Messenger
Salih peace be upon him
Sent to Thamud, who carved their homes into mountains. Allah gave them a she-camel as a clear sign; they killed it and were destroyed.
Rasul (messenger): a prophet sent with a message to a people. Marked here when the Quran explicitly calls him a messenger; scholars also count others, such as Dawud, who was given the Zabur. Nabi (prophet): one who receives revelation from Allah. Every messenger is a prophet, but not every prophet is a messenger.
- Sent to
- Thamud
- Region
- Al-Hijr (Mada'in Salih), north-west Arabia
- Named in the Quran
- 9 times by name
Key events
- Thamud carved homes out of the mountains (7:74; 26:149).
- They demanded a sign, and Allah gave them a she-camel as a sign (26:154-155; 11:64).
- They were to share the water with her on alternate days (26:155).
- The most wretched among them hamstrung the she-camel (91:12-14).
- After three days a mighty blast seized them; Salih and the believers were saved (11:65-67).
Lesson
Defying Allah's clear signs brings ruin.