Fuṣṣilat

وَأَمَّا ثَمُودُ فَهَدَيْنَاهُمْ فَاسْتَحَبُّوا الْعَمَی عَلَی الْهُدَی فَأَخَذَتْهُمْ صَاعِقَةُ الْعَذَابِ الْهُونِ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ

وَنَجَّيْنَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَكَانُوا يَتَّقُونَ

17. And as for Thamud, We showed and made clear unto them the Path of Truth, but they preferred blindness to guidance. Therefore, a destructive cry of disgracing torment seized them because of what they used to earn.
18. And We saved those [from ‘Ad and Thamud] who believed and used to fear Allah, keep their duty to Him, and avoid evil.

The Prophet of the people of Thamud was Salih (Salah). They lived in Umm al-Qura (“the Mother of Cities) located between Medina and Sham, and possessed great strength and agricultural means and opportunities. Their perdition was caused by lightning and earthquake as reflected in Qur’anic Verses, though both afflictions might have led to their destruction. Verse 17 is saying that God Almighty provided them with means of guidance, but they denied it.

It is worthy of note that Divine Guidance was available to all disbelievers and polytheists and it was not restricted to the people of Thamud. The blessed Verses apparently allude to the Salih’s she-camel that came out of rock with her calf. She provided them with sufficient milk and it was a miracle to guide them; however they preferred blindness over guidance and cut the sinews of her feet and killed her calf which led to the warning against their perdition.

The blessed Verse makes a reference to the destructive cry expressed as lightning. The destructive cry was so harsh that it deafened their ears and they were all destroyed instantly. The clause:

refers to severing the sinews of the she-camel’s feet and killing her calf. It is reported that three members of Ahl al-Bayt (Prophetic family, AS) made references to Salih’s she-camel: firstly, Sadiqa Tahira saying:

“Salih’s she-camel and her calf were not superior to me before God Almighty in terms of excellence,”

al-Husayn (as) when Radih (the suckling infant) was killed said:

“O Lord! This infant before you is not inferior to the calf of Salih’s she-camel,”

Imam Hadi (as), accompanying Mutawakkil to the latter’s palace said:

“My index finger is superior to Salih’s she-camel.”

Mutawakkil did not live longer than three days and his body was cut into pieces. Verse 18 says:

Many Qur’anic Verses and traditions indicate that so long as believers and the God fearing live among disbelievers and the corrupt, Divine torment will not be sent to them and they should fear that if religious scholars, the pious, and the God fearing leave them, such torments will be inflicted upon them.