The people of Thamud lived in area called ‘madayain-salih’ , some 400 kilometers north-west of Madinah. These people used to make huge palaces and large carved houses inside the mountains. They were Idol worshippers.
Allah swt addresses them in Quran(7:74)
“And remember when He made you successors after the 'Aad and settled you in the land, [and] you take for yourselves palaces from its plains and carve from the mountains, homes. Then remember the favors of Allah and do not commit abuse on the earth, spreading corruption.”
Allah swt sent Salih(A.S) to the people of Thamud as His messenger who invited them to worship Allah swt and leave the idols. Its written in the Quran(11:61)
“And to Thamud [We sent] their brother Salih. 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. Indeed, my Lord is near and responsive."
Yet the people of Thamud turned against him. They would proudly claim that only they can build such beautiful houses inside mountains, how can they not be the loved ones of Allah? Then they demanded a miracle from Salih(A.S) in order to prove his claims.
They demanded formation of a she-camel from a nearby mountain who can immediately give birth to a baby camel. Allah swt says in the Quran regarding this(7:73)
“And to the Thamud [We sent] their brother Salih. He said, "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.”
So their desire for a miracle was fulfilled and Allah swt produced a she-camel out of the mountain. Salih(A.S) instructed his people that they set turn on drinking the water such that one day the she-camel will drink water and the next day the people will drink water.
The Quran says regarding this(26:155-156)
“He said, "This is a she-camel. For her is a [time of] drink, and for you is a [time of] drink, [each] on a known day. And do not touch her with harm, lest you be seized by the punishment of a terrible day."
Initially the people let the she-camel roam free and they would use her milk for their own household use. But soon the people started losing patience with the she-camel as they could not wait one day for water. So they wounded and killed the she-camel. Her baby camel, crying, ran and disappeared in the same mountain from where the she-camel had appeared.
So Salih(A.S) warned them of an Incoming Allah swt’s Punishment. Its written in the Quran(11:65)
“But they hamstrung her, so he said, "Enjoy yourselves in your homes for three days. That is a promise not to be denied."
Finally, a huge scream overcame them and all of them died, except a few, who had followed Salih(A.S) message. The Quran mentions this incident(11:66-68)
“So when Our command came, We saved Salih and those who believed with him, by mercy from Us, and [saved them] from the disgrace of that day. Indeed, it is your Lord who is the Powerful, the Exalted in Might. And the shriek seized those who had wronged, and they became within their homes [corpses] fallen prone. As if they had never prospered therein. Unquestionably, Thamud denied their Lord; then, away with Thamud.”
There’s a story that Prophet(pbuh) and his companions stayed at this place after the expedition of Tabuk. When offered water from a nearby well by local Bedouins, Prophet(pbuh) not only refused to drink the water but he also instructed his companions to move away from this place as soon as possible.
Traditions and guides tell that the signs of Allah’s Punishment on people of Thamud still exist in madayain-Salih today and they present a lesson to us that if we disobey Allah swt’s Command then we can also be a target of Allah’s Punishment.
By Jahanzaib Jamshed
**The pictures attached beneath are of houses carved by people of Thamud in mountains as seen today.
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