Description of the People of Thamud

Description of the People of Thamud

Adand Thamud were two great civilizations destroyed by God due to their excessive wickedness. After the destruction of the Ad, the tribe of Thamud OR Samud succeeded them in power and glory. They also fell to idol-worshipping. As their material wealth increased so, too, did their evil ways while their virtue decreased. Like the people of Ad, they erected huge buildings on the plains and hewed beautiful homes out of the hills. Tyranny and oppression became prevalent as evil men ruled the land.

 

Description of Salih/Saleh

So Allah sent unto them His Prophet Salih (PBUH), a man from among them. His name was Salih Ibn Ubeid, Ibn Maseh, Ibn Ubeid, Ibn Hader, Ibn Thamud, Ibn Ather, Ibn Eram, Ibn Noah. He called his people to worship Allah alone, and to not associate partners with Him. While some of them believed him, the majority of them disbelieved and harmed him by both words and deeds.
Salih directed them: "O my people! Worship Allah, you have no other Ilah (god) but Him." Quran Surah Hud 11:61

Salih was known for his wisdom, purity and goodness and had been greatly respected by his people before Allah's revelation came to him. Salih's people said to him: "O Salih(Saleh)! You have been among us as a figure of good hope and we wished for you to be our chief, till this, new thing which you have brought that we leave our gods and worship your God (Allah) alone! Do you now forbid us the worship of what our fathers have worshipped? But we are really in grave doubt as to that which you invite us to monotheism." Quran Surah Hud 11:62
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Salih's People Demand a Miracle

They merely wanted to worship the same gods as their fathers had, with no reason, no proof, no thought. The proof of Salih's (PBUH) message was evident, but despite this it was obvious that most of his people did not believe him. They doubted his words, thinking he was charmed, and they saw that he would not stop preaching. Fearing that his followers would increase, they tried to put him off by assigning him an important task; to prove that he was a messenger of Allah by performing a miracle. Let a unique she camel issue from the mountains. Allah granted Salih this miracle and a huge, unique, she camel appeared from the direction of the mountain. The Quranic commentators said that the people of Thamud gathered on a certain day at their meeting place, and the prophet Salih (PBUH) came and addressed them to believe in Allah, reminding them of the favors Allah had granted them. Then pointing at a rock, they demanded: "Ask your Lord to make a she camel, which must be 10 months pregnant, tall and attractive, issue from the rock for us." Salih replied: "Look now! If Allah sends you what you have requested, just as you have described, will you believe in that which I have come to you with and have faith in the message I have been sent with?" They answered: "Yes." So he took a vow from them on this, then prayed to Allah the Almighty to grant their request. Allah ordered the distant rock to split asunder, to bringing forth a great ten month pregnant she camel. When their eyes set on it, they were amazed. They saw a great thing, a wonderful sight, a dazzling power and clear evidence! A number of Salih's people believed, yet most of them continued in their disbelief, stubbornness, and going astray. Allah the Almighty said: "We sent the she camel to Thamud as a clear sign, but they did her wrong. (Ch 17:59) and also: "Verily the dwellers of Al Hijr (the rocky tract) denied the Messengers. We gave them Our Signs, but they were averse to them. (Ch 15:80-81 Quran) There are a number of ancient accounts of this camel and its miraculous nature. It was said that the she camel was miraculous because a rock in the mountain split open and it came forth from it, followed by its young offspring. Other accounts said that the she camel used to drink all the water in the wells in one day, and no other animals could approach the water. Still others claimed that the she camel produced milk sufficient for all the people to drink, on the same day that it drank all the water, leaving none for them. At first, the people of Thamud were greatly surprised when the she camel issued from the mountain rocks. It was a blessed camel, and its milk sufficient for thousands of men, women and children. If it slept in a place that place was abandoned by other animals. Thus it was obvious that is was not an ordinary camel, but one of Allah's signs. It lived among Salih's people, some of whom believed in Allah while the majority continued in their obstinacy and disbelief. Their hatred of Salih turned towards the blessed she camel and became centered on it. A conspiracy started to be hatched against the camel by the disbeliveers, and they secretly plotted against it. Salih feared that they might kill the camel, so he warned them: "O my people! This she camel of Allah is a sign to you, leave her to feed on Allah's earth, and touch her not with evil lest a near torment will seize you." (Ch 11:64 Quran) For awhile, Salih's people let the camel graze and drink freely, but in their hearts they hated it. However, the miraculous appearance of the unique camel caused many to become Salih's followers, and they clung to their belief in Allah.

About the She-camel

The disbeliveers now began complaining that this huge she camel with its unusual qualities drank most of the water and frightened their cattle. They laid a plot to kill the camel, and sought the help of their women folk to tempt the men to carry out their commands. Saduq bint of Mahya, who was from a rich and noble family, offered herself to a young man named Masrai Ibn Mahraj on condition that he hamstring the camel. Aniza, an old woman, offered one of her daughters to a young man, Qudar Ibn Saluf, in return for killing the camel. Naturally these young men were tempted and set about finding seven others to assist them. They watched the camel closely, observing all its movements. As the she camel came to drink at the well, Masarai shot it in the leg with an arrow. It tried to escape but was hampered by the arrow. Qudar followed the camel and struck it with a sword in the other leg. As it fell to the ground, he pierced it with his sword. The killers were given a hero's welcome, cheered with songs and poetry composed in their praise. In their arrogance they mocked Salih, but he warned them: "Enjoy life for 3 more days then the punishment will descend upon you." Salih was hoping that they would see the folly of their ways and change their attitude before the three days went out. "Why three days?" they asked. "Let the punishment come as quickly as possible." He pleaded with them: "My people, why do you hasten to evil rather than good? Why do not you ask pardon of Allah so that you may receive mercy?" They replied: "We see your presence and that of your followers as bringing evil on us." Almighty Allah related their story: "And indeed We sent to Thamud their brother Salih, saying "Worship Allah Alone and none else." Then look! They became two parties (believers and disbeliveers) quarreling with each other. He said: "O my people! Why do you seek to hasten the evil (torment) before the good (Allah's Mercy)? Why seek you not the Forgiveness of Allah, that you may receive mercy?" They said: We augur till omen from you and those with you." he said: "Your ill omen is with Allah; nay, but you are a people that are being tested." And there were in the city nine men (from the sons of their chiefs), who made mischief in the land, and would not reform. They said: "Swear to another by Allah that we shall make a secret night attack on him and his household, and afterwards 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. Then see how was the end of their plot! Verily! We destroyed them and their nation, all together. These are their houses in utter ruin, for they did wrong. Verily, in this is indeed an Ayah (a lesson or a sign) for people who know. We saved those who believed, and used to fear and obey Allah. (Ch 27:45-53 Quran) Reference Link

Miracle Stories: The She-Camel of Allah

The Story of Prophet Saleh Since 2014-04-20 The way God chose to speak to the people of Thamud was through the story of a camel! The Story of Prophet Saleh By Idris Tawfiq Many of the Prophets mentioned in the Quran, are Prophets shared with Christianity and Judaism, for their stories are often told in the Bible. Such Prophets as Moses, David, Solomon, and Abraham are just a few of the famous names. Islam, of course, recognizes all former Prophets, believing that God Almighty (Allah) sent them throughout the history of mankind to every nation to speak His message. {Indeed! We sent a messenger to every nation} [An-Nahl:36] Muslims believe that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the very last in a long line of such messengers. His message was for all people and for all time. The Quran, though, also tells us about some Prophets who are not mentioned in the Bible. One of these is Prophet Saleh (peace be upon him). His story is interesting because God does not just tell it once in the Quran, but many times. Prophet Saleh lived in the region of Al-Hajr, which was located along the trade route from southern Arabia to Syria. The city of "Madain Saleh" lies several hundred kilometers north of Madinah in modern-day Saudi Arabia, is named after him. The rock dwellings in which the people lived are still to be seen there to this day. Saleh was called to preach a message to the people of Thamud. According to the Quran, these people cultivated very rich fertile land, and they had become very vain because of their wealth. They also worshipped many gods, oppressed the poor in their midst and lived lives which were far from the kind of lives Allah wanted them to lead. Saleh's message was very simple: He told his people to turn away from the bad behavior and to turn, instead, to the One God, Allah, who gave them all the good things they enjoyed. Now that doesn't seem a very difficult message to grasp, does it? Yet the people of Thamud were very stubborn in their ways, and refused to accept the message which Saleh was bringing them. God works in very strange ways, sometimes quite beyond our comprehension. The way God chose to speak to the people of Thamud was through the story of a camel! This is, perhaps, the first thing we should note about the story of Saleh as it is told in the Quran. God can choose any way to convey His message to us. We are often slow to understand, but He can speak to us through people and events, or He can even speak to us through the example of a camel. The fact that He tells us the story not once, but many times, is a sure sign that its message is important. The story as told in the Quran goes like this. The people of Thamud were very vain and they refused to accept that Saleh was a messenger sent from God, so they asked him for a sign to prove his credentials. [Hud:62] They asked him, in fact, not just for any sign, but something quite specific. They pointed at a huge rock that was standing by itself, and proposed to him that he ask his God to create a she-camel out of it. Despite their obstinacy, Saleh did this, on the condition that they would believe in God if he produced the she-camel from the rock, and to this they agreed. Saleh then fervently prayed to God to answer their request. The huge rock moved and split, and from it came a wonderful she-camel, which was pregnant and soon to give birth. God provided the Thamud people with this miracle to test them, to see if they would obey His orders. Saleh told them: {O my people! This she-camel of Allah is a sign to you. Leave her to feed on Allah's earth, and inflict no harm on her, or a swift punishment will seize you!} [Hud:64] The camel lived among people of Thamud, and soon gave birth to a calf. Some of the people accepted to believe in God because of what they had seen, and because of what they had promised. Others, however, did not, and they began to hate the camel, as it reminded them of Saleh and of the promise they had made to him. It used to graze among their herds and drink from their water. In fact, one day it would drink, and the next day the other animals would drink. Saleh told them to let it drink from the water of the well for one day, and leave it to them the second day as Allah ordered: {She has a right to drink (water), and you have a right to drink water, each on a day appointed} [Al-Qamar:28] Instead of convincing them to be kind to the animal, they actually chose to harm it. [Al-A`raf:75-7] As if their disbelief was not enough, they also challenged Saleh to bring down the punishment of God upon them if he was, indeed, a Prophet. Nine men amongst them, known for their mischief and prompted on by some of the women, went to the camel and its calf at night time, and they killed them both. Saleh was angry at what they had done. The camel had surely done them no harm, he said. {Enjoy yourselves in your homes for three days. This is a promise that will not be belied} [Hud:65] Despite their scoffing and scorn for his message, the people were destroyed. [11:67-68] Saleh and the people who were left moved from that place, never to return. Lessons From the Story The message of Saleh must be important or God would not have repeated it so often in the Quran. So what does it tell us today? How can this episode of a camel teach modern men and women how to live? Well, first of all it teaches us that we should not put God to the test, asking for signs and proofs from Him, when the whole of creation is surely one great sign of His goodness to the world. He has repeatedly sent His messengers to us, but we are very slow to believe. It teaches us, also, not to disobey God, but to listen to His Prophets and messengers and be prompt to do what they say. The story of Saleh teaches us an important fact about ourselves. We agree with God when things are going good for us, but then we go back on what we have promised to Him, turning back to our previous ways. Think of how many times we have pleaded for such and such a thing, promising to do all manner of good things in return. When we get what we want, we tend to forget our promises very quickly. Finally, the message of Saleh is a salutary one for today's world. It teaches us that God will not be mocked. He, the Creator of the heavens and the earth and everything in between, is in charge of all things. Sometimes humans think they can fool Him and act against His will, but all things are within His grasp. He can put an end to our stubbornness at any moment if He chooses to. We think we are so important and so clever, with our nuclear weapons and our ability to send people into outer space, while at the same time, like the people of Thamud, we oppress the poor, and deny even simple people their rights. Prophet Saleh (peace be upon him) teaches us something very important: that doing God's will is a reward in itself. We need neither signs nor proofs nor congratulations for doing it. [26:145]
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Saleh (alayhi salam) is Sent to Thamud
The people of Thamud were people who were blessed with strength and intelligence. Buildings they built were carved into the mountains, and they were very oppressive and tyrannical to other people. Moreover, they denied the blessings of Allah upon them and were staunchly involved in their idol worship. Allah, out of His Mercy and Benevolence, sent to them a Messenger from among themselves, the Prophet Saleh alayhi salam. He invited his people to worship Allah alone. He said,
‘My people, worship God. You have no god other than Him. It was He who brought you into being from the earth and made you inhabit it, so ask forgiveness from Him, and turn back to Him: my Lord is near, and ready to answer.’ [1]
He invited his people to Allah, told them of the blessings of Allah in creating them, and reminds them of the mercy of Allah- my Lord is near, and ready to answer. Yet, Thamud make a mockery of him, and question his intelligence!
‘Saleh, We used to have such great hope in you. Will you forbid us to worship what our fathers worshipped? We are in grave doubt about what you are asking us to do.’ [2]

Thamud demand a miracle

Thamud just wanted to live their lives as they knew it, not willing to go out of their comfort zone. They had comfortable lives doing idol worship, and attributed many of their successes to their idols. Moreover, they thought that Saleh alayhi salam was possessed and mentally disturbed. However, on the ground things were different. Some people were being receptive to the message of the Prophet Saleh alayhi salam and they wanted an end to that. They didn’t want to be challenged by what they saw to be a new religion, and wanted to cut its root off.
One day Saleh alayhi salam called the people on a certain day, and he reminded them of Allah and advised them to be conscious of Allah and to believe in Him. Then the people made a unique challenge to the Prophet Saleh:
“Ask your Lord to make a she camel, which must be 10 months pregnant, tall and attractive, issue from the rock for us.”
Saleh alayhi salam replied: “Look now! If Allah sends you what you have requested, just as you have described, will you believe in that which I have come to you with and have faith in the message I have been sent with?”
They answered: “Yes.” [3]
Saleh alayhi salam really wanted his people to believe in Allah. He wanted good for them so much that he prayed and prayed to Allah so that Allah sends a female camel, 10 months pregnant from the hills. Then, lo and behold, Allah split the rock asunder, and out came a camel!

The Camel had its rights; so does the Quran.

Scholars mention many of the characteristics of the camel. It produced so much milk that thousands of villagers could be fed. However, it would drink water from the well on one day, and everyone else could drink water from that well on the other day. It came with a lot of barakah but it had its conditions too. Similarly, the Quran is a blessed book, and has given us more than just milk, it has given life to our dead hearts. However, it has its conditions as well. We are to obey what is in the book, we are to give the book and by extension the commands in it, their due rights.

Killing the camel

However, Thamud were not impressed. They hated the camel— some simply because they had to accept Allah, some because they didn’t want the people to accept Islam and some people simply because the camel was supposedly “restricting” their lives. Similarly we at times feel that the Quran is “restricting” our lives and not letting us live the life we had wanted. A blessing from Allah comes with a responsibility. The Quran came with a responsibility and if we take it we are rewarded. If we choose not to take it, we are going to be punished. Similarly, Thamud decided to remove this camel from their lives and killed it. And then Allah sent down upon them a severe punishment. This is a warning sign to us, that if we are to get complacent with the Quran, try and remove it from our lives, we are asking for destruction, in this life and also in the hereafter.
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