Surah 26. Ash-Shuara, Ayah 157

Lit., "they became regretful". For my rendering of 'aqaruha as "they cruelly slaughtered her", see note [61] on 7:77 .

Their regrets were too late. They had themselves asked for a Sign. The Sign had been given to them in the she-camel, which their prophet Salih had put forward as a test-case. Would they, through that symbol, respect the law of equity by which all people had rights in water and in the gifts of nature? They refused to respect that law, and committed sacrilege by deliberately killing the she-camel. They themselves came to an evil end.