Nation of Thamud

The nation of Thamud were the successors of Aad and had settled in the western part of present-time Saudi Arabia. They were skillful people who used to carve houses into the mountains and were enriched with gardens, crops, date-palms and springs. They had developed the practice of polytheism and denied the messengers and their teachings. They were also responsible for creating mischief in the earth out of arrogance. Prophet Saleh عليه السلام was sent to them and he advised them to worship Allah سبحانه وتعالى alone, repent to Him from their ill-deeds and not to create mischief. Only a small number of weak and poor people followed his teachings. The rest of the nation followed their leaders in denying his prophet hood and refuse to change their life according to his teachings. They exerted continuous resistance to his mission and even made a plot to kill him and his family. On their demand, Allah سبحانه وتعالى sent to them a she-camel as a sign; appearing out of rocks. They were asked to look after it and to cause no harm to it lest they would face the wrath of Allah سبحانه وتعالى. They ignored this warning, hamstrung the she-camel, and asked Prophet Saleh عليه السلام to present the promised torment. They were told that it will come after three days. At the prescribed time, there was an earth quake and a very loud shriek that caused all of the non-believers to perish. Prophet Saleh عليه السلام and his followers were saved from any harm. In the story of nation of Thamud, there are warnings and signs for the people to come. Persistence to the disobedience of the orders of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, denial of His messengers and opposition of the true pathway leads to the wrath of Allah سبحانه وتعالى.