Surah Hud (11) — Ayah 64

(Ayah 65,64) ➊ {وَ يٰقَوْمِ هٰذِهٖ نَاقَةُ اللّٰهِ :} The attribution of this she-camel to Allah is to express its greatness, otherwise every she-camel belongs to Allah alone. In the Noble Qur’an, its characteristics are mentioned as follows: when the people of Thamud demanded a miracle, Salih (peace be upon him) was given this she-camel. Allah appointed for her a turn to drink from their well, that one day only she would drink, and on the other day all the other people’s animals would drink water. On their day, people could draw as much water as they wanted and store it, but on the she-camel’s day, only she would drink. See Surah Ash-Shu’ara (154 to 156). She could graze wherever she wished; no one was to prevent her from grazing in their field or anywhere else, and if anyone harmed her, a great punishment would soon seize them. (The verse under commentary) Here it is {’’ عَذَابٌ قَرِيْبٌ ‘‘}, while in Surah Ash-Shu’ara (156) it is {’’ عَذَابُ يَوْمٍ عَظِيْمٍ ‘‘}.

➋ { لَكُمْ اٰيَةً :} There is no doubt that the she-camel was a miracle. The fact that a whole day was appointed for her to drink also shows that she was not an ordinary she-camel. But how did she come into existence? I have not found mention of this in the Qur’an or Hadith. After studying many commentaries, at least my satisfaction was found in the words of Shaykh Abdur Rahman bin Nasir bin Sa’di (may Allah have mercy on him) in his tafsir “Tayseer Al-Kareem Ar-Rahman fi Tafseer Kalam Al-Mannan,” which he wrote regarding the she-camel of the people of Thamud in Surah Al-A’raf. Thus, he writes: “Know that most commentators mention this story that the she-camel emerged from a very hard and smooth rock, just as they had demanded from Salih (peace be upon him) that she be pregnant, and she appeared before their eyes in the form of a pregnant she-camel. She was experiencing labor pains like pregnant she-camels. Along with her, a calf was also born. When they slaughtered the she-camel, the calf climbed the mountain and cried out three times like a camel, whereupon the mountain split and it disappeared into it. And that Salih (peace be upon him) told them that in the three days given to you, on the first day your faces would turn yellow, on the second day red, and on the third day black. And so it happened as he had said.” Shaykh Sa’di (may Allah have mercy on him) says: “All these things are from Isra’iliyyat, which is not appropriate to mention in the explanation of Allah’s Book, and there is nothing in the Noble Qur’an that indicates any of these things in any way. Rather, if these things were authentic, Allah would certainly have mentioned them, because they contain such strange matters, lessons, and signs that should have been mentioned along with them. Now, if these come from people who cannot be trusted at all, how can they be accepted? In fact, some of them do not even seem correct according to the explicit statements of the Noble Qur’an. For example, Salih (peace be upon him) said to them after they hamstrung the she-camel: «{ تَمَتَّعُوْا فِيْ دَارِكُمْ ثَلٰثَةَ اَيَّامٍ }» ‘Tamattu’ means to benefit and enjoy fully. Those people were denying Salih (peace be upon him) and the coming of the punishment, rather they were repeatedly demanding the punishment. If their faces had become yellow, red, and black, what kind of opportunity for benefit and enjoyment did they get in those three days? If this is not clearly against the Qur’an, then what is? For guidance, the Qur’an is sufficient. Yes, if something is proven from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), it will not contradict the Book of Allah; it is to be accepted wholeheartedly, and the Qur’an has commanded us to accept it: «{ وَ مَاۤ اٰتٰىكُمُ الرَّسُوْلُ فَخُذُوْهُ وَ مَا نَهٰىكُمْ عَنْهُ فَانْتَهُوْا }» [ الحشر : ۷ ] “And whatever the Messenger gives you, take it, and whatever he forbids you from, abstain from it.” And it has already been mentioned that it is not permissible to explain the Qur’an with Isra’iliyyat, even if it is permissible to narrate something from them whose falsehood is not certain. But the meanings of Allah’s Book are certain, and to explain them with such things about which the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ لاَ تُصَدِّقُوْا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ وَلَا تُكَذِّبُوْهُمْ ] [بخاری، التفسیر، باب : «قولوا اٰمنا باللہ …» : ۴۴۸۵] “Do not consider them true nor false.” This is something that cannot be agreed upon.” Regarding “tamattu’,” consider the following couplet:

{تَمَتَّعْ مِنْ شَمِيْمِ عَرَارِ نَجْدٍ ¤ فَمَا بَعْدَ الْعَشِيَّةِ مِنْ عَرَارِ}

“Take full benefit from the fragrance of the ‘arar’ plant of Najd, for after this afternoon, ‘arar’ will not be found again.” (Because the poet was departing from there)

64. 1. This is the same she-camel which, at their request, Allah brought forth before their eyes from a mountain or a rock. Therefore, it is called (Allah's she-camel) because it appeared purely by Allah's command, miraculously, in the aforementioned extraordinary manner. They were strictly instructed regarding her that they should not harm her, otherwise they would fall into the grip of Allah's punishment.

64. "And O my people! This is Allah’s she-camel, a sign [76] for you. So let her graze in Allah’s land and do not harm her, or else a great punishment will overtake you."

[76]
The Eating and Drinking of Allah's She-Camel:

This nation itself had demanded the miracle that they would only believe if a pregnant she-camel emerged from this mountain and then gave birth before their eyes. Sayyiduna Salihؑ prayed to Allah, the mountain suddenly moved, and from a fissure a huge she-camel emerged, which after some time gave birth. In this way, the nation’s requested miracle was fulfilled, and for this reason, the she-camel was attributed to Allah.

Warning Against Harming the She-Camel:

This gigantic she-camel would drink as much water as all the animals of the settlement combined, and would eat just as much fodder. The nation became anxious about her consumption, so Allah decided that the she-camel would drink from the well one day, and all the other animals would drink the next day, and the she-camel would have complete freedom to graze wherever she wished. Along with this, Salihؑ warned the nation that if they touched the she-camel with any evil intent, they would be subjected to a severe punishment.