عثمان بن خيثم عن أبي الزبير عن جابر قال لما مر رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم بالحجر قال "لا تسألوا الآيات فقد سألها قوم صالح فكانت - يعني الناقة - ترد من هذا الفج وتصدر من هذا الفج فعتوا عن أمر ربهم فعقروها وكانت تشرب ماءهم يوما ويشربون لبنها يوما فعقروها فأخذتهم صيحة أخمد الله من تحت أديم السماء منهم إلا رجلا واحدا كان في حرم الله" فقالوا من هو يا رسول الله قال: أبو رغال فلما خرج من الحرم أصاب ما أصاب قومه" وهذا الحديث ليس في شيء من الكتب الستة وهو على شرط مسلم. قوله تعالى "وإلى ثمود" أي ولقد أرسلنا إلى قبيلة ثمود أخاهم صالحا "قال يا قوم اعبدوا الله ما لكم من إله غيره" فجميع الرسل يدعون إلى عبادة الله وحده لا شريك له كما قال تعالى "وما أرسلنا من قبلك من رسول إلا نوحي إليه أنه لا إله إلا أنا فاعبدون" وقال "ولقد بعثنا في كل أمة رسولا أن اعبدوا الله واجتنبوا الطاغوت" وقوله "قد جاءتكم بينة من ربكم هذه ناقة الله لكم آية" أي قد جاءتكم حجة من الله على صدق ما جئتكم به وكانوا هم الذين سألوا صالحا أن يأتيهم بآية واقترحوا عليه بأن تخرج لهم من صخرة صماء عينوها بأنفسهم وهي صخرة منفردة في ناحية الحجر يقال لها الكاتبة فطلبوا منه أن تخرج لهم منها ناقة عشراء تمخض فأخذ عليهم صالح العهود والمواثيق لئن أجابهم الله إلى سؤالهم وأجابهم إلى طلبتهم ليؤمنن به وليتبعنه فلما أعطوه على ذلك عهودهم ومواثيقهم قام صالح عليه السلام إلى صلاته ودعا الله عز وجل فتحركت تلك الصخرة ثم انصدعت عن ناقة جوفاء وبراء يتحرك جنينها بين جنبيها كما سألوا فعند ذلك آمن رئيسهم جندع بن عمرو ومن كان معه على أمره وأراد بقية أشراف ثمود أن يؤمنوا فصدهم ذؤاب بن عمرو بن لبيد والحباب صاحب أوثانهم ورباب بن صعر بن جلهس وكان جندع بن عمرو بن عم له شهاب بن خليفة بن محلاة بن لبيد بن حراس وكان من أشراف ثمود وأفاضلها فأراد أن يسلم أيضا فنهاه أولئك الرهط فأطاعهم فقال في ذلك رجل من مؤمني ثمود يقال له مهوش بن عثمة بن الدميل رحمه الله. وكانت عصبة من آل عمرو إلى دين النبي دعوا شهابا عزيز ثمود كلهم جميعا فهم بأن يجيب فلو أجابــا لأصبح صالح فينا عزيزا وما عدلوا بصاحبهم ذؤابـا ولكن الغواة من آل حجر تولوا بعد رشدهم ذيابـــا وأقامت الناقة وفصيلها بعد ما وضعته بين أظهرهم مدة تشرب من بئرها يوما وتدعه لهم يوما وكانوا يشربون لبنها يوم شربها يحتلبونها فيملأوون ما شاء من أوعيتهم وأوانيهم كما قال في الآية الأخرى "ونبئهم أن الماء قسمة بينهم كل شرب محتضر" وقال تعالى "هذه ناقة لها شرب ولكم شرب يوم معلوم" وكانت تسرح في بعض تلك الأودية ترد من فج وتصدر من غيره ليسعها لأنها كانت تتضلع من الماء وكانت على ما ذكر خلقا هائلا ومنظرا رائعا إذا مرت بأنعامهم نفرت منها فلما طال عليهم واشتد تكذيبهم لصالح النبي عليه السلام عزموا على قتلها ليستأثروا بالماء كل يوم فيقال إنهم اتفقوا كلهم على قتلها قال قتادة بلغني أن الذي قتلها طاف عليهم كلهم أنهم راضون بقتلها حتى على النساء في خدورهن وعلى الصبيان قلت وهذا هو الظاهر لقوله تعالى "فكذبوه فعقروها فدمدم عليهم ربهم بذنبهم فسواها" وقال "وآتينا ثمود الناقة مبصرة فظلموا بها" وقال "فعقروا الناقة" فأسند ذلك على مجموع القبيلة فدل على رضى جميعهم بذلك والله أعلم وذكر الإمام أبو جعفر بن جرير وغيره من علماء التفسير أن سبب قتلها أن امرأة منهم يقال لها عنيزة ابنة غنم بن مجلز وتكنى أم عثمان كانت عجوزا كافرة وكانت من أشد الناس عداوة لصالح عليه السلام وكانت لها بنات حسان ومال جزيل وكان زوجها ذؤاب بن عمرو أحد رؤساء ثمود وامرأة أخرى يقال لها صدقة بنت المحيا بن زهير بن المختار ذات حسب ومال وجمال وكانت تحت رجل مسلم من ثمود ففارقته فكانتا تجعلان لمن التزم لهما بقتل الناقة فدعت صدقة رجلا يقال له الحباب فعرضت عليه نفسها إن هو عقر الناقة فأبى عليها فدعت ابن عم لها يقال له مصدع بن مهرج بن المحيا فأجابها إلى ذلك ودعت عنيزة بنت غنم قدار بن سالف بن جذع وكان رجلا أحمر أزرق قصيرا يزعمون أنه كان ولد زنية وأنه لم يكن من أبيه الذي ينسب إليه وهو سالف وإنما هو من رجل يقال له صهياد ولكن ولد على فراش سالف وقالت له أعطيك أي بناتي شئت على أن تعقر الناقة فعند ذلك انطلق قدار بن سالف ومصدع بن مهرج فاستغويا غواة من ثمود فاتبعهما سبعة نفر فصاروا تسعة رهط وهم الذين قال الله تعالى "وكان في المدينة تسعة رهط يفسدون في الأرض ولا يصلحون" وكانوا رؤساء في قومهم فاستمالوا القبيلة الكافرة بكمالها فطاوعتهم على ذلك فانطلقوا فرصدوا الناقة حين صدرت من الماء وقد كمن لها قدار بن سالف في أصل صخرة على طريقها وكمن لها مصدع في أصل أخرى فمرت على مصدع فرماها بسهم فانتظم به عضلة ساقها وخرجت بنت غنم عنيزة وأمرت ابنتها وكانت من أحسن الناس وجها فسفرت عن وجهها لقدار وزمرته وشد عليها قدار بالسيف فكشف عن عرقوبها فخرجت ساقطة إلى الأرض ورغت رغاة واحدة تحذر سقبها ثم طعن في لبتها فنحرها وانطلق سقبها وهو فصيلها حتى أتى جبلا منيعا فصعد أعلى صخرة فيه ورغا فروى عبد الرزاق عن معمر عمن سمع الحسن البصري أنه قال يا رب أين أمي ويقال أنه رغا ثلات مرات وأنه دخل في صخرة فغاب فيها ويقال إنهم اتبعوه فعقروه مع أمه فالله أعلم. فلما فعلوا ذلك وفرغوا من عقر الناقة وبلغ الخبر صالحا عليه السلام فجاءهم وهم مجتمعون فلما رأى الناقة بكى وقال "تمتعوا في داركم ثلاثة أيام" الآية. وكان قتلهم الناقة يوم الأربعاء فلما أمسى أولئك التسعة الرهط عزموا على قتل صالح وقالوا إن كان صادقا عجلناه قبلنا وإن كان كاذبا ألحقناه بناقته "قالوا تقاسموا بالله لنبيتنه وأهله ثم لنقولن لوليه ما شهدنا مهلك أهله وإنا لصادقون ومكروا مكرا ومكرنا مكرا وهم لا يشعرون فانظر كيف كان عاقبة مكرهم" الآية. فلما عزموا على ذلك وتواطئوا عليه وجاءوا من الليل ليفتكوا بنبي الله فأرسل الله سبحانه وتعالى وله العزة ولرسوله عليهم حجارة فرضختهم سلفا وتعجيلا قبل قومهم وأصبح ثمود يوم الخميس وهو اليوم الأول من أيام النظرة ووجوههم مصفرة كما وعدهم صالح عليه السلام وأصبحوا في اليوم الثاني من أيام التأجيل وهو يوم الجمعة ووجوههم محمرة وأصبحوا في اليوم الثالث من أيام المتاع وهو يوم السبت ووجوههم مسودة فلما أصبحوا من يوم الأحد وقد تحنطوا وقعدوا ينتظرون نقمة الله وعذابه عياذا بالله من ذلك لا يدرون ماذا يفعل بهم ولا كيف يأتيهم العذاب وأشرقت الشمس جاءتهم صيحة من السماء ورجفة شديدة من أسفل منهم ففاضت الأرواح وزهقت النفوس في ساعة واحدة.

Thamud: Their Land and Their Lineage

Scholars of Tafsir and genealogy say that (the tribe of Thamud descended from) Thamud bin `Athir bin Iram bin Sam bin Nuh, and he is brother of Jadis son of `Athir, similarly the tribe of Tasm, and they were from the ancient Arabs, Al-`Aribah, before the time of Ibrahim, Thamud came after `Ad. They dwelled between the area of the Hijaz (Western Arabia) and Ash-Sham (Greater Syria). The Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed by the area and ruins of Thamud when he went to Tabuk (in northern Arabia) during the ninth year of Hijrah. Imam Ahmad recorded that Ibn `Umar said, "When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ went to the area of Al-Hijr in Tabuk with the people, he camped near the homes of Thamud, in Al-Hijr and the people brought water from the wells that Thamud used before. They used that water to make dough and placed the pots (on fire) for cooking. However, the Prophet commanded them to spill the contents of the pots and to give the dough to their camels. He then marched forth with them from that area to another area, near the well that the camel (as will follow) used to drink from. He forbade the Companions from entering the area where people were tormented, saying,

«إِنِّي أَخْشَى أَنْ يُصِيبَكُمْ مِثْلُ مَا أَصَابَهُمْ فَلَا تَدْخُلُوا عَلَيْهِم»

(I fear that what befell them might befall you as well. Therefore, do not enter on them.)" Ahmad narrated that `Abdullah bin `Umar said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said while in the Hijr area,

«لَا تَدْخُلُوا عَلَى هؤُلَاءِ الْمُعَذَّبِينَ إِلَّا أَنْ تَكُونُوا بَاكِينَ فَإِنْ لَمْ تَكُونُوا بَاكِينَ فَلَا تَدْخُلُوا عَلَيْهِمْ أَنْ يُصِيبَكُمْ مِثْلَ مَا أَصَابَهُم»

(Do not enter on these who were tormented, unless you do so while crying. If you are not crying, then do not enter on them, so that what befell them does not befall you, as well.) The basis of this Hadith is mentioned in Two Sahihs.

The Story of Prophet Salih and Thamud

Allah said,

وَإِلَى ثَمُودَ

(And to Thamud), meaning, to the tribe of Thamud, We sent their brother Salih,

قَالَ يَاقَوْمِ اعْبُدُواْ اللَّهَ مَا لَكُمْ مِّنْ إِلَـهٍ غَيْرُهُ

(He said: "O my people! Worship Allah! You have no other god but Him.") All Allah's Messengers called to the worship of Allah alone without partners. Allah said in other Ayat,

وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلاَّ نُوحِى إِلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ لا إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ أَنَاْ فَاعْبُدُونِ

(And We did not send any Messenger before you but We revealed to him (saying): "None has the right to be worshipped but I, so worship Me.") 21:25 and,

وَلَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا فِى كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَّسُولاً أَنِ اعْبُدُواْ اللَّهَ وَاجْتَنِبُواْ الْطَّـغُوتَ

(And verily, We have sent among every Ummah a Messenger (proclaiming): "Worship Allah (Alone), and avoid Taghut (all false deities)") 16:36.

Thamud asked that a Camel appear from a Stone, and it did

Prophet Salih said,

قَدْ جَآءَتْكُم بَيِّنَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ هَـذِهِ نَاقَةُ اللَّهِ لَكُمْ ءَايَةً

("Indeed there has come to you a clear sign from your Lord. This she-camel of Allah is a sign unto you;") meaning, a miracle has come to you from Allah testifying to the truth of what I came to you with. Salih's people asked him to produce a miracle and suggested a certain solid rock that they chose, which stood lonely in the area of Hijr, and which was called Al-Katibah. They asked him to bring a pregnant camel out of that stone. Salih took their covenant and promises that if Allah answers their challenge, they would believe and follow him. When they gave him their oaths and promises to that, Salih started praying and invoked Allah (to produce that miracle). All of a sudden, the stone moved and broke apart, producing a she-camel with thick wool. It was pregnant and its fetus was visibly moving in its belly, exactly as Salih's people asked. This is when their chief, Jundu` bin `Amr, and several who followed him believed. The rest of the noblemen of Thamud wanted to believe as well, but Dhu'ab bin `Amr bin Labid, Al-Habbab, who tended their idols, and Rabbab bin Sum`ar bin Jilhis stopped them. One of the cousins of Jundu` bin `Amr, whose name was Shihab bin Khalifah bin Mikhlat bin Labid bin Jawwas, was one of the leaders of Thamud, and he also wanted to accept the message. However, the chiefs whom we mentioned prevented him, and he conceded to their promptings. The camel remained in Thamud, as well as, its offspring after she delivered it before them. The camel used to drink from its well on one day and leave the well for Thamud the next day. They also used to drink its milk, for on the days she drank water, they used to milk her and fill their containers from its milk. Allah said in other Ayat,

وَنَبِّئْهُمْ أَنَّ الْمَآءَ قِسْمَةٌ بَيْنَهُمْ كُلُّ شِرْبٍ مُّحْتَضَرٌ

(And inform them that the water is to be shared between (her and) them, each one's right to drink being established (by turns)) 54:28 and,

هَـذِهِ نَاقَةٌ لَّهَا شِرْبٌ وَلَكُمْ شِرْبُ يَوْمٍ مَّعْلُومٍ

(Here is a she-camel: it has a right to drink (water), and you have a right to drink (water) (each) on a day, known) 26:155 The camel used to graze in some of their valleys, going through a pass and coming out through another pass. She did that so as to be able to move easily, because she used to drink a lot of water. She was a tremendous animal that had a strikingly beautiful appearance. When she used to pass by their cattle, the cattle would be afraid of her. When this matter continued for a long time and Thamud's rejection of Salih became intense, they intended to kill her so that they could take the water for themselves every day. It was said that all of them (the disbelievers of Thamud) conspired to kill the camel. Qatadah said that he was told that, "The designated killer of the camel approached them all, including women in their rooms and children, and found out that all of them agreed to kill her." This fact is apparent from the wording of the Ayat,

فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَعَقَرُوهَا فَدَمْدمَ عَلَيْهِمْ رَبُّهُمْ بِذَنبِهِمْ فَسَوَّاهَا

(Then they denied him and they killed it. So their Lord destroyed them because of their sin, and made them equal in destruction!) 91:14, and,

وَءَاتَيْنَا ثَمُودَ النَّاقَةَ مُبْصِرَةً فَظَلَمُواْ بِهَا

(And We sent the she-camel to Thamud as a clear sign, but they did her wrong.) 17:59 Allah said here,

فَعَقَرُواْ النَّاقَةَ

(So they killed the she-camel) Therefore, these Ayat stated that the entire tribe shared in agreeing to this crime, and Allah knows best.

Thamud kills the She-Camel

Imam Abu Ja`far Ibn Jarir and other scholars of Tafsir said that the reason behind killing the camel was that a disbelieving old woman among them named Umm Ghanm `Unayzah, the daughter of Ghanm bin Mijlaz, had the severest enmity among Thamud towards Salih, peace be upon him. She had beautiful daughters and she was wealthy, and Dhu'ab bin `Amr, one of the leaders of Thamud, was her husband. There was another noblewoman whose name was Saduf bint Al-Muhayya bin Dahr bin Al-Muhayya, who was of noble family, wealthy and beautiful. She was married to a Muslim man from Thamud, but she left him. These two women offered a prize for those who swore to them that they would kill the camel. Once, Saduf summoned a man called Al-Habbab and offered herself to him if he would kill the camel, but he refused. So she called a cousin of hers whose name was Musaddi` bin Mihraj bin Al-Muhayya, and he agreed. As for `Unayzah bint Ghanm, she called Qudar bin Salif bin Jundu`, a short person with red-blue skin, a bastard, according to them. Qudar was not the son of his claimed father, Salif, but the son of another man called, Suhyad. However, he was born on Salif's bed (and thus named after him). `Unayzah said to Qudar, "I will give you any of my daughters you wish, if you kill the camel." Qudar bin Salif and Musaddi` bin Mihraj went along and recruited several mischievous persons from Thamud to kill the camel. Seven more from Thamud agreed, and the group became nine, as Allah described, when He said,

وَكَانَ فِى الْمَدِينَةِ تِسْعَةُ رَهْطٍ يُفْسِدُونَ فِى الاٌّرْضِ وَلاَ يُصْلِحُونَ

(And there were in the city nine men, who made mischief in the land, and would not reform.) These nine men were chiefs of their people, and they lured the entire tribe into agreeing to kill the camel. So they waited until the camel left the water well, where Qudar waited beside a rock on its path, while Musaddi` waited at another rock. When the camel passed by Musaddi` he shot an arrow at her and the arrow pierced her leg. At that time, `Unayzah came out and ordered her daughter, who was among the most beautiful women, to uncover her face for Qudar, encouraging Qudar to swing his sword, hitting the camel on her knee. So she fell to the ground and screamed once to warn her offspring. Qudar stabbed her in her neck and slaughtered her. Her offspring went up a high rock and screamed. `Abdur-Razzaq recorded from Ma`mar that someone reported from Al-Hasan Al-Basari that the offspring said, "O my Lord! Where is my mother" It was said that her offspring screamed thrice and entered a rock and vanished in it, or, they followed it and killed it together with its mother. Allah knows best. When they finished the camel off and the news reached Prophet Salih, he came to them while they were gathered. When he saw the camel, he cried and proclaimed,

تَمَتَّعُواْ فِى دَارِكُمْ ثَلَـثَةَ أَيَّامٍ

("Enjoy yourselves in your homes for three days.") 11:65

The Wicked Ones Plot to Kill Prophet Salih, But the Torment descended on Them

The nine wicked persons killed the camel on a Wednesday, and that night, they conspired to kill Salih. They said, "If he is truthful, we should finish him before we are finished. If he is a liar, we will make him follow his camel."

قَالُواْ تَقَاسَمُواْ بِاللَّهِ لَنُبَيِّتَنَّهُ وَأَهْلَهُ ثُمَّ لَنَقُولَنَّ لِوَلِيِّهِ مَا شَهِدْنَا مَهْلِكَ أَهْلِهِ وَإِنَّا لَصَـدِقُونَ - وَمَكَرُواْ مَكْراً وَمَكَرْنَا مَكْراً وَهُمْ لاَ يَشْعُرُونَ

(They said: "Swear one to another by Allah that we shall make a secret night attack on him and his household, and thereafter we will surely say to his near relatives: `We witnessed not the destruction of his household, and verily, we are telling the truth."' So they plotted a plot, and We planned a plan, while they perceived not.) 27:49-50 When they conspired to kill Salih and gathered at night to carry out their plot, Allah, to Whom belongs all might and Who protects His Messengers, rained down stones that smashed the heads of these nine people before the rest of the tribe. On Thursday, the first of the three days of respite, the people woke up and their faces were pale (yellow), just as Prophet Salih had promised them. On the second day of respite, Friday, they woke up and found their faces had turned red. On the third day of the respite, Saturday, they woke up with their faces black. On Sunday, they wore the fragrance of Hanut the perfume for enshrouding the dead before burial and awaited Allah's torment and revenge, we seek refuge with Allah from it. They did not know what will be done to them or how and from where the torment would come. When the sun rose, the Sayhah (loud cry) came from the sky and a severe tremor overtook them from below; the souls were captured and the bodies became lifeless, all in an hour.

فَأَصْبَحُواْ فِي دَارِهِمْ جَـثِمِينَ

(And they lay (dead), prostrate in their homes.) They became dead and lifeless and none among them, whether young, old, male or female, escaped the torment. The scholars of Tafsir said that none from the offspring of Thamud remained, except Prophet Salih and those who believed in him. A disbelieving man called Abu Righal was in the Sacred Area at the time and the torment that befell his people did not touch him. When he went out of the Sacred Area one day, a stone fell from the sky and killed him. `Abdur-Razzaq narrated that Ma`mar said that Isma`il bin Umayyah said that the Prophet passed by the gravesite of Abu Righal and asked the Companions if they knew whose grave it was. They said, "Allah and His Messenger know better." He said,

«أَتَدْرُونَ مَنْ هَذَا؟»

قالوا الله ورسوله أعلم، قال

«هَذَا قَبْرُ أَبِي رِغَالٍ رَجُلٍ مِنْ ثَمُودَ كَانَ فِي حَرَمِ اللهِ فَمَنَعَهُ حَرَمُ اللهِ عَذَابَ اللهِ، فَلَمَّا خَرَجَ أَصَابَهُ مَا أَصَابَ قَومهُ فَدُفِنَ هَاهُنَا وَدُفِنَ مَعَهُ غُصْنٌ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ، فَنَزَلَ الْقَوْمُ فَابْتَدَرُوهُ بِأَسْيَافِهِمْ فَبَحَثُوا عَنْهُ فَاسْتَخْرَجُوا الْغُصْن»

(This is the grave of Abu Righal, a man from Thamud. He was in the Sacred Area of Allah and this fact saved him from receiving Allah's torment. When he went out of the Sacred Area, what befell his people also befell him. He was buried here along with a branch made from gold.) So the people used their swords and looked for the golden branch and found it. `Abdur-Razzaq narrated that Ma`mar said that Az-Zuhri said that Abu Righal is the father of the tribe of Thaqif.

And We sent to Thamūd Thamūda read without declining the noun as denoting the tribe of Thamūd itself their brother Sālih. He said ‘O my people worship God! You have no god other than Him. Truly there has come to you a clear proof an illustration from your Lord of my truthfulness this is the she-camel of God a sign for you lakum āyatan is a circumstantial qualifier operated by the import of the demonstrative noun hādhihi ‘this’ they had asked him to make it come out of a specific rock which they had designated. So leave her to feed throughout God’s earth and do not touch her with harm either by hamstringing or beating her lest you be seized by a painful chastisement.

Commentary

These verses tell us about Sayyidna Salih and his people, the Thamud. The account of the people of Sayyidna Nuh (علیہ السلام) and Sayyidna Hud (علیہ السلام) has appeared earlier. Similar introductions of past prophets and their peoples, highlighting the call of truth given by prophets and the disbelief and denial of their peoples, and the terrible consequences that overtook them continue to be the main subject as far as the end of Surah al-A` raf.

In the first of the four verses cited above (73), it was said: وَإِلَىٰ ثَمُودَ أَخَاهُمْ صَالِحًا (And to Thamud, [ We sent ] their brother, Salih). Earlier, in the account given about the people of ` Ad, it was stated that ` Ad and Thamud is the name of two persons who are among the progeny of the same grandfather. The children of these two also came to be known by their name and their two groups became two separate peoples. One of them was called the people of ` Ad and the other, the people of Thamud. They lived in the north-western part of Arabia. Their main city was called Hijr which is now known as Madain Salih. Like the people of ` Ad, the people of Thamud were also wealthy, powerful, brave and artistically inclined. They were skilled in sculpture and architecture. Besides making palaces on open grounds, they were known to hew out mountains and create living spaces and structures on and inside them. In his book, ` Ard al-Qur'an, Maulana Sayyid Sulaiman Nadvi has said that their architectural momentous still exist. They have Iramic and Thamudic inscriptions carved on them.

It generally happens that worldly wealth and high living would estrange people away from the remembrance of their Creator and the ultimate encounter with Him in the Hereafter and push them on to the ways of error - as was the case with the people of Thamud.

Not forgotten by the world of the time, though, was the punishment of Flood that came upon the people of Sayyidna Nuh (علیہ السلام) . Then, for them, the destruction of their brethren, the people of ` Ad was current history. But, wealth and power have a pull of their own. No sooner does one affluent structure collapse on its foundation, there comes another person, another group who would raise a higher structure on the same foundation totally ignoring what had happened before. When the people of ` Ad were destroyed, the people of Thamud inherited their mansions and lands and it was at the same places they erected their venues of luxury, places where their own brethren had faced destruction. And as if this was not enough, they started indulging in the same deeds as were done by the people of ` Ad. They too became heedless of their Creator and unmindful of the Hereafter only to stoop to the level of worshiping idols and associating others in the Divinity of Allah. Then, Allah Ta` ala - in accordance with His constant practice - sent Sayyidna Salih (علیہ السلام) as His messenger so that he would guide them on to the straight path. Sayyidna Salih (علیہ السلام) in terms of his lineage and country, was one of the people of Thamud as he too came from the progeny of Sam. Therefore, the Qur'an has called him a brother of the people of Thamud - as in: اَخَاھُم صٰلِحاً (their brother,

Salih - 73). The call given by Sayyidna Salih (علیہ السلام) to his people is no different from the call messengers from Sayyidna Adam (علیہ السلام) to the last of them have been giving all along - as mentioned in the Qur'an: وَلَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا فِي كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَّ‌سُولًا أَنِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّـهَ وَاجْتَنِبُوا الطَّاغُوتَ (We have sent to every community a messenger so that he tells them to worship Allah and shun idols - 16:36). This is what Sayyidna Salih (علیہ السلام) said to his people, just as it was done by past prophets: يَا قَوْمِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّـهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَـٰهٍ غَيْرُ‌هُ (0 my people, worship Allah. You have no god other than Him).

Then, along with it, he also said قَدْ جَاءَتْكُم بَيِّنَةٌ مِّن رَّ‌بِّكُمْ that is, now there has come to you from your Lord a very clear sign. This ` sign' refers to the unusual she-camel which finds a brief mention in the present verse while details appear in different Surahs of the Qur'an. The background of this event concerning the she-camel goes back to the time when Sayyidna Salih (علیہ السلام) started preaching as a young man. He kept doing his duty until marks of old age started showing on him. He still did not seem to give up. His people became impatient with his repeated efforts to make them believe in one God. So they decided to come up with a demand which it would be impossible for him to fulfill and, as a result, they would prevail as winners of the confrontation. The demand that they made was: If you are really a messenger of Allah, make a she-camel come out from Katibah, this hill of ours, and it has to be in its tenth month of pregnancy while being strong and healthy.

The first thing Sayyidna Salih (علیہ السلام) did was to take a pledge from them. He asked them if he fulfilled this demand of theirs, would they all believe in him and in his Da'wah. When all of them made a compact, Sayyidna Salih (علیہ السلام) made two raka'at of Salah and made a Du` a' before Allah Ta` ala: For You nothing is difficult. Let their demand be fulfilled. Soon after the Du` a', there was a rumble in the hill, a big rock blasted out, and out came a she-camel as demanded.

Seeing this mind-boggling miracle of Sayyidna Salih (علیہ السلام) ، some from among those people became believers instantly. As for the rest of them, they too decided to enter the fold of faith they have been rejecting upto that time. But, some of their chiefs who were the real promoters of idol-worship, talked them out of it. When Sayyidna Salih (علیہ السلام) saw that his people had broken the pledge, he was concerned for them. The danger was that they might be subjected to punishment for having done that. Thus, feeling for them, he advised them not to harm the she-camel in any way, and keep protecting it, in which case, they may stay safe against the danger of punishment, otherwise, they might be seized in punishment immediately. This is the subject matter of what has been said in the following sentences of verse 73: هَـٰذِهِ نَاقَةُ اللَّـهِ لَكُمْ آيَةً ۖ فَذَرُ‌وهَا تَأْكُلْ فِي أَرْ‌ضِ اللَّـهِ ۖ وَلَا تَمَسُّوهَا بِسُوءٍ فَيَأْخُذَكُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ ۔ (This is the she-camel of Allah, a sign for you. So, leave her to eat on the earth of Allah and do not touch her with mischief, lest a painful punishment should seize you). This she-camel has been called ` the she-camel of Allah' because it was a proof of the perfect power of Allah and had appeared in an extra-ordinary manner as a miracle of Sayyidna Salih (علیہ السلام) . The expression: تَأْكُلْ فِي أَرْ‌ضِ اللَّـهِ (to eat on the earth of Allah) indicates that the she-camel should be left free to eat and drink because what she would eat and drink was not owned by them. The earth belonged to Allah and He was the creator of the produce it yielded. So, she was to be left free to eat from the natural grazing grounds of the earth of Allah.

The well from which the people of Thamud got their water was the one from which this she-camel got her share of water to drink. But, when this she-camel, an extra ordinary creation of Allah, drank her share of water, she would drink up all the water in the well. Sayyidna Salih (علیہ السلام) had, following the Divine will, given the verdict that the she-camel would drink water from the well one day and the next day the rest of Thamud people will have water from the well for themselves. It so happened that the day the she-camel drank water from the well, others would get milk from the she-camel, in lieu of water, in such quantity that they would fill out their water containers with it. This distribution of water has been referred to elsewhere in the Qur'an in the following words addressed to Sayyidria Salih (علیہ السلام) وَنَبِّئْهُمْ أَنَّ الْمَاءَ قِسْمَةٌ بَيْنَهُمْ ۖ كُلُّ شِرْ‌بٍ مُّحْتَضَرٌ‌ ﴿28﴾ (54:28) that is, the water of the well is to be divided between them, one day for the she-camel and the other for his people, and this distribution will be watched by angels lest anyone does against it.' In another verse (26:155), it was said: قَالَ هَـٰذِهِ نَاقَةٌ لَّهَا شِرْ‌بٌ وَلَكُمْ شِرْ‌بُ يَوْمٍ مَّعْلُومٍ ﴿155﴾ that is, ` this is a she-camel of Allah; water for one day is her right and water for the other day is fixed for you'.