The Call to Thamud and the Sign of the She-Camel
After the destruction of 'Ad, a new nation called Thamud rose to power. They were remarkable builders, carving magnificent homes directly into mountains and building palaces upon the plains. Allah sent them a prophet from among themselves: Salih (AS).
وَإِلَىٰ ثَمُودَ أَخَاهُمْ صَٰلِحًۭا ۗ قَالَ يَٰقَوْمِ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَٰهٍ غَيْرُهُۥ ۖ قَدْ جَآءَتْكُم بَيِّنَةٌۭ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ ۖ هَٰذِهِۦ نَاقَةُ ٱللَّهِ لَكُمْ ءَايَةًۭ ۖ فَذَرُوهَا تَأْكُلْ فِىٓ أَرْضِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَلَا تَمَسُّوهَا بِسُوٓءٍۢ فَيَأْخُذَكُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌۭ
"And to the Thamūd [We sent] their brother Ṣāliḥ. He said, 'O my people, worship Allāh; you have no deity other than Him. There has come to you clear evidence from your Lord. This is the she-camel of Allāh [sent] to you as a sign. So leave her to eat within Allāh's land and do not touch her with harm, lest there seize you a painful punishment.'"
— Surah Al-A'raf 7:73
Salih (AS) called his people to worship Allah alone, just as every prophet before him had done. As a clear sign confirming his message, Allah sent forth a she-camel — naqatullah, "the she-camel of Allah" — a miraculous creature given specifically as evidence of his truthfulness. He commanded them to let her graze freely and never to harm her, warning that doing so would bring a painful punishment.
وَٱذْكُرُوٓا۟ إِذْ جَعَلَكُمْ خُلَفَآءَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ عَادٍۢ وَبَوَّأَكُمْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ تَتَّخِذُونَ مِن سُهُولِهَا قُصُورًۭا وَتَنْحِتُونَ ٱلْجِبَالَ بُيُوتًۭا ۖ فَٱذْكُرُوٓا۟ ءَالَآءَ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا تَعْثَوْا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ مُفْسِدِينَ
"And remember when He made you successors after the ʿAad 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 Allāh and do not commit abuse on the earth, spreading corruption."
— Surah Al-A'raf 7:74
Salih (AS) reminded them of Allah's favor: they had inherited the earth after the destruction of 'Ad, and Allah had given them remarkable skill — building palaces upon the plains and carving entire homes out of solid mountains. He urged them to remember these blessings with gratitude rather than using their skill and prosperity to spread corruption on the earth.
His people's response revealed a deep divide within their society.
قَالَ ٱلْمَلَأُ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱسْتَكْبَرُوا۟ مِن قَوْمِهِۦ لِلَّذِينَ ٱسْتُضْعِفُوا۟ لِمَنْ ءَامَنَ مِنْهُمْ أَتَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ صَٰلِحًۭا مُّرْسَلٌۭ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦ ۚ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا بِمَآ أُرْسِلَ بِهِۦ مُؤْمِنُونَ
"Said the eminent ones who were arrogant among his people to those who were oppressed - to those who believed among them, 'Do you [actually] know that Ṣāliḥ is sent from his Lord?' They said, 'Indeed we, in that with which he was sent, are believers.'"
— Surah Al-A'raf 7:75
The arrogant elite mocked the weaker, oppressed believers among Thamud, questioning their certainty about Salih (AS)'s prophethood. But the believers, despite their lower social standing, answered with firm conviction: they truly believed in the message he carried.
قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱسْتَكْبَرُوٓا۟ إِنَّا بِٱلَّذِىٓ ءَامَنتُم بِهِۦ كَٰفِرُونَ
"Said those who were arrogant, 'Indeed we, in that which you have believed, are disbelievers.'"
— Surah Al-A'raf 7:76
The arrogant elites declared their disbelief openly and proudly, rejecting the very same truth that the oppressed among them had embraced. Their pride blinded them to the evidence right before their eyes.