In the Shade of the Qur'an by Sayyid Qutb

The same call is repeated by every messenger. The sūrah deliberately uses the same words as it reports what each messenger said to his people. Thus it stresses the unity of the message in its basis and essence: namely, belief in God’s oneness, fearing Him and obeying His messenger.

The sūrah then adds what was special in the Thamūd’s case. They used to inhabit an area known as al-Ĥijr, in north Arabia, between the Ĥijāz and Syria. The Prophet and his companions passed through this area on their way to Tabūk, seeing the ruined city for themselves. In this account of their history we see their brother, Şāliĥ, reminding them of the blessings God has favoured them with and warning them against their being withdrawn from them. He also warns them of the impending reckoning and accountability: “Will you be left secure [forever] in the midst of what you have here, among gardens and springs and plantations and palm-trees laden with ripe fruit?

You carve dwellings out of the mountains with great skill.” (Verses 146-149)

They enjoy such luxury as Şāliĥ describes here, but they pay no attention to it and how it came about. Nor do they express any gratitude to the One who has blessed them with it. Hence, their brother describes this in full to awaken their hearts so that they will appreciate it and fear its withdrawal. What he says to them alerts slumbering minds: “Will you be left secure in the midst of what you have here?” (Verse 146) Do you think that you will be left to enjoy this luxury you have been blessed with? Such luxury is given a further air of splendour as it is left unspecified. Do you, then, feel secure that it can never be terminated or withdrawn? Will you be left in such gardens, springs, plantations and palm trees that give you dates so ripe that are very easy to digest? Will you be left in these homes you skilfully carve out in rocky mountains, giving them an extra air of splendour?

Having touched their hearts with this reminder, Şāliĥ calls on them to fear God, remain obedient and separate themselves from those who pay no heed to what is right and indulge instead in corruption: “So, fear God and pay heed to me. And pay no heed to the counsel of those who are given to excesses — who spread corruption on earth instead of setting things to rights.” (Verses 150-152)

His words, however, do not touch their hardened hearts, and they pay no attention to him: “They said: You are but one who has been bewitched. You are only a human being like us. So bring us a sign if you are a man of truth.” (Verses 153-154) They first describe him as one bewitched and, as such, one who does not know what he is talking about. It is as though only a madman will call on his people to worship God alone.

“You are only a human being like us.” (Verse 154) Whenever a messenger of God addressed them, people were always troubled by this point. They always had a flawed concept of what a messenger should be like. They could not understand God’s wisdom of choosing ordinary people as His messengers, nor could they appreciate the honour God grants to mankind by choosing His messengers from among themselves, making them the leaders that receive light and guidance from Him. They felt that a messenger of God should be of a different type of creation, since he brings them information from on high, and tells them of the realm that lies beyond their perception. The fact is that humanity is incapable of appreciating that God so honoured such a man, giving him the ability to be in direct contact with the Supreme Society while still on earth. A man like others, going about his life in a normal way: eating, drinking, sleeping, marrying, walking about the streets and market places, and experiencing all the desires and feelings that occur to everyone else.

Across all generations people demanded from each messenger a miracle to prove that he was truly sent by God: “Bring us a sign if you are a man of truth.” (Verse 154)

Thus, the Thamūd demanded a miracle and God responded to His servant, Şāliĥ, giving him a sign in the form of a she-camel. We will not try to give details of its physical appearance, as have some commentators on the Qur’ān, because we have no authentic reliable source giving such a description. Instead, we will only say that she was a miracle, just as the Thamūd had asked for: “He said: Here is a she-camel: she shall have her drinking share, and you shall have your drinking share, each on an appointed day.

Do not harm her, lest suffering befall you on an awesome day.” (Verses 155-156)

Thus, Şāliĥ produced the she-camel making it a condition that the water where they took their cattle to drink should be divided between them, leaving it all for the she-camel one day and taking whatever they wanted from it on the following day.

They would not trespass her rights on her day, and she would not come near them on their day. Thus, her days and her drinking were separate from theirs. He warned them against doing her any harm, for that would ensure that a mighty suffering would befall them.

What did this miraculous sign do to the stubborn and arrogant Thamūd? It did nothing to inspire their hardened hearts to accept the true faith. Nor did it give light to their souls living in darkness. The challenge the camel represented was there for them to meet, but they did not care. Nor did they even fulfil their pledges: “But they cruelly slew her; then they became regretful.” (Verse 157) The ones who actually slew her were those who had spread corruption in the land.

Şāliĥ had given them clear warnings, delivering these very seriously, but they feared nothing. Hence, the offence was shared by them all, as also the punishment.

They regretted their crime, but such regret was too late. Hence, “So the suffering befell them.” (Verse 158) No details are given of the punishment in order to give an impression of the speed of events.

Then the sūrah concludes this passage with its usual comment: “Indeed, there is in this a sure sign; yet most of them will not believe. And indeed it is your Lord who is the Mighty One, the Merciful.” (Verses 158-159)