Prophet Salih and the People of Thamud

Prophet Salih (peace be upon him) was sent to the people of Thamud, an ancient Arabian tribe that succeeded the people of 'Ad. The Thamud were known for their skill in carving dwellings out of mountains and rock: "And remember when He made you successors after 'Ad and settled you in the land, taking from its plains palaces and carving from the mountains homes" (Quran 7:74). Despite the clear example of 'Ad's destruction before them, the Thamud also fell into polytheism and were given a miraculous sign that they ultimately rejected.

Salih's Message

Salih called his people to Tawhid with patience and clarity: "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" (Quran 7:73). The leaders of Thamud demanded a miracle as proof of Salih's prophethood. By Allah's power, a she-camel emerged from a rock, a living miracle that the people could see with their own eyes.

The She-Camel and Its Destruction

The she-camel was extraordinary in size and drank from the well on alternating days with the rest of the tribe's animals. She was a clear, ongoing sign of Allah's power. The arrangement was simple: one day for the she-camel to drink, the next day for the people's livestock. Despite this, the wicked among the Thamud plotted to kill the she-camel. A man named Qudaar ibn Salif hamstrung and killed her: "But they hamstrung her and so He said, 'Enjoy yourselves in your homes for three days. That is a promise not to be denied'" (Quran 11:65). The killing of the she-camel was an act of supreme arrogance: the people defied a clear sign of Allah, daring to challenge divine authority.

The Destruction of Thamud

After three days, the punishment came: "So the earthquake seized them, and they became within their home fallen prone" (Quran 7:78). In another description: "Indeed, We sent upon them one blast from the sky, and they became like the dry twig fragments of an animal pen" (Quran 54:31). The Thamud, with all their architectural skill and mountain fortresses, were utterly destroyed. Their carved dwellings remain as archaeological evidence: the area of al-Hijr (Mada'in Salih) in northwestern Saudi Arabia contains the remains of Nabataean-era rock-cut tombs that Islamic tradition associates with the Thamud. The Prophet (peace be upon him) passed by this area during the expedition to Tabuk and ordered his companions not to enter these dwellings except in a state of weeping, as a lesson from history.