Prophet Salih (peace be upon him)

Salih (peace be upon him) was sent by Allah to the people of Thamud — an ancient Arab civilization that inhabited the region of Al-Hijr (Mada'in Salih) in northwestern Arabia, between the Hejaz and Greater Syria. The Thamud succeeded the 'Ad in inhabiting the land, and like their predecessors they became prosperous and powerful, carving magnificent dwellings into the faces of mountains and cliffs. Yet they too fell into polytheism and arrogance. Allah sent Salih from among the Thamud to call them to the worship of Allah alone. Salih reminded them of the lessons of the 'Ad who had come before them, warning that the same fate could befall them if they rejected the truth. The Quran records his appeal (Surah Hud 11:61): "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.'" The people of Thamud demanded a miraculous sign to prove Salih's prophethood. By the permission and power of Allah, a she-camel emerged from a rock — a clear, undeniable miracle. Allah designated this camel as a sign and commanded the Thamud to let her graze freely and drink from the water. Salih warned them: "O my people, this is the she-camel of Allah — a sign for you. So let her graze freely in the land of Allah and do not touch her with harm, lest a near punishment seize you" (Surah Hud 11:64). Despite the miracle, the Thamud defied the command. Their leaders incited the killing of the she-camel — a defiant act of rejection of both the sign of Allah and the warning of His prophet. Salih gave them three days to repent, after which Allah's punishment would come. On the fourth day, a mighty blast (al-sayhah) struck the Thamud, and the entire civilization was destroyed. Only Salih and the believers were saved. The ruins of the Thamud civilization survive to this day in the archaeological site of Mada'in Salih in Saudi Arabia — a tangible reminder of what befalls those who reject the message of Allah. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, when passing through that area during the Tabuk expedition, instructed his Companions to pass through quickly and not to drink from its water, out of respect for the divine punishment that had struck there.