سُوْرَةُ الْاَعْرَافِ
Surah Al-A'raaf (7) — Ayah 73
وَإِلَىٰ ثَمُودَ أَخَاهُمْ صَـٰلِحًا ۗ قَالَ يَـٰقَوْمِ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَـٰهٍ غَيْرُهُۥ ۖ قَدْ جَآءَتْكُم بَيِّنَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ ۖ هَـٰذِهِۦ نَاقَةُ ٱللَّهِ لَكُمْ ءَايَةً ۖ فَذَرُوهَا تَأْكُلْ فِىٓ أَرْضِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَلَا تَمَسُّوهَا بِسُوٓءٍ فَيَأْخُذَكُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ ﴿73﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And to Thamûd (people, We sent) their brother Sâlih. He said: "O my people! Worship Allâh! You have no other Ilâh (God) but Him. (Lâ ilâha illallâh: none has the right to be worshipped but Allâh). Indeed there has come to you a clear sign (the miracle of the coming out of a huge she-camel from the midst of a rock) from your Lord. This she-camel of Allâh is a sign unto you; so you leave her to graze in Allâh’s earth, and touch her not with harm, lest a painful torment should seize you.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَإِلَىٰ
wa-ilā
And to
ثَمُودَ
thamūda
Thamud
أَخَاهُمْ
akhāhum
(We sent) their brother
صَـٰلِحًۭا ۗ
ṣāliḥan
Salih
قَالَ
qāla
He said
يَـٰقَوْمِ
yāqawmi
O my people
ٱعْبُدُوا۟
uʿ'budū
Worship
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
مَا
mā
not
لَكُم
lakum
for you
مِّنْ
min
any
إِلَـٰهٍ
ilāhin
god
غَيْرُهُۥ ۖ
ghayruhu
other than Him
قَدْ
qad
Verily
جَآءَتْكُم
jāatkum
has come to you
بَيِّنَةٌۭ
bayyinatun
a clear proof
مِّن
min
from
رَّبِّكُمْ ۖ
rabbikum
your Lord
هَـٰذِهِۦ
hādhihi
This
نَاقَةُ
nāqatu
(is) a she-camel
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
لَكُمْ
lakum
(it is) for you
ءَايَةًۭ ۖ
āyatan
a Sign
فَذَرُوهَا
fadharūhā
So you leave her
تَأْكُلْ
takul
(to) eat
فِىٓ
fī
on
أَرْضِ
arḍi
(the) earth
ٱللَّهِ ۖ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
وَلَا
walā
and (do) not
تَمَسُّوهَا
tamassūhā
touch her
بِسُوٓءٍۢ
bisūin
with harm
فَيَأْخُذَكُمْ
fayakhudhakum
lest seizes you
عَذَابٌ
ʿadhābun
a punishment
أَلِيمٌۭ
alīmun
painful
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
And to Thamud We sent their brother Salih. He said to his people, "Worship Allah; you have no deity other than Him. A clear sign [77] has come to you from your Lord. This is Allah’s she-camel as a sign for you. So let her graze in Allah’s land, and do not touch her with evil intent, or a painful punishment will seize you."
[77]
The Center of Preaching of Sayyiduna Salih ؑ and the People of Thamud:
The region of the people of Thamud was located between Hijaz and Syria. The Noble Quran has also referred to them as Ashab al-Hijr. Hijr was the name of one of their flourishing cities, which was situated on the route from Madinah to Tabuk. Thus, when you returned from the expedition of Tabuk, you stopped at the place of Hijr. Some of the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them all, quickly took water from one of the wells there and kneaded flour with it. You ﷺ ordered that the kneaded dough be thrown away or given to the camels to eat, and that the water which had been filled in the water skins be poured out. Then you ﷺ showed the Companions ؓ the well from which the she-camel of Salih ؑ used to drink water. You ﷺ said, "If you want to take water, then take and use it from this well." Then you ﷺ ordered to depart from there as quickly as possible and said, "Do not go into the settlements of the sinners except while weeping, fearing Allah, and seeking forgiveness, lest the punishment that befell them should also befall you." Saying this, you ﷺ covered your face with a sheet while still on the camel saddle. [بخاري۔ كتاب بدالانبياء۔ باب قول الله والي ثمودا خاهم صالحا] This nation too was involved in idol worship. Salih ؑ said, "O people! Besides Allah, there is no one who can fulfill your needs or remove your difficulties. Therefore, you should worship only Him and seek help only from Him, and I am conveying this message to you as the Messenger of your Lord."
Allah's She-Camel and Its Characteristics:
They said, "Show us a tangible miracle as proof of your prophethood, then we will accept your word." He asked, "What kind of miracle do you want?" They said, "Let a pregnant she-camel come forth from this mountain, and then let her give birth to a calf before us, so that we may understand that you are truly the Messenger of Allah and we will believe in you." Sayyiduna Salih ؑ prayed to Allah, so the mountain split open, from which emerged a she-camel of great stature and size, and she gave birth to a calf before them. At that time, Salih ؑ said to his people, "Let this she-camel roam freely, for she is the miracle you demanded and a sign from Allah. Let her graze wherever she wishes and drink water from wherever she wishes." Now the situation was that, firstly, there was already a shortage of water in that area, and secondly, this tall and large she-camel would drink as much water in one day as all their animals combined. Therefore, Sayyiduna Salih ؑ said, "Set a schedule: on one day your animals will drink water from this well, and on the next day this she-camel (whom Allah has called Naqatullah, i.e., Allah's she-camel, at another place) will drink water." Along with this, he also warned that if you do any harm to this she-camel, then a severe punishment from Allah will descend upon you.
[77]
The Center of Preaching of Sayyiduna Salih ؑ and the People of Thamud:
The region of the people of Thamud was located between Hijaz and Syria. The Noble Quran has also referred to them as Ashab al-Hijr. Hijr was the name of one of their flourishing cities, which was situated on the route from Madinah to Tabuk. Thus, when you returned from the expedition of Tabuk, you stopped at the place of Hijr. Some of the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them all, quickly took water from one of the wells there and kneaded flour with it. You ﷺ ordered that the kneaded dough be thrown away or given to the camels to eat, and that the water which had been filled in the water skins be poured out. Then you ﷺ showed the Companions ؓ the well from which the she-camel of Salih ؑ used to drink water. You ﷺ said, "If you want to take water, then take and use it from this well." Then you ﷺ ordered to depart from there as quickly as possible and said, "Do not go into the settlements of the sinners except while weeping, fearing Allah, and seeking forgiveness, lest the punishment that befell them should also befall you." Saying this, you ﷺ covered your face with a sheet while still on the camel saddle. [بخاري۔ كتاب بدالانبياء۔ باب قول الله والي ثمودا خاهم صالحا] This nation too was involved in idol worship. Salih ؑ said, "O people! Besides Allah, there is no one who can fulfill your needs or remove your difficulties. Therefore, you should worship only Him and seek help only from Him, and I am conveying this message to you as the Messenger of your Lord."
Allah's She-Camel and Its Characteristics:
They said, "Show us a tangible miracle as proof of your prophethood, then we will accept your word." He asked, "What kind of miracle do you want?" They said, "Let a pregnant she-camel come forth from this mountain, and then let her give birth to a calf before us, so that we may understand that you are truly the Messenger of Allah and we will believe in you." Sayyiduna Salih ؑ prayed to Allah, so the mountain split open, from which emerged a she-camel of great stature and size, and she gave birth to a calf before them. At that time, Salih ؑ said to his people, "Let this she-camel roam freely, for she is the miracle you demanded and a sign from Allah. Let her graze wherever she wishes and drink water from wherever she wishes." Now the situation was that, firstly, there was already a shortage of water in that area, and secondly, this tall and large she-camel would drink as much water in one day as all their animals combined. Therefore, Sayyiduna Salih ؑ said, "Set a schedule: on one day your animals will drink water from this well, and on the next day this she-camel (whom Allah has called Naqatullah, i.e., Allah's she-camel, at another place) will drink water." Along with this, he also warned that if you do any harm to this she-camel, then a severe punishment from Allah will descend upon you.
