In order to console the prophet and believers, and to threaten the enemies and objectors, Qurän alludes to the fate of the past nations who rejected truth and belied their apostles, and finally were punished and destroyed. Among them were the people of Noah, Äd, Thamud, and the companions of Rass. Their story here has just been mentioned to illustrate how arrogant and ignorant they must have been that they were afflicted so badly.
They rejected the clear signs of their LordِMerciful Lord, and followed the way of Satan to polytheism and idolatry, rejecting their apostle's advices and warnings, and thus they ruined their self and soul, and their whole existence:ِ
``And the people of Noah; when they belied the Messengers we drowned them and made them a sign for people.... And Äd, Thamud, and the Companions of Rass, and many generations between them were all destroyed.''
Not only the contemporaries of Hazrat Mohammad (SA), but the past generations too, had little respect for their prophets. Of course, they could never frustrate God in His plan. On the contrary, the rejectors of truth and non-believers, were those who suffered a painful punishment and who were wiped up for their wrong deeds and wrong faith.
The people of Äd were those to whom the prophet, Hood was sent, and Thamud were the people of Salih. There are some arguments, as who the companions of Rass could have been?
The Arabic word, ``RASS'' means a light effect, and also it may mean, an old well, or a shallow water pit.
Perhaps the Companions of Rass have had many wells, which when dried and got no water, they lost their lives.
Some commentators believe that, the Companions of Rass were a people who lived in YAMÄMIH, and a prophet named HANZALIH was sent to them, but the people rejected by casting him in a deep well and covering its top!
Some commentators have known these miserable people to have been the remnants of Äd and Thamud.
Another view about the Companion of Rass is a narration from HAZRAT IMAM REZA (AS) that; they were a people who worshipped a certain kind of PINE TREE. They had twelve towns at the bank of a river named RASS. Each town had taken its name as one of the 12 solar months of Persians such as, FARVARDIN-ORDIBEHESHT-KHORDAD and etc. They offered sacrifices to their god pine tree, and prostrated themselves before it and cried for salvation!!
When they were submerged in their idolatry and sank in blasphemy, Allah sent to them an apostle from among the Israelites. When they belied their prophet and rejected him, he prayed to God, and the main pine tree dried and withered up. They took the event as a sorcery from their apostle and approved to slay him. They cast him down to the bottom of a deep well and put the cover on! And so was their apostle martyred.
The Arabs contemporary to our prophet, passed by the ruins of the towns that were overthrown by the wrath of God:-
``Verily they have passed by the town on which it rained a bad rain....''
This may refer to Lut's story and destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, the ruins of which were present in the life time of our prophet.
These were a couple of the five cities in the Dead Sea area, the destruction of which is associated in Quränic tradition with the time of ABRAHAM.
The most probable view is that the valley of SIDDIM in which the cities were located is now under the southeastern end of the Dead sea. The tradition of the destruction suggests an earthquake accompanied by a dreadful cry and a shower of brimstone which destroyed all the inhabitants who were non-believers.
