Tafsir of Surah Hood - Verse 61

The Story of Salih and the People of Thamud

Allah, the Exalted, says,

و

(And) This is an introduction to that which is implied, "Verily, We sent."

إِلَى ثَمُودَ

(to Thamud) They were a group of people who were living in cities carved from the rocks, between Tabuk and Al-Madinah (in Arabia). They lived after the people of `Ad, so Allah sent to them,

أَخَاهُمْ صَـلِحاً

(their brother Salih.) He (Salih) commanded them to worship Allah alone. He said to them,

هُوَ أَنشَأَكُمْ مِّنَ الاٌّرْضِ

(He brought you forth from the earth) This means: `He began your creation from it (the earth). From it He created your father, Adam.'

وَاسْتَعْمَرَكُمْ فِيهَا

(and settled you therein,) This means: `He made you prosperous in the earth. You are settled in it and you treasure it.'

فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ

(then ask forgiveness) `This is in reference to your previous sins. '

ثُمَّ تُوبُواْ إِلَيْهِ

(and turn to Him in repentance.) `This is in reference to the future.'

إِنَّ رَبِّى قَرِيبٌ مُّجِيبٌ

(Certainly, my Lord is Near (to all by His knowledge), Responsive.) This is similar to Allah's statement,

وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ

(And when My servants ask you concerning Me, then (answer them), I am indeed Near (to them by My knowledge). I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me.) 2:186

After that, the next eight verses (61-68) carry the story of Sayyidna Salih peace be upon him. He was sent to the people of Thamud, another branch of the tribe of ` Ad. He too invited his people to believe in Tauhid, the Oneness of Allah. As customary, his people belied him and insisted that he must first make a she-camel of a specified description come out from the rock of the mountain in front of them in order to have them believe that he was a true prophet of Allah.

Sayyidna Salih (علیہ السلام) warned them: If Allah Ta` ala shows you your custom-ordered miracles, and you still fail to believe, then, according to the customary practice of Allah, the punishment will come and destroy all of you. But, they remained obstinate and Allah Ta` a1a, in His perfect power, made the miracle they demanded manifest before them. The rock of the mountain in front of them split asunder. Out from it came the she-camel bearing the features specified by them. Allah Ta` ala ordered them not to harm that she-camel in any manner, otherwise the punishment will come upon them. But, they disobeyed this order as well, and killed the she-camel. Consequently, they were seized by Allah Ta` ala, Sayyidna Salih (علیہ السلام) and his companions were saved from the punishment, and the rest of those people were destroyed by a Sound which was severe and terrifying.

The Prophet Salih the successor of Ad called upon his community to worship the one and only God. Indeed, this had been the aim of all the prophets in every age. But, Salih’s community did not accept his message. The reason for this was that he was talking of linking them directly to God, while they held that they were linked to their great and holy men in the name of God. Now, since Salih’s sole strength was the power of reasoning, his community was not impressed by the significance of what he had to say. The importance of the religion which Salih was urging them towards would have been clear if they had given due consideration to God’s revelation and signs. But the members of his community were willing to give due recognition only to that religion which had come down to them through the records and traditions of the leading lights of their community. The result was that the community, in spite of being overwhelmed by his arguments, were in a dilemma of doubt. Like all other prophets, as Salih grew up in his community he was recognised as one who was distinctive in personality and intelligence. It was hoped that, on growing up, he would prove to be a useful member of society. But, things took a different turn and he started criticising the religion prevalent at that time. Seeing this, his people were greatly disappointed in him. They said, ‘We were under the impression that you would be a pillar of our established religious system. On the contrary, we see that you are bent upon proving our religious system baseless.’ In every period God’s true missionaries had to face this sort of reaction on the part of their communities.