Salih (peace be upon him) was a prophet Allah (﷾) sent to the people of Thamud. They had gardens and springs, and they carved their homes out of the mountains. Salih called them to worship Allah (﷾) alone. As a sign, Allah (﷾) gave them a she-camel, and told them to let her drink and graze in peace. They harmed her instead. Allah (﷾) saved Salih and those who believed with him.
This guide follows what the Qur'an says, with some authentic sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ). It is the story as Islam tells it.
At a glance
- He was sent to Thamud, a people who carved homes out of rocky mountains. He was one of their own.
- He called them to worship Allah (﷾) alone, and asked no reward.
- Allah (﷾) gave them a she-camel as a sign. The water was shared: a day for her, and a day for them.
- The proud leaders refused. Those they counted weak believed.
- They hamstrung the she-camel, crippling her. Salih gave them three days, and then the punishment came.
- Allah (﷾) saved Salih and the believers. The Prophet (ﷺ) once passed their ruined homes and warned his Companions to be careful there.
- Thamud
Allah (﷾) gives Thamud gardens, springs and homes in the mountains, after the people of 'Ad. Qur’an 7:74Qur’an 26:146–149
- The call
Salih, one of their own, calls them to worship Allah (﷾) alone. Qur’an 7:73Qur’an 11:61
- The sign
Allah (﷾) gives them a she-camel as a sign, and the water is shared by turns. Qur’an 7:73Qur’an 26:155Qur’an 54:27–28
- Two groups
Some believe. The proud leaders refuse. Qur’an 7:75–76Qur’an 27:45
- The she-camel
They hamstring her, against Allah's (﷾) order. Qur’an 7:77Qur’an 11:65
- Three days
Salih tells them to enjoy their homes for three days. Qur’an 11:65
- The Blast
The punishment comes. Allah (﷾) saves Salih and the believers. Qur’an 11:66–67Qur’an 7:78
The Qur'an gives no dates for Salih, so these are the stages of his story.
A people of gardens and mountains
Thamud lived after the people of 'Ad, whose story is in the guide on Hud. Allah (﷾) gave them homes in the land. They built palaces in the plains, and carved houses out of the mountains with great skill. They had gardens, springs, cornfields and date-palms. Qur’an 7:74Qur’an 26:146–149Hud
Allah (﷾) sent them a messenger from among themselves, Salih. He called them to the message every prophet brought: Qur’an 7:73Qur’an 21:25
O my people! Worship Allah: ye have no other god but Him. It is He Who hath produced you from the earth and settled you therein: then ask forgiveness of Him, and turn to Him (in repentance): for my Lord is (always) near, ready to answer.
He asked them for nothing. His reward, he said, was only from the Lord of the Worlds. He told them he was a messenger they could trust. He asked whether they thought they would be left secure for ever in their gardens and springs, their fields and date-palms. And he told them to remember Allah's (﷾) gifts. Qur’an 26:143–148Qur’an 7:74
Their answer was not kind. They told him that he had been a centre of their hopes, and now he forbade them what their fathers worshipped. They said they were in doubt about what he called them to. Salih answered them: Qur’an 11:62
O my people! do ye see? if I have a Clear (Sign) from my Lord and He hath sent Mercy unto me from Himself,- who then can help me against Allah if I were to disobey Him?
The she-camel of Allah (﷾)
They told Salih he was only a man like them. If he was telling the truth, they said, let him bring them a sign. Allah (﷾) gave them one. It was a she-camel. Qur’an 26:154–155
The water was shared. One day it was hers to drink, and one day it was theirs. They were to leave her alone, and not touch her with harm. If they did, a great punishment would seize them. Qur’an 26:155–156Qur’an 54:27–28
This she-camel of Allah is a Sign unto you: So leave her to graze in Allah's earth, and let her come to no harm, or ye shall be seized with a grievous punishment.
The people divided. Some believed. Their proud leaders asked those believers, whom they counted weak, whether they were sure Salih was a messenger from his Lord. The believers answered that they did indeed believe what he had brought. The proud leaders said they rejected what the believers believed in. Qur’an 7:75–76Qur’an 27:45
Salih asked them why they were in such a hurry for the evil, and not for the good. If only they would ask Allah's (﷾) forgiveness, he said, they could hope for mercy. Qur’an 27:46
In the city there were nine men from one family who spread mischief in the land and would not reform. They swore an oath together to attack Salih and his people by night. But Allah (﷾) had His own plan, and they did not see it coming. Qur’an 27:48–50
The three days
Then they did the very thing they had been told not to do. They hamstrung the she-camel, crippling her. They defied their Lord's order, and dared Salih to bring on his threats, if he was a messenger. The Qur'an calls what they did a crime. Qur’an 7:77Qur’an 91:14
Salih gave them a last warning: Qur’an 11:65
Enjoy yourselves in your homes for three days: (Then will be your ruin): (Behold) there a promise not to be belied!
Then the punishment came. The Qur'an calls it a mighty Blast, and speaks of an earthquake that took them in the morning, in their homes. Qur’an 11:67Qur’an 7:78Qur’an 54:31
As if they had never dwelt and flourished there.
Allah (﷾) saved Salih and those who believed with him, by His special grace, and from the shame of that day. And Salih turned away from them, saying: Qur’an 11:66Qur’an 27:53Qur’an 41:18
O my people! I did indeed convey to you the message for which I was sent by my Lord: I gave you good counsel, but ye love not good counsellors!
Their houses were left empty, the Qur'an says, as a sign for people who know. Another verse says Allah (﷾) gave Thamud guidance, but they preferred blindness of heart to guidance. Qur’an 27:52Qur’an 41:17
Many centuries later, the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) passed by al-Hijr, where the ruins of Thamud's homes lay. He told his Companions not to enter the homes of those who had wronged themselves, unless they entered weeping. This was for fear that the same punishment might reach them. Then he covered his head, and hurried through the valley. Sahih al-Bukhari 4419Sahih al-Bukhari 3380Sahih Muslim 2980Qur’an 15:80–84
How the Bible tells it differently
The Bible does not mention Salih or the people of Thamud. Most of its story follows Abraham's family and the people of Israel, so many peoples and messengers are outside it. The Qur'an says Allah (﷾) sent a messenger to every people. It tells us the stories of some of them, and not of others. Qur’an 16:36Qur’an 4:164Qur’an 40:78Which prophets are named in the Qur'an?
What we can learn
Salih's story speaks to anyone who has been given much, and to anyone who is part of a small band of believers.
- Be thankful for what you have. Gardens, springs and homes in the rock were Allah's (﷾) gifts to Thamud. Salih asked them to remember them.
- The believers may be few, and still be right. The proud leaders counted the believers weak. They were the ones Allah (﷾) saved.
- A sign is a test. The she-camel asked very little: let her drink, let her graze. Respecting Allah's (﷾) sign was the whole test.
- Do not follow those who spread mischief. Salih told his people not to obey those who make mischief in the land and will not mend their ways. Qur’an 26:151–152
- Allah (﷾) is near. Salih told his people that his Lord is always near, ready to answer. The door of forgiveness stays open until the end. Qur’an 11:61
Allah (﷾) tells the story of Thamud so we will see what became of those who turned away from His signs. Their empty homes are a sign for people who know. The call Salih gave is still open to everyone. Qur’an 27:52Qur’an 29:38