The story of prophet saleh

Introduction:

This blog is going to talk about The Story of prophet Saleh. Prophet Saleh was one of the four Arab prophets who were mentioned in the Holy Quran. The four Arab prophets were Shuaib, Hood, Saleh and Mohammad. Allah sent  prophet Saleh to his people (Thamud). The people of Thamud appeared after the people of Aad. The story of torture was repeated in a different form with the people of Thamud. Thamud was a tribe who worshiped heathen gods and stone idols. For this reason, Allah sent prophet Saleh to them. Allah mentioned Saleh in the Holy Quran when Allah said (ayah): (61) in Surah Hood

وَإِلَىٰ ثَمُودَ أَخَاهُمْ صَـٰلِحًۭا ۚ قَالَ يَـٰقَوْمِ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَـٰهٍ غَيْرُهُۥ ۖ هُوَ أَنشَأَكُم

ٱلْأَرْضِ وَٱسْتَعْمَرَكُمْ فِيهَا فَٱسْتَغْفِرُوهُ ثُمَّ تُوبُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهِ ۚ إِنَّ رَبِّى قَرِيبٌۭ مُّجِيبٌۭ

The story of Thamud in the Quran:

The story of prophet Saleh and Thamud is in the holy Quran. Allah mentioned Thamud and Saleh saying: ayah (61) surah Hood. ((“and to Thamud, We sent their brother Saleh who said: Oh my people worship Allah; you do not have a Lord other than Allah. Allah created you in the land and made you flourish in it. Repent to Allah and ask for His forgiveness. My Lord is truly close by and He answers your prayers”)). It is the same word which all prophets and messengers say. It does not change. This is because the truth does not change. The elite of the people of Saleh were surprised by what he was saying. Saleh said that their gods were useless. Therefore, the story of Thamud in the Quran is interesting.

Saleh’s struggle with the elite:

We should learn the story of  prophet Saleh. Saleh declared that their gods were useless. He ordered the elite not to worship these gods. Moreover, he ordered them to worship Allah Alone. The call of Saleh caused a huge quake and shake in their society. Saleh was known for his wisdom, purity and goodness. Saleh’s people had respected him before he received the revelation and his message. The stunned people of Saleh replied saying: ((“ they said oh, Saleh, you had been respected amongst us before you ordered us not to worship those idols which our grandparents have been worshiping. We are very dubious about what you are calling us to do.”)) ayah (62) surah Hood.

قَالُوا۟ يَـٰصَـٰلِحُ قَدْ كُنتَ فِينَا مَرْجُوًّۭا قَبْلَ هَـٰذَآ ۖ أَتَنْهَىٰنَآ أَن نَّعْبُدَ مَا يَعْبُدُ ءَابَآؤُنَا وَإِنَّنَا لَفِى شَكٍّۢ مِّمَّا تَدْعُونَآ إِلَيْهِ مُرِيبٍۢ

The elite tried to dissuade saleh:

The story of prophet Saleh is a good story to learn. Saleh was a respectable man for his people. They tried every possible means to dissuade him from his call. The elite said that they were very dubious about his call. Though they said he was a reasonable man, they did not agree with what he was calling for. They would never leave the idols which their grandfathers worshiped. Therefore, they rejected the call of saleh. They could not imagine themselves worshiping Allah alone. The story of Saleh reminds us of The Story of prophet Mohammad. Before the revelation, the elite of Makkah respected prophet Mohammad a lot. However, when he called them to abandon their idols and worship Allah Alone, they were the bitterest enemies to him. So, we should learn the story of Thamud in The Quran.

The miracle of prophet Saleh:

Despite the logic and the truth of prophet Saleh’s call, his people would not believe him. They thought that he was under the effect of a certain spell. They challenged him to bring them a stunning miracle to persuade them. Allah responded to their request. The people of Thamud carved huge houses on the cliff. The people of Saleh  used rocks in building their houses. Thamud  were really very tough people. They enjoyed good wealth and good income. Thamud appeared after the people of Aad. They lived in the land after the people of Aad. For this reason, prophet Saleh told them that he brought them  the she-camel of Allah.

Thamud and the she-camel:

Saleh asked his people to leave the she-camel to graze in the land of Allah. He warned them not to touch the she-camel or harm it. Otherwise, they would be tortured. This is in surah hood, ayah (64)(ayah).

وَيَـٰقَوْمِ هَـٰذِهِۦ نَاقَةُ ٱللَّهِ لَكُمْ ءَايَةًۭ فَذَرُوهَا تَأْكُلْ فِىٓ أَرْضِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا تَمَسُّوهَا بِسُوٓءٍۢ فَيَأْخُذَكُمْ عَذَابٌۭ قَرِيبٌۭ

The she-camel was a miracle because a rock in the mountain split one day. The she-camel got out of the rock. The she- camel has a baby camel without being pollinated. It also drank all the water in their wells in one day. All other animals and humans could not drink during that day. It was also a miracle because it secreted so much milk that it was sufficient for the tribe of thamud to drink.

The she-camel of Allah:

That she-camel was a true miracle because it was not an ordinary she-camel. Allah commanded them to leave it to graze. In addition, Allah commanded them not to harm it. Moreover, Allah warned them against killing the she-camel. If they did, a nearby torture would take them. At first, thamud was astonished at the she-camel. This was really a blessed she-camel. That was a sign of Allah, more than an ordinary she-camel. It lived with them. Few people believed that Saleh was a true prophet. However, a lot of them did not believe in Saleh. They were stubborn blasphemers. They only wanted the sign to challenge Saleh, not to believe in Allah.

The way Saleh called his people to believe:

Saleh used to be kind and gentle when he invited people to believe in his call.  However, the hostile elite conspired to kill the she-camel. They hated Saleh as well as the camel. One night, the elite met and decided to kill Saleh and the camel. They were concerned about their worldly interests. Therefore, one of them suggested killing the she-camel and Saleh himself. They resorted to violence and arms instead of discussion and debate. However, one of the attendants reminded them of Saleh’s warning. Nevertheless, they hastily chose the reckless one who could commit the great crime. They selected nine ruthless criminals for the task.

The final crime and punishment:

The conspirators met and prepared themselves for killing the she-camel. While the blessed she-camel was peacefully sleeping, the nine criminals attacked it. The she-camel woke up in panic. They tried to slaughter it. They injured the she-camel. Saleh knew about their crime. He angrily went to his people. They told him that they killed the she-camel and asked him to bring them his alleged torture if he were truthful. Saleh replied to them saying just enjoy yourselves for three days in your houses. Surah Hood (ayah 65).

فَعَقَرُوهَا فَقَالَ تَمَتَّعُوا۟ فِى دَارِكُمْ ثَلَـٰثَةَ أَيَّامٍۢ ۖ ذَٰلِكَ وَعْدٌ غَيْرُ مَكْذُوبٍۢ

Shortly after that, Saleh left his people. It was over. Allah promised Saleh to ruin his unjust people three days later. At the same time, Saleh’s people mocked him. At the dawn of the fourth day, they heard one horrible cry. Everything died. All the people of Saleh were destroyed in one cry.  They died before they knew what had happened. Only Saleh and  the believers survived.