THE PAINFUL END OF THAMUD
VERSE NO.23-32
Here is the third people (Thamud) whose story in brief has been narrated for those who may want to take lessons:-
``The people of Thamud too,belied the warners.''
Pride and selfish attitude prevented the people of Salih from seeing the truth. So they said:-
``Has the reminder been induced to Salih alone from among us all? He is a fanciful liar!
Salih was the prophet who warned and preached the people of Thamud. He was one of them, and was brought up among themselves. To them he seemed to be an ordinary man and in particular without any wealth and power. Our prophet Mohammad (SA) too had a similar position among Quraish. His ordinary position was counted by his people as a weak piont, and a cause of reproach by his ignorant people, when it should have been a great advantage to support and prove his truthfulness.
Then the reference is to the great miracle of Salih, the SHE-CAMEL, with certain specialties, among which was her coming out from amid a big rock, and that she drank a great amount of water, but QurÌn does not give the details of the camel.
The chiefs among those selfish people had monopolised water and pasture against the poor class of their society. How could it consent them with a share of half and half with a camel, even though she had miraculously appeared out of a rock?!
They ordered one of their hireling followers to hamstring and slay her.
When it was so stubbornly done, a dreadful earthquake accompanied by a terrible noise destroyed them all, in a minute:-
``There was a single cry, and they became like dry hay which is collected by the owner of cattle in a pen.'' How terrible was the warning and punishment of God when it came to pass.