After the destruction of Aad, the tribe of Thamud succeeded them in power and glory. The people of Thamud were located in what is today known as Madyan Saleh in Saudi Arabia.
As their material wealth increased so, did their evil ways and their character became worse. They started to worship idols. Like the people of Ad, they built huge buildings on the plains and made beautiful homes out of the hills. They took great pride in their fertile farmland and grand architecture. They became very proud and arrogant.
Allah SWT chose Saleh (pbuh) from amongst the Thamud as a prophet. Saleh (pbuh) told his people, “O my people. Worship Allah, you have no other God but him.” S.11:61.
Saleh was known for his wisdom, purity and goodness and had been greatly respected by his people before Allah’s revelation came to him. Saleh’s (pbuh) people said to him: “0 Saleh! We always liked you and thought that one day you would be our chief, till this new thing which you have brought, that we leave our gods and worship your Allah alone! Do you forbid us the worship of what our fathers have worshiped? We do not believe in your God.
Eventually, the people of Thamud asked Saleh for a miracle, to prove that he was indeed a true prophet of Allah SWT.
They pointed at a rock that they worshipped, and demanded: “Ask your Lord to make a she-camel – which must be ten months pregnant, tall and attractive – issue from the rock for us.”
Saleh replied: “If Allah agrees to your demand, do you promise to believe in him, his angels, his books and his messengers.
They answered: “Yes.”
Saleh then prayed to Allah to grant them their request. Allah ordered the distant rock to split, bringing forth a great ten-month pregnant she-camel. When the people saw the camel, they were amazed. Some believed instantly while a great majority including the rich and the leaders of the Thamud thought it was magic. According to Quran Saleh (Pbuh) said to his people, “Oh my people! Worship Allah; there is no other god but Him. Now comes to you a clear sign from your Lord! This camel is a sign for you, so leave her to graze in Allah’s earth, and let her come to no harm, or you will be seized with a horrible punishment.
There are a number of ancient accounts of this camel and its miraculous nature. It was said that the she-camel was miraculous because a rock in the mountain split open and the camel came forth from it she gave birth to the baby camel after 3 days. The camel started nursing her newborn and the people of Thamud’s mouth watered as they looked at the milk. They hurried over to their Prophet Saleh and informed him that the camel had given birth.
They said to him, “We want to make use of the camel of Allah that for whose sake you invoked Him. For, her calf will not drink all of her milk …and this milk may be blessed.”
Saleh informed them that they were allowed the camel’s milk by Allah’s grace. However, he divided the water between the camel and them.
He said, “You shall leave the water for the camel to drink while you drink from her milk, and on the second day you drink the water and leave the milk for the camel to nurse her newborn with.”
The people agreed to their Prophet’s suggestion. In this way, the camel’s existence as a never-ending source of milk began. Allah had blessed the milk so that it covered the needs of the entire nation of Thamud.
The camel was loved by all those who followed Saleh (pbuh) and believed in his prophethood. The old chiefs of the Thamud however, looked at the camel with hatred, as it reminded them of Saleh’s truthfulness in claiming to be a prophet of God.
Saleh feared that they might kill the camel, so he warned them: “0 my people! This she-camel of Allah is a sign to you, leave her to feed on Allah’s earth, and touch her not with evil, or Allah’s punishment will seize you.” Surah 11: 64
The disbelievers now began complaining that this huge she-camel with its unusual qualities drank most of the water and frightened their cattle. They watched the camel closely, observing all its movements. A group of seven disbelievers were chosen to kill the camel. Out of these 7, two took the lead, having been offered the hand in marriage of two beautiful girls, as reward for their evil act.
As the she-camel came to drink at the well, one of the disbelievers shot it in the leg with an arrow. The she-camel tried to escape but could not because of the arrow. Another disbeliever, followed the camel and struck it with a sword in the other leg. As it fell to the ground, he killed it with his sword.
The killers were given a hero’s welcome, cheered with songs and poetry composed in their praise. In their arrogance they mocked Saleh, but he warned them: “Enjoy life for three more days then the punishment will come down upon you.” Saleh was hoping that they would see the stupidity of their ways and change their attitude before the punishment of Allah.
“Why three days? Why not today?” they asked. “Let the punishment come as quickly as possible. Your Allah couldn’t protect His own camel. How do you think he will harm us?”
He pleaded with them: “My people, why do you want Allah to show His anger to you? Why do you not ask Allah for his forgiveness, so that you may receive mercy?”
They replied: “We see your presence and that of your followers as bringing evil on us.”
The Chiefs of the disbelievers, now decided to kill Saleh and his family, but Allah SWT spoilt their plans.
Three days after Saleh’s warning, Allah SWT sent his punishment. Thunderbolts filled the air, followed by severe earthquakes, which destroyed the entire tribe and its homeland. The land was violently shaken, destroying all living creatures in it. There was one terrible cry which had hardly ended when the disbelievers were struck dead in their homes. The Quran says, “So the earthquake took them unaware, and they lay prostrate in their homes in the morning”. Neither their strong buildings nor their homes made of stone could protect them.
According to a hadith. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was passing by Thamud’s houses on his way to the battle of Tabuk, he stopped together with the people there. The people fetched water from the wells from which the people of Thamud used to drink. They prepared their dough (for baking) and filled their water-skins from it (the water from the wells). The Prophet of Allah ordered them to empty the water-skins and give the prepared dough to the camels. Then he went away with them until they stopped at the well from which the she-camel (of Saleh) used to drink. He warned them against entering upon the people who had been punished, saying: “I fear that you may be affected by what afflicted them; so do not enter upon them.”