صَالِح
Salih
A she-camel given as a clear sign, and a people who hamstrung her in defiance
Salih was sent to Thamud, a people who had carved their homes directly from mountains and settled comfortably in the land after 'Ad. God gave them a specific, undeniable sign through him — a she-camel, with an appointed turn to drink from the same water as the rest of the people, and a single condition: do not touch her with harm. Their story turns entirely on how they answered that one condition, and on the single moment they broke it.
You carve from the mountains, homes
To Thamud, God sent their brother Salih. He said: my people, worship God — you have no deity other than Him. He has produced you from the earth and settled you in it, so ask His forgiveness and turn to Him; my Lord is near and responsive. Elsewhere he reminds them that they were made successors after 'Ad, settled in the land, taking palaces from its plains and carving homes from the mountains with skill — and tells them to remember God's favors rather than spread corruption on the earth.
وَإِلَىٰ ثَمُودَ أَخَاهُمْ صَٰلِحًۭا ۗ قَالَ يَٰقَوْمِ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَٰهٍ غَيْرُهُۥ ۖ قَدْ جَآءَتْكُم بَيِّنَةٌۭ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ ۖ هَٰذِهِۦ نَاقَةُ ٱللَّهِ لَكُمْ ءَايَةًۭ ۖ فَذَرُوهَا تَأْكُلْ فِىٓ أَرْضِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَلَا تَمَسُّوهَا بِسُوٓءٍۢ فَيَأْخُذَكُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌۭ
And to the Thamud [We sent] their brother Salih. He said, "O my people, worship Allah; you have no deity other than Him. There has come to you clear evidence from your Lord. This is the she-camel of Allah [sent] to you as a sign. So leave her to eat within Allah 's land and do not touch her with harm, lest there seize you a painful punishment.
وَٱذْكُرُوٓا۟ إِذْ جَعَلَكُمْ خُلَفَآءَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ عَادٍۢ وَبَوَّأَكُمْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ تَتَّخِذُونَ مِن سُهُولِهَا قُصُورًۭا وَتَنْحِتُونَ ٱلْجِبَالَ بُيُوتًۭا ۖ فَٱذْكُرُوٓا۟ ءَالَآءَ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا تَعْثَوْا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ مُفْسِدِينَ
And remember when He made you successors after the 'Aad and settled you in the land, [and] you take for yourselves palaces from its plains and carve from the mountains, homes. Then remember the favors of Allah and do not commit abuse on the earth, spreading corruption."
۞ وَإِلَىٰ ثَمُودَ أَخَاهُمْ صَٰلِحًۭا ۚ قَالَ يَٰقَوْمِ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَٰهٍ غَيْرُهُۥ ۖ هُوَ أَنشَأَكُم مِّنَ ٱلْأَرْضِ وَٱسْتَعْمَرَكُمْ فِيهَا فَٱسْتَغْفِرُوهُ ثُمَّ تُوبُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهِ ۚ إِنَّ رَبِّى قَرِيبٌۭ مُّجِيبٌۭ
And to Thamud [We sent] their brother Salih. He said, "O my people, worship Allah; you have no deity other than Him. He has produced you from the earth and settled you in it, so ask forgiveness of Him and then repent to Him. Indeed, my Lord is near and responsive."
كَذَّبَتْ ثَمُودُ ٱلْمُرْسَلِينَ
Thamud denied the messengers
إِذْ قَالَ لَهُمْ أَخُوهُمْ صَٰلِحٌ أَلَا تَتَّقُونَ
When their brother Salih said to them, "Will you not fear Allah?
إِنِّى لَكُمْ رَسُولٌ أَمِينٌۭ
Indeed, I am to you a trustworthy messenger.
فَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُونِ
So fear Allah and obey me.
وَتَنْحِتُونَ مِنَ ٱلْجِبَالِ بُيُوتًۭا فَٰرِهِينَ
And you carve out of the mountains, homes, with skill.
This is the she-camel of God, a sign for you
Salih told them: there has come to you clear evidence from your Lord — this is the she-camel of God, sent to you as a sign. Leave her to eat within God's land, and do not touch her with harm, or a painful punishment will seize you. She was given her own turn to drink, and the people their own turn, each on a known day — and the warning was repeated plainly: do not touch her with harm, lest you be seized by the punishment of a terrible day.
وَإِلَىٰ ثَمُودَ أَخَاهُمْ صَٰلِحًۭا ۗ قَالَ يَٰقَوْمِ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَٰهٍ غَيْرُهُۥ ۖ قَدْ جَآءَتْكُم بَيِّنَةٌۭ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ ۖ هَٰذِهِۦ نَاقَةُ ٱللَّهِ لَكُمْ ءَايَةًۭ ۖ فَذَرُوهَا تَأْكُلْ فِىٓ أَرْضِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَلَا تَمَسُّوهَا بِسُوٓءٍۢ فَيَأْخُذَكُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌۭ
And to the Thamud [We sent] their brother Salih. He said, "O my people, worship Allah; you have no deity other than Him. There has come to you clear evidence from your Lord. This is the she-camel of Allah [sent] to you as a sign. So leave her to eat within Allah 's land and do not touch her with harm, lest there seize you a painful punishment.
قَالَ هَٰذِهِۦ نَاقَةٌۭ لَّهَا شِرْبٌۭ وَلَكُمْ شِرْبُ يَوْمٍۢ مَّعْلُومٍۢ
He said, "This is a she-camel. For her is a [time of] drink, and for you is a [time of] drink, [each] on a known day.
وَلَا تَمَسُّوهَا بِسُوٓءٍۢ فَيَأْخُذَكُمْ عَذَابُ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍۢ
And do not touch her with harm, lest you be seized by the punishment of a terrible day."
They hamstrung her
They hamstrung the she-camel, insolent toward their Lord's command, and told Salih: bring us what you promise us, if you are a messenger. Salih answered: enjoy yourselves in your homes for three days — that is a promise that will not fail.
فَعَقَرُوا۟ ٱلنَّاقَةَ وَعَتَوْا۟ عَنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّهِمْ وَقَالُوا۟ يَٰصَٰلِحُ ٱئْتِنَا بِمَا تَعِدُنَآ إِن كُنتَ مِنَ ٱلْمُرْسَلِينَ
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."
فَعَقَرُوهَا فَقَالَ تَمَتَّعُوا۟ فِى دَارِكُمْ ثَلَٰثَةَ أَيَّامٍۢ ۖ ذَٰلِكَ وَعْدٌ غَيْرُ مَكْذُوبٍۢ
But they hamstrung her, so he said, "Enjoy yourselves in your homes for three days. That is a promise not to be denied."
فَعَقَرُوهَا فَأَصْبَحُوا۟ نَٰدِمِينَ
But they hamstrung her and so became regretful.
فَقَالَ لَهُمْ رَسُولُ ٱللَّهِ نَاقَةَ ٱللَّهِ وَسُقْيَٰهَا
And the messenger of Allah [Salih] said to them, "[Do not harm] the she-camel of Allah or [prevent her from] her drink."
فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَعَقَرُوهَا فَدَمْدَمَ عَلَيْهِمْ رَبُّهُم بِذَنۢبِهِمْ فَسَوَّىٰهَا
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].
The earthquake seized them
When the command came, Salih and those who believed with him were saved by mercy from God, spared the disgrace of that day — and the shriek seized those who had wronged, leaving them fallen within their own homes. Elsewhere the same end is described as an earthquake seizing them where they stood, and the closing verse of the shortest account states plainly that their Lord brought the destruction down upon them equally for their sin, and does not fear the consequence of it.
فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ ٱلرَّجْفَةُ فَأَصْبَحُوا۟ فِى دَارِهِمْ جَٰثِمِينَ
So the earthquake seized them, and they became within their home [corpses] fallen prone.
فَعَقَرُوهَا فَقَالَ تَمَتَّعُوا۟ فِى دَارِكُمْ ثَلَٰثَةَ أَيَّامٍۢ ۖ ذَٰلِكَ وَعْدٌ غَيْرُ مَكْذُوبٍۢ
But they hamstrung her, so he said, "Enjoy yourselves in your homes for three days. That is a promise not to be denied."
فَلَمَّا جَآءَ أَمْرُنَا نَجَّيْنَا صَٰلِحًۭا وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مَعَهُۥ بِرَحْمَةٍۢ مِّنَّا وَمِنْ خِزْىِ يَوْمِئِذٍ ۗ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ ٱلْقَوِىُّ ٱلْعَزِيزُ
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.
وَأَخَذَ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ ٱلصَّيْحَةُ فَأَصْبَحُوا۟ فِى دِيَٰرِهِمْ جَٰثِمِينَ
And the shriek seized those who had wronged, and they became within their homes [corpses] fallen prone
وَلَا يَخَافُ عُقْبَٰهَا
And He does not fear the consequence thereof.