Stories Which Gives Us HOPE

The Story Of Salih (AS)

The nation of Thamud

The people that came after Aad went back to the worship of one God. Because they were believers but they died out and they had children. And the shaythaan came again and he gave them ideas. And the desires began to play again, the temptation began to play again. And people went back to worshipping different types of idols, Subhanallah!

There was a village, this time it was a village in a mountainous area north west of the lands of Arabia. And these people were of the nation known as Thamud.

Thamud is the son or one of the children of Aad. He migrated to the north west of the Arabian Peninsula in a city called Al-Hijr.

Al-Hijr is the rocky tract, they used to live in rocky tract, and it’s a very rocky area. And Allah (SWT) has named a whole Surah in the Quran after them known as Surah Al-Hijrah. And their dwellings are still present up to now roughly 380km northwest of Madina Munawara.

Allah (SWT) had bestowed upon the tribe of Thamud, the way He had bestowed upon the tribe of Aad. Given them wealth, health, strength, and knowledge. They got gardens, they got power, and they were large human beings. When I’m saying large, I’m talking on huge human beings. They had lots and lots of doors wealth, they also followed their forefathers.

They were even more advanced in their technology than their former cousins Aad.
What they used to do is they use to carve homes out of the mountains. And it’s not just a cave, it’s actually like castle that’s build into the mountains.

They felt so secure.
What did they begin to say?
Nothing can harm us, not at all. Earth quake cannot harm it, wind cannot effect it, hurricane, and tornadoes. I mean its rock, you are in the middle of the mountain.
So they used to feel that they are secure from anything, nothing can harm them.

They worshipped other than Allah (SWT). The type of idol that the people of Thamud were following weren’t only statues, they did follow statues, Subhanallah! But they had an associate idol and that was themselves.

So Allah (SWT), He send to them a great Prophet. A Prophet that they recognised and they knew from among them.

Allah says, “And to Thamud We sent their brother Salih. He said, ‘O my people, Worship Allah; you have no deity other than Him.’” [11:61]

Salih (AS) is an Arab Prophet.
Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said, four Prophets and Messengers are Arab. Hud, Salih, Shuayb and Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

Sayyidina Salih was a young man, he was very intelligent, strong and he was from a noble family. He was from the high class of the society. And they were preparing him to be their leader. They were looking forward that one day he will assume responsibility for the people of Thamud. They had a lot of expectations in Salih (AS). And suddenly Salih (AS) presented them with the message of Islam.

So what happened?
They said, Oh Salih! We had so much hope in you. We were busy preparing you to make you our leader. How can you now come to us and stop us from what our forefathers have been doing all along. We had hope in you, now you decided to become a priest. You decided to become someone who wants to preach to us, you’re claiming to be a Messenger. We are in doubt regarding that which you are calling us towards, we are in clean doubt.

What was the message of Sayyidina Salih (AS)?
The message that all the Prophets came down with.
And what did he say?
Oh my people! Worship Allah, there is no other lord besides Allah, there is no God besides Allah, there is no Deity besides Allah.
Salih (AS) told his people, look at the gifts of Allah upon you. Allah (SWT) has established you on earth and He has granted you growth on this earth and He has granted you multiplication.
So now you should do two things, seek forgiveness from Allah there after return back to Him.