Ramadan Lecture Series 1445 A.H.
Presented by Al-Sayyid Abdul Malik Badruddin Al-Houthi
Lecture Twenty-Four
Monday, 29 Ramadan 1445 A.H. (8 April 2024 A.D.)
The Story of Prophet Salih (PBUH)
His people's Response to the Divine Message and Their Terrible End!
I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the outcast.
In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful.
Praise is to Allah, Lord of the Worlds. I believe that there is no god but Allah, the Sovereign and the Manifest Truth, and that Muhammad, our master, is His servant, Messenger, and Last Prophet.
O Allah! Confer Your salat and blessings upon Muhammad and the Family of Muhammad as You conferred Your salat and blessings upon Ibrahim and the Family of Ibrahim. You are Owner of Praise, Owner of Glory! And be pleased with Muhammad's good companions and all Your righteous servants and mujahidin.
O Allah! Guide us and grant us acceptance, for You are the Hearing, the Knowing; accept our repentance, for You are the Relenting and the Merciful.
Brothers and sisters, peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
In yesterday’s lecture, we spoke about the story of Prophet Hud (PBUH) and his people ('Aad) and how they were a powerful nation and a dominant society among other societies that descended from the lineage of Prophet Nuh (PBUH) and spread to various regions on the earth. It was a great blessing from Allah (Glory be to Him) when He sent His messenger Hud (PBUH) to them. It was an opportunity for them to carry the light of the divine message and serve as a social cornerstone and as a supportive base for the divine project. This would have enabled them to embody the example that reflected the principles of the message, expressed its values and morals, and adhered to its teachings. By doing so, they would have become an exemplary society, spreading Allah's message and teachings to other societies and earning this great honour. That is because moving forward with the message of Allah (after believing in it and adhering to it) as a responsibility to spread its light to other societies and striving to save and guide them is a tremendous honour and a source of immense pride.
Therefore, when Allah (Glory be to Him) sent prophets to certain peoples and societies—while there were other societies as well—it wasn't merely to be a prophet to that specific society and leave the rest. Rather, there needed to be, at the outset, a host for the divine project itself—a social foundation from which the journey would begin. This society would carry the mission and spread it to others, being equipped with qualities that prepared it for this role more than others. The problem with some peoples and societies was that, in most cases except for a few, they denied, refused, and rejected Allah's message. Consequently, they did not reach a level of being receptive within themselves to the divine project—let alone presenting the model, the example, and moving forward as a supportive base to carry the divine project.
They turned away from Allah's path, except for a few oppressed individuals who believed and were saved along with Prophet Hud (PBUH) by Allah. Due to the significance of this great honour, Allah (the Almighty) addressed the Seal of the Prophets and Messengers, Muhammad (PBUH&F), reminding him and his people of the blessing of the Qur'an and the divine message: {'And indeed, it is a glory for you and your people'}.
Thamud, the people of Prophet Salih: Their geographic location and the blessings Allah bestowed upon them
After the destruction of 'Aad—the society that was the most powerful and affluent in their livelihoods and living conditions—the people whom Allah appointed as successors and empowered, who emerged among other societies as a new force growing in strength, resources, and economy, were Thamud: the people of Prophet Salih (PBUH).
Prophet Salih (PBUH) reminded them of this blessing: that Allah had made them successors after 'Aad and facilitated life conditions for them to rise as the most powerful nation that gradually improved its economic conditions and living circumstances so that it stood out among other nations. He said to them, {'And remember when He made you successors after 'Aad and settled you in the land to build yourselves palaces on its plains and carve houses out of the mountains. So remember the favours of Allah'}. He reminded them of Allah's blessings upon them, for they had reached such levels of capability, affluence in life, and availability of life's necessities by the grace and favour of Allah (Glory be to Him): {'Then remember the favours of Allah and do not commit abuse on the earth, spreading corruption'}.
The region where Prophet Salih's people (Thamud) lived extended from Wadi Al-Qura in Hijaz, stretching towards the Levant, specifically into Jordan. It was an area extending from Wādī Al-Qurā in Hijaz into present-day Jordan (the Levant). They are also considered among the ancient Arabs, from the early Arabs of that formative period.
Allah opened for them the gates of His blessings; their lives flourished, and He expanded their livelihoods:
- Agriculture prospered greatly, and they had vast farms and orchards.
- Water was plentiful, and they had the necessary water to irrigate their farms.
{'Amidst gardens and springs and fields of crops and palm trees, the spathes of which are interwoven'}. They had vast farms that they irrigated from those springs and the abundant water available to them. {'And fields of crops and palm trees, the spathes of which are interwoven'}—they excelled in cultivating date palms alongside other agricultural crops they grew. Agriculture is fundamentally crucial to the rise of nations and in providing the essential necessities of life, food and sustenance that people need. Therefore, when agriculture flourishes, people's lives prosper, their living conditions improve, and their basic requirements of nourishment and other essentials become readily available.
- Also, their lives flourished in terms of construction and urban development; they built cities and resided in palaces. This indicates the level of luxury and prosperity, wealth, and commerce they possessed due to their abundant agricultural harvests, from which they amassed great wealth. Consequently, they turned towards urban development, as Prophet Salih reminded them of Allah's blessings upon them, saying, {'And remember when He made you successors after 'Aad and settled you in the land to build yourselves palaces on its plains'}. Due to their affluence, the availability of their needs, and the financial returns they enjoyed, they built palaces to live in them.
The people of Salih deny the blessings bestowed on them, and still Prophet Salih delivers the divine message to them, advising and warning them!
Despite having that kind of life in which their needs were met abundantly with affluence, comfort, and ease—they did not show gratitude for Allah's blessings upon them. Instead, they deviated; their transgression grew, and corruption spread and intensified among them. In reality, they became a hub of corruption, exporting it to societies that had connections or dealings with them. Therefore, one of the issues Prophet Salih (PBUH) warned them against was: {'and do not commit abuse on the earth, spreading corruption'}. They had become a source of corruption, persistently indulging in it, exporting it, and they arrogantly revelled in the blessings they enjoyed. They did not thank Allah for His favours upon them, nor did they take heed from what had happened to those before them—the people of Nuh (PBUH) and the people of Prophet Hud (PBUH), 'Aad. They knew what had happened to 'Aad, as they were not so distant in time from them. So generations had passed down the events that befell 'Aad. However, they attempted to implement measures and precautions within their architectural pursuits. When they carved homes out of the mountains, on one hand, it was a demonstration of their luxury, civilisation, capability, and strength, and on the other hand, they considered what had happened to 'Aad—that Allah destroyed them with a fierce, destructive barren wind. They thought that by carving homes in the mountains, they had secured themselves from suffering the same fate as 'Aad, believing that the wind would not be able to destroy or move mountains. This is how they thought, imagining they had thus become safe, forgetting that punishment comes in many forms. Allah destroyed 'Aad with a fierce, destructive barren wind, but He destroyed the people of Nuh with the flood. He can also destroy other peoples with different punishments. They failed to realise this due to their blindness, utter blindness!
They carved houses out of the mountains, designing them splendidly to serve also as an expression of their luxury and a demonstration of their capabilities. This was a difficult and arduous task, especially with the means and capabilities of that era: crafting magnificent dwellings from the mountains and designing them beautifully and elegantly. They even paid attention to aesthetic aspects. The mountain façades featured decorations, engravings, beautiful pillars, and artistic designs that reflected adornment, creativity, and architectural beauty. Inside, they fashioned the interiors to be suitable for comfortable living: ensuring adequate airflow, facilitating water access through organised channels and appropriate systems to deliver and distribute water within. They excelled in that and mastered it proficiently.
Allah sent to them His prophet Salih (PBUH), who was one of them and known among them for his wisdom, sound judgement, perfection, purity, and good morals. He stood out among them for all these qualities: wisdom, sound judgement, purity of soul, uprightness, and righteousness in his deeds and actions. He delivered to them Allah's messages, striving to guide them, save them, reform them, and purify them from corruption. He reminded them of Allah's blessings upon them and called them—as is the call of all prophets, under the encompassing theme that expresses the essence of the divine message in its entirety—to worship Allah alone. That is, to worship Allah through monotheism, believing that He alone is the true deity—there is no god but Him—and consequently strive to follow His path, adhere to His commands and prohibitions, and hold firmly to His message.
Allah (Glory be to Him) says, {'And to Thamud their brother Salih'}. Allah sent to Thamud their brother Salih. This expression, {'their brother'}, is used because he was one of them; this was a blessing upon them because they knew him, and this would make him spare no effort to save them and guide them for their own good. {'He said, "O my people, worship Allah; you have no deity other than Him"'}. Like other prophets, he directed his call to all of them for their salvation, so that Allah's guidance would reach everyone and His argument would be established against all. {'You have no deity other than Him.'} That is because deifying others besides Allah from among the created beings, His servants, those who are owned by Him (the Almighty), is a denial of the greatest truths, ingratitude for Allah's blessings, a grand fabrication, and an unparalleled falsehood!
{'He has created you from the earth'}. It is Allah (Glory be to Him) Who created human beings and brought them forth from this earth. Humanity was formed from the very soil of the earth, beginning with our father Adam (PBUH). Additionally, when a person is created from a drop of humble fluid, that essence from which humans are made is composed of the elements of the earth—the components of the soil that enter the human body through the food consumed from the plants of the earth itself. Thus, he told them that it is Allah Who created them by His power, wisdom, mercy, and grace.
{'And he settled you in it'}—What does this mean?
{'He has created you from the earth and settled you in it.'} He is the One Who appointed you as vicegerents on the earth to build it and benefit from the abundant blessings of Allah within it—blessings that are countless and immeasurable. This expression, {'settled you in it'}, highlights that Allah prepared the earth itself with the blessings He embedded within it—as well as in its formation, composition, structure, and design—in such a way that humans can derive maximum benefit: they can inhabit, build, cultivate, plant, and carry out numerous activities. People can design various constructions that serve their lives in different forms and types. Allah has deposited many blessings in this earth, which humans can extract and benefit from in numerous ways, in accordance with the divine principle of facilitation. Indeed, Allah has made what He created in the earth and what is in the heavens subjected to the use of humans, allowing them to utilise it in countless ways and through various means for diverse and multiple benefits.
Moreover, Allah prepared humans themselves by granting them energies, abilities, means, and capacities. He endowed them with understanding, guided them, and inspired them. He facilitated for them, through the benefit of experiences, the ability to innovate, deduce, manufacture, and acquire knowledge. All of this aids them in fulfilling this mission of cultivating the earth, developing it, and benefiting from the blessings within it.
This is what it means that Allah has settled us in the earth. It means that He has given us the capacities, energies, faculties, and knowledge, guiding us with His guidance. It also means that He has made it possible for us to build the earth in a way that can benefit us and to utilise the vast blessings He has placed therein for us.
This Quranic expression, {'settled you in it'}, has been distorted by the Western world in this era, which has introduced a different concept. They applied this term with a new meaning and for different objectives—namely, that powerful, militarily dominant nations come to subjugate weaker countries, plundering their wealth, oppressing their peoples, persecuting their citizens, and seizing their rights. They give themselves the right to control and exploit other nations and monopolise the resources, wealth, and blessings that Allah has granted them. This represents a complete departure from the original meaning, and it is also a distortion and exploitation of certain terms, completely diverging from their true meanings. Similarly, they have also exploited other terms such as 'freedom' and 'rights', using them in contexts far removed from their original meanings, and then they have come up with completely different concepts (negative concepts) to suit their own agendas.
Reflect on their response to the call of Prophet Salih and take note of this important point!
When Prophet Salih conveyed Allah's message to them and established the proof against them, how did they react? What was their stance? They reproached and denounced him for it and argued against him. They grew angry with him and said to him, {'O Salih! We used to have such great hope in you'}. They had previously seen him as someone from whom they hoped for good due to his wisdom and sound judgement, often consulting him, believing he might bring good to his people. Yet now, he came to them with a message they found deeply unsettling! {'Do you forbid us to worship what our fathers worshipped?! We are certainly in alarming doubt about what you are inviting us to. He said, "O my people! Consider if I have a clear proof from my Lord and He has given me mercy from Himself, who would protect me from Allah if I disobeyed Him? So you would not increase me except in loss"'}.
We see how they attempted to stir up tribalism in response to his message, saying, {'Do you forbid us to worship what our fathers worshipped?!'} They had no arguments or evidence to support their claims; instead, they relied solely on a sense of tribal loyalty. They ignored what their earlier ancestors worshipped before their deviated forefathers. In other words, deviation occurred later; among their ancient ancestors, there were those who followed the creed of monotheism. This is because humanity resumed life after the great flood with Prophet Nuh (PBUH) based on the creed of monotheism. He and his descendants, as well as the believers with him, multiplied and adhered to the principle of monotheism and the divine message. Later on, over time, polytheism, deviations, superstitions, and false beliefs arose. So these were developments that arose subsequently.
Therefore, it is important to be aware of this significant truth: The original course of humanity since the beginning of human existence—with the creation of Prophet Adam and Hawwa (Peace be upon them)—was founded on monotheism, the worship of Allah, and adherence to the divine message. The states that emerged later, alien and foreign to human life, were those of polytheism and other deviations and false superstitions that many people clung to.
Thus, what Western scholars of religion present in their studies, comparisons, and conceptions about beliefs and religions is fundamentally flawed. They imagine that monotheism was entirely absent from human reality, and that humans throughout history were polytheists who believed in multiple gods before the idea of monotheism appeared and adopted by some in later stages. This is a false and incorrect conception with no basis in truth. The creed of monotheism is the norm in human reality, while the irregularity in human reality is those false superstitious beliefs regarding the multiplicity of gods and associating them with Allah (Glory be to Him).
When they invoked the logic of tribalism—saying, {'Do you forbid us to worship what our fathers worshipped?!'}—they ignored what their ancestors had followed before deviation. In fact, they aimed to stir up a sense of tribal loyalty because they lacked any solid arguments or evidence to rely on—only the sense of tribal loyalty. In response, Salih said, {'Consider if I have a clear proof from my Lord…?'} Allah’s prophets and messengers possess proof and clarity in what they present. They offer a clear and undeniable truth, supported by compelling evidence, and Allah (Glory be to Him) grants them miracles that attest to their truthfulness and the authenticity of their message and prophethood.
{'And He has given me mercy from Himself'}. Indeed, this was a mercy for him and for his people. The divine message is a mercy, and the messengers are a mercy from Allah (Glory be to Him), sent to save people from torment, humiliation, and disgrace and to offer them what grants success and great honour. {'Who would protect me from Allah if I disobeyed Him? So you would not increase me except in loss'}. They were asking him to abandon Allah’s message, the mercy that Allah had bestowed upon him and them. They wanted him to give up that divine mission, which would lead to loss for both him and them.
The accusations made against Prophet Salih (PBUH)
He only warned them against the corruption they spread and engaged in, saying, {'And do not commit abuse on the earth, spreading corruption'}. In response, they made accusations against him:
- {'They said, "You are only of those bewitched!"'}—they claimed that he was a man under a spell, affected by magic, which had clouded his understanding, mind, and judgement and made him hold onto those superstitions, illusions, and erroneous beliefs.
- They also accused him of lying.
- Furthermore, they accused him as well and launched propaganda against him, claiming that he could not be a messenger since he was just a human like them—{'They said, "You are only of those bewitched! You are but a human like ourselves!"'}.
This was similar to what the people of ‘Aad and the people of Nuh had said before them, as well as what many people say today in their opposition to guidance and the guides among Allah's servants: {'You are but a human like ourselves!'} This argument holds no weight for them; rather, it serves as evidence against them. Allah appoints guides from among His servants because, in their mission to guide people, they are in a position of role models and exemplars, carrying out practical tasks within that framework.
The messengers of Allah are followers; people are not asked to follow the messengers' own ideas or personal opinions or act according to their personal whims. They themselves are followers. We discussed this point before: How Allah instructed the Prophet on how to respond to them by commanding him to say, {'I only follow what is revealed to me'}. This is the case for all messengers and prophets; they are followers and serve as a link between humanity and Allah, adhering to His commands. They surpass others in their devotion to Allah, committing themselves to obedience and implementing His teachings before and more than others.
Their saying, {'You are but a human like ourselves!'}, holds no real argument for them. What is strange, as we mentioned before, is that they chose to follow misguided, criminal, and very wicked individuals, while they disdained and looked down upon following the messengers, who were truly great, righteous, good, and upright individuals who followed the guidance and teachings of Allah, the Almighty. These messengers did not lead people according to their own whims or personal opinions. They demanded a miracle from him, saying, {'So bring a sign, if you are one of the truthful'}.
{'And they said, "How can we follow one human being from among us? We would then truly be in error and distress. Has the message been sent down upon him from among us? Rather, he is an insolent liar"'}. They accused him of lying and claimed that he was skilled in deceit, fabricating terrible lies that only a professional liar could create, showing boldness and audacity in his falsehoods. Their aim was to slander him, ridicule him, and warn others against him.
As for their statement, {'Has the message been sent down upon him from among us?'}, this reveals their envy. They combined arrogance with envy. This was the logic of the elite among them: They questioned why he would be revealed to and appointed as prophet and not one of the prominent figures in society—those with wealth, influence, status, and power.
The she-camel of Prophet Salih: An astonishing miracle!
They requested a miracle from him. As proof, Allah (the Almighty) graciously granted him an extraordinary miracle. According to narrations, this miracle occurred on the day of their festival when they all gathered to witness this event. That miracle was a she-camel. Allah produced for them a magnificent, enormous, and astonishing she-camel in a miraculous manner. This she-camel was not ordinary she-camel born from another she-camel. It is said in various accounts and narrations that Allah brought it forth from a mighty, solid rock—the rock split open, and out came this marvellous, enormous she-camel. The she-camel was so huge that they had to allocate a specific day for it to have all the water in their area. Allah provided them with this astonishing miracle but also warned them not to harm it. He instructed them not to obstruct its grazing, saying, {'He said, "This is a she-camel. She will have her turn to drink as you have yours, each on a known day. And do not touch her with harm, lest you be seized by the torment of a tremendous day"'}. Any harm included striking, injuring, or killing it. It would graze in the public pasture, not touching anything that belonged to them but rather feeding in the common grazing area: {'So leave her to eat within Allah's land'}.
With this extraordinary sign, some of the oppressed among them believed, leading to a division among his people. The elite tried to sway those who had believed and shake their faith and conviction, but they failed. {'The elite who were arrogant among his people said to the lowly who believed among them, “Are you certain that Salih has been sent by his Lord?” They replied, “We certainly believe in what he has been sent with.” The arrogant said, “We surely reject what you believe in”'}. They condemned the faith of the believers and declared their firm stance, which was rooted in their arrogance and pride. {'The arrogant said, “We surely reject what you believe in.”'} They turned to disputing with them, attempting to pressure them, but they failed once more. {'And at once, they were two parties quarrelling with each other'}. Among them arose debates, arguments, divisions, disagreements, and disputes.
Prophet Salih warned those arrogant ones who engaged in disputing, stubbornness, and inciting evil and problems in opposition to his message, despite that astonishing and remarkable sign: He said: {'He said, "O my people, why are you impatient for evil instead of good? Why do you not seek forgiveness of Allah that you may receive mercy?" They said, "We consider you and those with you a bad omen"'}. They said that they viewed him and those who believed in him as a source of misfortune, evil, danger, and ill-fate for their people. This attitude was also common among other nations; they would regard messengers and prophets as bearers of misfortune, believing them to be the cause of blessings being withdrawn, the reason for problems and the loss of comfort they enjoyed, and so on.
{'He said, "Your omen is with Allah. Rather, you are a people under trial"'}. He told them that their problem lay in their relationship with Allah (Glory be to Him). So by disobeying Him, rejecting His message, hindering others from His path, deviating from His teachings, and spreading corruption on the earth, they brought upon themselves Allah’s displeasure, anger, and punishment, and this led to consequences in their lives: in the loss of blessings, drought, hardships, and other afflictions.
The presence of the she-camel and its continuous movement among them was a living and impactful miracle. Such a miracle should have been enough to impact those people—especially the oppressed among them and those who had not yet completely become forsaken by Allah—as they witnessed this incredible creature daily, with its extraordinary nature and size. It served as a test for them: Would they endure witnessing this living, moving miracle, or would they become embroiled in a grave crime by targeting it?
The arrogant elite and their catastrophic, wrong decision!
They made a catastrophic and misguided decision to get rid of the she-camel by killing it, wanting to eliminate this existing, moving miracle that was among them, which continued to challenge their doubts and falsehoods and influence others. They decided to kill it despite Prophet Salih (PBUH) having warned them of an imminent and severe punishment if they harmed it.
The elite among them held a secret meeting and made this disastrous decision, which would lead to their destruction and suffering. They chose to carry out this mission through an ambush, selecting one of them—a wicked, criminal man known for his misdeeds and boldness in committing evils. He was notorious among them for such acts. This is why Allah said, {'But they called their companion, and he dared and hamstrung '}. They summoned him for this dangerous criminal task that would bring them misery, and he was the most wretched of them. Those who made the decision were themselves people of wretchedness, as they brought upon their people misery. It is said in history and narrations that his name was Qadarah ibn Salif, and this name became known through the generations as he brought upon his people misery and destruction. This criminal committed that grave act by carrying out an ambush on the she-camel and killing it, which brought them joy.
Among them were the instigators, those whom Allah referred to when He said, {'But they called their companion.'} They asked him to carry out the task and encouraged him to do so. There was also the perpetrator—the criminal who committed that crime, {'their companion'}. Additionally, there were those who supported, approved, and rejoiced in the execution of this crime. They were all partners in this act: the instigators, the executors, and the supporters. They were all considered complicit in committing this crime, which is why Allah attributed it to all of them, saying, {'But they hamstrung her'}—although He stated in other verse, {'But they called their companion, and he dared and hamstrung .'} So they all participated in that crime and defied the prohibition of Prophet Salih (PBUH). {'So he said, "Enjoy yourselves in your homes for three days. This is a promise that will not be belied"'}, as he had warned them beforehand that if they harmed the she-camel, they would face a severe and imminent punishment.
An important lesson on the serious consequences of supporting falsehood and wrongdoing!
This is a very important lesson about the dangers of supporting falsehood, wrongdoing, and crime: A person who does so becomes a partner in the same crime. This is a serious matter that many people underestimate. Regarding this, Imam Ali (PBUH) had profound and beneficial words based on the light of these blessed Quranic verses. He said, 'O people, what brings people together is approval and disapproval. The she-camel of Thamud was killed by one man, yet Allah encompassed them all with punishment because they all approved of it. Allah said, {"But they hamstrung her and so became regretful"}.' He also said, 'The one who is pleased with the actions of a certain group is like one who participates in those actions with them. And for everyone who participates in falsehood, there are two sins: the sin of the action itself and the sin of approval of it.' This aligns perfectly with the Quran regarding what happened in the story of Thamud and in many verses that highlight the danger of being pleased with wrongdoing, as it is a crime alongside the crime itself. This is why Allah (the Almighty) says in Surah At-Tawbah, {'Those who were left behind rejoiced at sitting still behind the Messenger of Allah'}.
Thus, they committed two crimes:
- Their negligence and refusal to engage in jihad was a crime.
- Their rejoicing and satisfaction with this was an additional crime.
This is a very important lesson.
We see in the current events of the Israeli aggression against Gaza, that some Gulf and Arab countries support what the Israeli enemy is doing and justify their actions, placing the blame on the oppressed and wronged Palestinian people. This is a terrible mistake, a catastrophic error. Why? That is because a person becomes a partner with the Israeli enemy in all those crimes due to his support, bearing a tremendous burden of grave sins and horrific crimes, as a result of his allegiance to the Israeli enemy. This is why Allah concluded His warning against allegiance to them (the Jews and Christians) by saying, {'Whoever takes them as Auliya becomes one of them. Surely Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people'}. By doing so, a person becomes one of the worst wrongdoers, sharing in the crime of the worst wrongdoers, who are those criminals.
Similarly, during the aggression against our country, some people supported the aggressors who were killing thousands of children, women, and innocent people, committing the most heinous crimes. This makes a person complicit in those very crimes, sharing the burden of killing those children, women, and others. This is a very serious issue.
The chief criminals plan to assassinate Prophet Salih!
It was not enough for them to kill and hamstring the she-camel, so the leading criminals among them also devised a plan to assassinate Prophet Salih (PBUH)! This is why Allah (the Almighty) says in the Holy Quran, {'And there were in the city}—in their city, which was large—{nine family heads causing corruption in the land and not amending '}. The term 'nine family heads' refers to several groups where members are related to one another by blood. So, with a group here and another there, totalling nine groups, they were the source of corruption; all their activities, works, practices, plans, and programmes revolved around corruption, reaching the point where they were {'causing corruption in the land and not amending its affairs'}. Nothing comes from them except corruption; they always plot corrupt acts, move in corrupt ways, and spread corruption, doing nothing to benefit their people.
{'They said, "Take a mutual oath by Allah that we will kill him by night, along with his family. Then we will say to his next of kin, 'We did not witness the destruction of his family. We are definitely telling the truth'"'}. They plotted an assassination because they did not dare to kill Prophet Salih (PBUH) openly. Among his tribe and kin were those who supported him, in addition to his followers who believed in his message. Therefore, they planned to carry out a secret assassination during the night. This is the meaning of {'We will kill him by night'}—to kill him stealthily so that no one would know who was behind this heinous crime. Their plan also included denying any involvement if accused: {'Then we will say to his next of kin, 'We did not witness the destruction of his family.'} Their plot was aimed at killing Prophet Salih and his family.
They plotted meticulously, drafting their plan with all its details—who would execute it, how it would be carried out, and the timing. {'So they plotted a plot, and We plotted a plot, while they perceived not. Then see how was the end of their plot! Verily! We destroyed them and their people, all together. These are their houses in utter ruin, for they did wrong. Verily, in this is a sign for people who know'}. They swore by Allah to carry out that plan, so they acknowledged Allah's existence. These disbelieving communities acknowledged Allah’s existence, contrary to how they are often portrayed in TV series and fictional writings where they are depicted as outright deniers of Allah or completely ignorant of who Allah was. In reality, they acknowledged Allah and recognised Him; however, they associated false deities with Him. In significant matters, which were of great importance to them, they would swear by Allah to emphasise the seriousness of the issue. What did these people swear about? Was it to carry out a good deed or an act of worship? No! They swore by Allah to commit the crime of killing His prophet. This is something truly astonishing, something very strange!
They failed in their task, and Prophet Salih (PBUH) departed and left with the believers who were with him. That plot failed, and it is said that those who intended to carry it out perished at that very moment. Their destruction alongside their people is certain, as the blessed verse states, {'We destroyed them and their people, all together.'}
The signs of punishment begin: the time for mercy has passed, and the catastrophe strikes!
The three days that Prophet Salih had warned them about began—the days of the guaranteed promise: {'This is a promise that will not be belied'}. The signs of punishment started to manifest, and they felt regret. However, it was not the regret of repentance but the regret of fear and unease as they anxiously awaited the punishment that now seemed inevitable. {'And he turned away from them and said, "O my people, I had certainly conveyed to you the message of my Lord and advised you, but you do not like advisors"'}. How many people dislike those who give them sincere advice! They harbour resentment towards those who try to guide them. And if they rejected the advice of the prophets and the devotees of Allah, what hope was there for anyone else? {'But they hamstrung her, so they became regretful.'}
When the three days were over, the destructive punishment arrived (We seek refuge in Allah from such a fate). Allah says, {'Thereupon a shocking catastrophe seized them'}. Allah (the Almighty) utterly destroyed them with a catastrophe that completely wiped them out: {'By the morning they were lying dead in their homes'}. They perished, were annihilated, and their matter was brought to an end. {'As if they had never prospered therein. No doubt, Thamud denied their Lord; then, away with Thamud'}. All the blessings they had enjoyed—the resources, the luxury, the comforts of life, the life that provided for their needs, and the empowerment they had been granted—were gone. The mountains they carved and thought would protect them, were of no use against Allah’s punishment. They were destroyed in a single catastrophe, a single blast, and a single strike. It annihilated them completely. They were wiped out without a trace.
A profound lesson from the history of nations and peoples
A key lesson from the history of nations and peoples is that Allah bestowed upon them great blessings in their lives and perfected His favour upon them with the blessing of guidance through His devotees, prophets, and messengers. This guidance was meant to ensure their stability and well-being. The blessing of prophets and divine guidance is the greatest of all blessings, as it perfects all other blessings, gives them meaning, and allows people to enjoy a stable life. However, instead of showing gratitude for the blessings and comfort they enjoyed, they turned to corruption, deviated from Allah’s instructions, acted with stubbornness, and rejected His guidance. As a result, punishment came their way. These punishments were varied and took many forms. For example, we see in the accounts of the doomed nations that Allah destroyed how diverse the forms of punishment can be. Allah recounts the destruction of past nations, we see how diverse the punishments were. Punishments can also come through viruses, epidemics, wars, subjugation, and many other means. The scope of divine punishment is vast.
When we look at certain countries or nations in our world today, where people enjoy a comfortable material life filled with luxury, abundant blessings, and resources, it is important to recognise that they are, in reality, being tested. If they show gratitude for Allah’s blessings and follow His guidance, it will bring goodness to them. But if they respond to Allah’s blessings with ingratitude, by misusing those blessings in sin, corruption, injustice, and oppression, the consequences can be severe. For example:
- 'Aad, the people of Prophet Hud (PBUH) were known for their strength physically, militarily, and economically. But alongside their corruption and disobedience, they also turned to oppression, tyranny, and domination, attacking other nations and societies and wronging them. All of that came to an end when Allah (the Almighty) destroyed them.
- Thamud, the people of Prophet Salih (PBUH), despite having vast resources and a luxurious lifestyle that met their needs, chose to spread corruption, immorality, depravity, and so on. They indulged in various forms of corruption and became a hub of corruption, exporting their corruption to other societies connected to them or dealing with them.
They misused the blessings of Allah and engaged in actions that were disobedient to Him (the Almighty), so these blessings disappeared. In other words, blessings do not last for a people who show no gratitude for them.
If, in our time, we see nations that are economically powerful, militarily strong, and dominant in other aspects, this does not mean their prosperity will last forever. When they are ungrateful for their blessings, they will eventually lose them. Punishments will come upon them. In fact, punishments vary from one era to another, taking different forms. If they do not show gratitude for Allah's blessings—by using them wisely and refraining from sins, corruption, injustice, and tyranny—what they enjoy will eventually come to an end. Their prosperity lasts only for a certain period before it fades away. People's conditions change. There were nations whose conditions changed dramatically from wealth, ease, and luxury to poverty, misery, hardship, and suffering. This truly happens.
During times of prosperity, they live in a state of heedlessness, intoxicated by their blessings. They cannot imagine that their situation might change, that the very blessings they failed to appreciate—using them instead for corruption, oppression, and wrongdoing—will be taken away and replaced with hardship, distress, and punishment. The thought does not even cross their minds.
Sometimes, even in countries with significant material wealth, people still experience disturbances and struggles that prevent them from fully enjoying what they possess. This serves as an important lesson for us, reminding us of what has happened to past nations and peoples.
Regarding the danger of associating partners with Allah, prophets and messengers worked tirelessly to combat it, striving to save people from its grasp and guide them to worship Allah alone. That is because associating partners with Allah is a grave falsehood that leads people astray from the divine message entirely. Those who persist in disbelief and polytheism do not accept any of the teachings of Allah or the details brought by the prophets and messengers because they have already rejected the fundamental principles upon which everything else is built.
One of the most dangerous agendas pursued by the enemies is their attempt to completely distance communities from the message of Allah, both within the Islamic Ummah and beyond. What America, Israel, and the misleading and corrupting Zionist lobby strive for is to divert people entirely from the teachings of Allah and His message, steering them away in such a way that they become entirely disconnected from them. This effort aims to make them deny these teachings in their beliefs, actions, and behaviours, leading them to disregard all that is forbidden and turn away from the guidance of Allah, which encompasses wisdom, goodness, happiness, success, and salvation. This is a serious issue; they wish to bring misery upon humanity and perpetuate the corruption they are involved in, creating an environment that accepts their corruption, falsehood, evil, and enslavement of people. This is an extremely perilous situation, as they want people to exist in a state of utter ignorance.
We ask Allah (Glory be to Him) to grant us success in seeking what pleases Him. O Allah! Have mercy on our virtuous martyrs, heal the wounded among us, set free our captives, and grant us victory. You are the Hearer of Prayer!
Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.