In the Shade of the Qur'an by Sayyid Qutb

In the majority of cases when an account of the history of the Prophet Şāliĥ and the Thamūd is given, it constitutes part of a series of histories involving the Prophets Noah, Had, Lot and Shu`ayb. Sometimes we also have an account of Abraham. In this sūrah, particular emphasis is given to prophets sent to the Children of Israel:

Moses, David and Solomon. We have no account of Hūd, Shu`ayb or Abraham.

In the present account of Şāliĥ we have no mention of the she- camel which was the miracle given to him. Instead, we are given the episode involving nine wicked people who plotted to assassinate him and his household. They conspired against him when he was totally unaware, but God foiled their scheming, destroyed them and their community, leaving the homes of the wrongdoers empty to serve as a lesson to following generations. He saved those who believed and led God-fearing lives. The idolaters in Makkah often passed by the destroyed dwellings of the Thamūd, yet still they did not take heed.

“To the Thamūd We sent their brother, Şāliĥ, and he said: “Worship God alone’, but they split into two contending factions.” (Verse 45) In this verse the whole message Şāliĥ conveyed to his people is summed up in one point, “worship God alone,’ which is the basis of the divine message to mankind throughout all generations, and with all prophets and messengers. Although everything around man in the universe and within man himself urges belief in this fundamental truth, humanity lived for countless generations denying or deriding this basic and simple fact. It continues to deliberately evade it today, taking divergent routes that lead it away from the right and straight path.

The sūrah mentions the attitude of Şāliĥ’s people after he had endeavoured to persuade them to believe, but they split into two factions: one that responded to him and the other who opposed him. The latter formed the majority, as we are told elsewhere in the Qur’ān.

We then have a gap in the story, which is common in Qur’ānic narration, and we sense that those who denied Şāliĥ’s message tried to hasten God’s punishment against which he had warned them, rather than praying for God’s guidance and mercy. In this they were the same as the Quraysh who also precipitated God’s punishment. Şāliĥ criticized their attitude and tried to direct them to seek God’s forgiveness, so that they might receive His mercy: “Said [Şāliĥ]: My people, why do you seek to hasten evil instead of hoping for the good? Why do you not seek God’s forgiveness, so that you may be graced with His mercy?” (Verse 46)

The hearts of unbelievers can reach such a level of corruption that they appeal to God, saying: “God, if this be indeed Your revealed truth, then rain down upon us stones from the skies, or inflict grievous suffering on us.” (8: 32) They say this rather than praying to God to guide them to believe in the truth He has revealed. While this verse refers to what the Quraysh said, Şāliĥ’s people said something similar, rejecting their prophet’s appeals that they should repent, seek God’s forgiveness and pray for His mercy. They even justified their irritation with him and his followers by saying that they constituted a bad omen and that they expected evil to befall them as a result of their presence: “They answered: We augur evil from you and those that follow you.” (Verse 47)

The Arabic text uses the verb iţţyrnā, rendered here as ‘we augur evil’. It refers to the different superstitious habits of ignorant people who refuse to accept the clarity of faith. In Arabia a person who was about to take a serious decision would scare a bird. If the bird flew towards the right rather than the left, the man felt optimistic about his decision and went ahead with it. If the bird flew to the left, the man would be gloomy, expecting evil. Needless to say, birds know nothing of the world that lies beyond our perception. Their spontaneous flight cannot tell us anything about the unknown. But it is ingrained within human nature that it cannot live without something unknown to which it attributes what lies beyond its knowledge and ability. When it does not attribute this, through faith, to God who knows all that lies beyond the reach of any creature’s perception, it attributes it to legend and superstition that know no limit and follow no logic.

Many are those who deny God, and refuse to attribute to Him what lies beyond human perception, describing it as religious fallacy, while claiming for themselves a superior standard of knowledge. At the same time they attach much importance to the number 13, or to a black cat crossing their path, or to lighting two cigarettes with one match, or other such superstitious notions. This is indicative of the way people resist human nature and its need for faith. Indeed human nature cannot dispense with faith in its attempt to explain many universal phenomena which human knowledge has not yet fathomed. Indeed some of these will always remain beyond the reach of human knowledge, because they exceed human ability which is given to man in accordance with what he needs for the fulfilment of his task of building life on earth.

When Şāliĥ’s people stated their stupid excuse, one which betrayed their superstitious confusion, Şāliĥ put the truth clearly before their eyes: “Said he: The evil you augur can come only from God.” (Verse 47) Everything that relates to your fortunes, future and destiny lies with God. He has set certain rules, commanded people to comply with His laws, and set clear before them the way to ensure their happiness.

Whoever follows divine guidance will have its good results, without any need to scare a bird in order to decide what path to follow. Those who deviate from His guidance will reap evil results, even though their scared birds may reassure them by the direction of their flight.

“You are indeed people undergoing a test.” (Verse 47) You are certainly being tested with whatever happens to you, good or bad, and with God’s bounty that is given to you. Therefore, to stay alert, study events and recognize that they are part of the trial that will ensure good results which can never be achieved through pursuing omens.

True faith makes people evaluate things properly, motivates them to reflect on what takes place all around them. It makes them realize that it all happens by God’s will, while nothing is the result of blind coincidence. Thus, life increases in value and people attain a higher spiritual standard. Man makes his journey through life on this planet without any isolation from the universe around him, or its Creator who conducts its affairs, or the laws of nature operated by God to ensure the continuity of the universe.

This sound approach is, however, accepted only by sound hearts which have not been twisted by irrevocable deviation from the truth.

Among Şāliĥ’s people there were nine leaders who were irreconcilable in their opposition to his call. Hence, they plotted against him and his family:

There were in the city nine men who did evil deeds in the land, and would not do any good. They said: ‘Let us swear a mutual oath by God that we shall suddenly kill him and his household by night; and then we shall boldly say to his next of kin, “We did not witness the destruction of his household; and we are indeed telling the truth.” (Verses 48-49)

These nine people had left no room in their hearts for the truth and its message.

They were determined to bring matters to a head after they found Şāliĥ’s argument overpowering. Hence they devised a plot. Most singularly, they agreed under oath by God to kill Şāliĥ and his family under the cover of darkness. All this when he asked nothing other than that they believe in God and worship Him alone. It is also singular that they should not only swear to kill him and his family, but that they were also intent on denying any knowledge of the crime. “We are indeed telling the truth.” They would kill them in darkness, and as such they would not see the killing and hence would not be witnesses to it.

What a stupid, shallow trick! Yet they used it to reassure themselves and justify their lies. It is certainly singular that such people were so keen to sound truthful given the circumstances. When it is blinded to God’s guidance which shows the straight path, human nature betrays countless such twists and deviations.

So they schemed and plotted, but God was watching them, aware of their scheming: “They devised a scheme; but We also devised a scheme, while they could not perceive it.” (Verse 50) The gap between the two schemes, and the two powers behind them is too far to bridge. Yet often are those who have power deceived by their resources, oblivious to the watching eye that never sleeps. They do not reckon with God’s power as it takes them suddenly and from where they do not expect: “Behold what all their scheming came to in the end: We destroyed them utterly, together with all their people, and their dwellings are now empty, ruined, because of their wrongdoing.” (Verses 51- 52)

It is only a brief moment yet destruction engulfs them, leaving their homes empty with no soul surviving. A moment earlier they had been scheming their evil plot. The sūrah deliberately portrays the two scenes in quick succession, in order to highlight the devastating element that takes unawares those plotters who are deceived by their power, thinking their scheme perfectly worked out.

“In this there is a clear sign for people of knowledge.” (Verse 52) The sūrah as a whole and its comments on the stories it relates repeatedly emphasizes the importance of knowledge.

Following this image of surprise punishment, the sūrah then mentions that those believers who were conscious of God and feared Him were saved: “And we saved the people who believed and were God-fearing.” (Verse 53) A person who fears God is spared other fears.

It is clearly stated in a sacred ĥadīth that “God will not allow two types of fear to afflict a believer.’ Thus, a believer who truly fears God will fear no one else.