people of Prophet Saalih succeeded them in power and glory. They, like
their predecessors, fell to idol-worshipping. As their material wealth
increased so, too, did their evil ways, while their virtue decreased.
Like the people of 'Aad, 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.
Allaah, the Exalted, sent unto them His Prophet Saalih a man from
among them. His full name was Saalih Ibn Ubeid Ibn Maseh Ibn Ubeid Ibn
Hader Ibn Thamood Ibn Ather Ibn Eram, Ibn Noah (Nooh ). He called his
people to worship Allaah alone, and not to associate any partners with
Him. While some of them believed him, the majority of themdisbelieved
and harmed him by both words and deeds. Allaah Said in the Quran (what
means): "And to Thamood [We sent] their brother Saalih.He said, 'O my
people, worship Allaah; you have no deity other than Him...' " [Quran
11:61]
Prophet Saalih was known for his wisdom, purity and goodness and had
been greatly respected by his people before Allaah's revelationcame to
him. Almighty Allaah mentions what his people said to him in the
Quranic verses (which mean): "O Saalih, you were among us a man of
promise before this. Do you forbid us to worship what our fathers
worshipped? And indeed we are, about that to which you invite us, in
disquieting doubt." [Quran 11:62]
They merely wanted to worship the same gods as their fathers had, with
no reason, no proof, and no thought. The proof of Prophet Saalih's
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 in number, they tried to put him off by
assigning him an important task; to prove that he was a messenger of
Allaah by performing amiracle. They asked him to let a unique
she-camel emerge from the mountains.
Allaah Almighty granted Prophet Saalih this miracle and a huge, unique
she-camel appeared from the direction of the mountain. The Quranic
commentators said that the people of Thamood gathered on a certain day
at their meeting place, and prophet Saalih came and addressed them to
believe in Allaah,reminding them of the favors Allaah had grantedthem.
Then, pointing at a rock, they demanded: "Ask your Lord to make a
she-camel, which must be10 months pregnant, tall and attractive, issue
fromthe rock for us." Prophet Saalih replied: "Look now! If Allaah
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 sentwith?" They answered: "Yes." So he took a
vow from them on this, and then prayed to Allaah, The Almighty, to
grant their request. Allaah ordered the distant rock to split asunder,
to bring 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 clearevidence!
A number of Prophet Saalih's people believed, yet most of them
continued in their disbelief, stubbornness, and going astray. Allaah,
the Almighty, said in the Noble Quran (what means): "And We gave
Thamood the she-camel as a visible sign, but they wronged her." [Quran
17:59] And (what means): "And certainly did the companions of al-Hijr
(628) [i.e. the Thamood] deny the messengers." [Quran 15:80-81]
There are a number of accounts by Quranic commentators of this
she-camel and its miraculous nature. It wassaid that the she-camel was
miraculous because a rock in the mountain split open and it came forth
from it, followed byits young offspring. Otheraccounts 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 allthe water, leaving none for them.
At first, the people of Thamood were greatly surprised when the
she-camel emerged from the mountain rocks. It was a blessed beast, and
its milk sufficient for thousands of men, women and children. If
itslept in a place that placewas abandoned by other animals. Thus it
was obvious that is was not an ordinary she-camel, but one of Allaah's
signs.
Their hatred of Prophet Saalih turned towardsthe blessed she-camel and
became centered on it. A conspiracy started to be hatched against the
miraculous beast by the disbelievers, and they secretly plotted
against it.
Prophet Saalih feared that they might kill her, so he warned them
saying (what means): "And O my people, this is the she-camel of Allaah
— [she is] to you a sign. So let her feed upon Allaah's earth and do
not touch her with harm, or you will be taken by an impending
punishment. " [Quran 11:64]
For a while, Prophet Saalih's people let the camel graze and drink
freely, but in their hearts they hated it. However, the miraculous
appearance of the unique she-camel caused many to become his
followers, and they clungto their belief in Allaah.
The disbelievers 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 thebeast, and sought the help of their women
folk to tempt the men to carryout their commands. A lady named Saduq
Bint Mahya, who was from a rich and noble family, offered herself to a
young man named Masrai Ibn Mahraj on condition that he hamstrings the
she-camel. Aneezah, an old woman, offered one of her daughters to a
young man, Qudaar Ibn Saluf, in return for killingthe she-camel.
Naturally, these young men were tempted and set about finding seven
others to assist them.
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