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Surah 7. Al-A'raf

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7:66
قَالَ ٱلْمَلَأُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِن قَوْمِهِۦٓ إِنَّا لَنَرَىٰكَ فِى سَفَاهَةٍ وَإِنَّا لَنَظُنُّكَ مِنَ ٱلْكَـٰذِبِينَ Q a la almalao alla th eena kafaroo min qawmihi inn a lanar a ka fee saf a hatin wainn a lana th unnuka mina alk ath ibeen a
Said the great ones among his people, who refused to acknowledge the truth: "Verily, we see that thou art weak-minded; and, verily, we think that thou art a liar!"49
  - Mohammad Asad

They considered him "weak-minded" because he expected them to give up their traditional beliefs and deities; and a "liar", because he claimed to be a prophet of God.

The chiefs of his nation who denied his message said: "We can see that you are crazy and we think that you are lying."
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
The disbelieving chiefs of his people responded, 'We surely see you as a fool, and we certainly think you are a liar.'
  - Mustafa Khattab
The chieftains of his people, who were disbelieving, said: Lo! we surely see thee in foolishness, and lo! we deem thee of the liars.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
The leaders of the unbelievers among his people said: "Ah! we see thou art an imbecile!" and "we think thou art a liar!"
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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7:67
قَالَ يَـٰقَوْمِ لَيْسَ بِى سَفَاهَةٌ وَلَـٰكِنِّى رَسُولٌ مِّن رَّبِّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ Q a la y a qawmi laysa bee saf a hatun wal a kinnee rasoolun min rabbi alAA a lameen a
Said [Hud]: "O my people! There is no weak-mindedness in me, but I am an apostle from the Sustainer of all the worlds.
  - Mohammad Asad
He replied: "O my people! I am not crazy, on the contrary I am a Rasool from the Rabb of the worlds.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Hûd replied, 'O my people! I am no fool! But I am a messenger from the Lord of all worlds,
  - Mustafa Khattab
He said : O my people; There is no foolishness in me, but I am a messenger from the Lord of the Worlds.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
He said: "O my people! I am not imbecile but (I am) an apostle from the Lord and Cherisher of the worlds!
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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7:68
أُبَلِّغُكُمْ رِسَـٰلَـٰتِ رَبِّى وَأَنَا۠ لَكُمْ نَاصِحٌ أَمِينٌ Oballighukum ris a l a ti rabbee waan a lakum n as i h un ameen un
I am delivering unto you my Sustainer's messages and advising you truly and well.50
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "I am a trustworthy adviser to you".

I am conveying the message of my Rabb to you, and I am an honest adviser to you.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
conveying to you my Lord's messages. And I am your sincere advisor.
  - Mustafa Khattab
I convey unto you the messages of my Lord and am for you a true adviser.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
"I but fulfil towards your the duties of my Lord's mission: I am to you a sincere and trustworthy adviser.
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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7:69
أَوَعَجِبْتُمْ أَن جَآءَكُمْ ذِكْرٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ عَلَىٰ رَجُلٍ مِّنكُمْ لِيُنذِرَكُمْ ۚ وَٱذْكُرُوٓا۟ إِذْ جَعَلَكُمْ خُلَفَآءَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ قَوْمِ نُوحٍ وَزَادَكُمْ فِى ٱلْخَلْقِ بَصْۜطَةً ۖ فَٱذْكُرُوٓا۟ ءَالَآءَ ٱللَّهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ AwaAAajibtum an j a akum th ikrun min rabbikum AAal a rajulin minkum liyun th irakum wa o th kuroo i th jaAAalakum khulaf a a min baAAdi qawmi noo h in waz a dakum fee alkhalqi bas t atan fa o th kuroo a l a a All a hi laAAallakum tufli h oon a
Why, do you deem it strange that a tiding from your Sustainer should have come unto you through a man from among yourselves, so that he might warn you? Do but remember how He made you heirs to Noah's people, and endowed you abundantly with power:51 remember, then, God's blessings, so that you might attain to a happy state!"
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "successors after Noah's people" - i.e., the most numerous and powerful of all the tribes that descended from Noah - "and increased you abundantly in respect of [your] natural endowment (khalq)". The latter term also signifies "power" (Razi).

Do you wonder that a reminder from your Rabb has come to you through one of your own men to warn you? Remember that he made you successors after the people of Nuh and gave you a tall stature as compared to other people. Therefore, remember the favors that you have received from Allah, so that you may prosper."
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Do you find it astonishing that a reminder should come to you from your Lord through one of your own so he may warn you? Remember that He made you successors after the people of Noah and increased you greatly in stature. So remember Allah's favours, so you may be successful.'
  - Mustafa Khattab
Marvel ye that there should come unto you a Reminder from your Lord by means of a man among you, that he may warn you? Remember how He made you viceroys after Noah's folk, and gave you growth of stature. Remember (all) the bounties of your Lord, that haply ye may be successful.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
"Do ye wonder that there hath come to you a message from your Lord through a man of your own people to warn you? call in remembrance that he made you inheritors after the people of Noah and gave you a stature tall among the nations. Call in remembrance the benefits (ye have received) from Allah: that so Ye may prosper."
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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7:70
قَالُوٓا۟ أَجِئْتَنَا لِنَعْبُدَ ٱللَّهَ وَحْدَهُۥ وَنَذَرَ مَا كَانَ يَعْبُدُ ءَابَآؤُنَا ۖ فَأْتِنَا بِمَا تَعِدُنَآ إِن كُنتَ مِنَ ٱلصَّـٰدِقِينَ Q a loo ajitan a linaAAbuda All a ha wa h dahu wana th ara m a k a na yaAAbudu a b a on a fatin a bim a taAAidun a in kunta mina a l ssa diqeen a
They answered: "Hast thou come to us [with the demand] that we worship God alone, and give up all that our forefathers were wont to worship? Bring about, then, that [punishment] with which thou hast threatened us, if thou art a man of truth!"
  - Mohammad Asad
They replied: "Have you come to us with the demand that we should worship Allah Alone and give up those whom our forefathers used to worship? Well, bring us what you are threatening us with if what you say is true!"
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
They said, 'Have you come to us so that we would worship Allah alone and abandon what our forefathers used to worship? Then bring us what you threaten us with, if what you say is true!'
  - Mustafa Khattab
They said: Hast come unto us that we should serve Allah alone, and forsake what our fathers worshipped? Then bring upon us that wherewith thou threatenest us if thou art of the truth.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
They said: "Comest thou to us that we may worship Allah alone and give up the cult of our fathers? Bring us what thou threatenest us with if so be that thou tellest the truth!"
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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7:71
قَالَ قَدْ وَقَعَ عَلَيْكُم مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ رِجْسٌ وَغَضَبٌ ۖ أَتُجَـٰدِلُونَنِى فِىٓ أَسْمَآءٍ سَمَّيْتُمُوهَآ أَنتُمْ وَءَابَآؤُكُم مَّا نَزَّلَ ٱللَّهُ بِهَا مِن سُلْطَـٰنٍ ۚ فَٱنتَظِرُوٓا۟ إِنِّى مَعَكُم مِّنَ ٱلْمُنتَظِرِينَ Q a la qad waqaAAa AAalaykum min rabbikum rijsun wagha d abun atuj a diloonanee fee asm a in sammaytumooh a antum wa a b a okum m a nazzala All a hu bih a min sul ta nin fa i nta th iroo innee maAAakum mina almunta th ireen a
Said [Hud]: "You are already beset by loathsome evil52 and by your Sustainer's condemnation! Do you argue with me about the [empty] names which you have invented53 - you and your forefathers - for which God has bestowed no warrant from on high? Wait, then, [for what will happen:] verily, I shall wait with you!"54
  - Mohammad Asad

A reference to their idolatry and obstinacy.

Lit., "names which you have named" - i.e., the false deities, which have no real existence.

Lit., "I shall be, together with you, among those who wait."

Hud said: "You have already incurred the blight and wrath of your Rabb. Would you dispute with me about mere names which you and your forefathers have invented, and for which Allah has revealed no sanction? If so then wait for the decision of Allah, I too will wait with you."
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
He said, 'You will certainly be subjected to your Lord's torment and wrath. Do you dispute with me regarding the so-called gods which you and your forefathers have made up- a practice Allah has never authorized? Then wait! I too am waiting with you.'
  - Mustafa Khattab
He said: Terror and wrath from your Lord have already fallen on you. Would ye wrangle with me over names which ye have named, ye and your fathers, for which no warrant from Allah hath been revealed? Then await (the consequence), lo! I (also) am of those awaiting (it).
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
He said: "punishment and wrath have already come upon you from your Lord: dispute ye with me over names which ye have devised ye and your fathers without authority from Allah? Then wait: I am amongst you also waiting." 1041 1042
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The past tense may be understood in three ways. (1) A terrible famine had already afflicted the 'Ad as a warning before they were overwhelmed in the final blast of hot wind (see the last note). (2) The terrible insolence and sin into which they had fallen was itself a punishment. (3) The prophetic past is used, as much as to say: "Behold! I see a dreadful calamity: it is already on you!"

Why dispute over names and imaginary gods, the inventions of your minds? Come to realities. If you ask for the punishment and are waiting in insolent defiance, what can I do but also wait?-in fear and trembling for you, for I know that Allah's punishment is sure!

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7:72
فَأَنجَيْنَـٰهُ وَٱلَّذِينَ مَعَهُۥ بِرَحْمَةٍ مِّنَّا وَقَطَعْنَا دَابِرَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا ۖ وَمَا كَانُوا۟ مُؤْمِنِينَ Faanjayn a hu wa a lla th eena maAAahu bira h matin minn a waqa t aAAn a d a bira alla th eena ka thth aboo bi a y a tin a wam a k a noo mumineen a
And so, by Our grace, We saved him and those who stood by him, the while We wiped out the last remnant of those who gave the lie to Our messages and would not believe.55
  - Mohammad Asad

As is shown in {69:6-8}, this destruction came about through a violent sandstorm raging without a break for seven nights and eight days.

We saved him and his companions by Our mercy and We cut off the roots of (annihilated) those who denied Our revelations and did not become believers.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
So We saved him and those with him by Our mercy and uprooted those who denied Our signs. They were not believers.
  - Mustafa Khattab
And We saved him and those with him by a mercy from Us, and We cut the root of those who denied Our revelations and were not believers.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
We saved him and those who adhered to him by our mercy and We cut off the roots of those who rejected our signs and did not believe.
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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7:73
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 Wail a thamooda akh a hum sa li h an q a la y a qawmi oAAbudoo All a ha m a lakum min il a hin ghayruhu qad j a atkum bayyinatun min rabbikum h ath ihi n a qatu All a hi lakum a yatan fa th arooh a takul fee ar d i All a hi wal a tamassooh a bisooin fayakhu th akum AAa tha bun aleem un
AND UNTO [the tribe of] Thamud [We sent] their brother Salih.56 He said: "O my people! Worship God alone: you have no deity other than Him. Clear evidence of the truth has now come unto you from your Sustainer. "This she-camel belonging to God shall be a token for you: so leave her alone to pasture on God's earth, and do her no harm, lest grievous chastisement befall you.57
  - Mohammad Asad

The Nabataean tribe of Thamud descended from the tribe of 'Ad mentioned in the preceding passage, and is, therefore, often referred to in pre-Islamic poetry as the "Second 'Ad". Apart from Arabian sources, "a series of older references, not of Arabian origin, confirm the historical existence of the name and people of Thamud. Thus the inscription of Sargon of the year 715 B.C. mentions the Thamad among the people of eastern and central Arabia subjected by the Assyrians. We also find the Thamudaei, Thamudenes mentioned in Aristo, Ptolemy, and Pliny" (Encyclopaedia of Islam IV, 736). At the time of which the Qur'an speaks, the Thamud were settled in the northernmost Hijaz, near the confines of Syria. Rock-inscriptions attributed to them are still extant in the region of Al-Hijr. - As in the case of the 'Adite prophet Hud - and the prophet Shu'ayb spoken of in verses {85-93} of this surah - Salih is called the "brother" of the tribe because he belonged to it.

The commentators cite various legends to the effect that this she-camel was of miraculous origin. Since neither the Qur'an nor any authentic Tradition provides the least support for these legends, we must assume that they are based on the expression naqat Allah ("God's she-camel"), which has led some pious Muslims to fantastic conjectures. However, as Rashid Rida' points out (Manar VIII, 502), this expression denotes merely the fact that the animal in question was not owned by any one person, and was therefore to be protected by the whole tribe; a further, analogous expression is found in the words "God's earth" in the same verse: an illustration of the fact that everything belongs to God. The particular stress placed by Salih on good treatment of this ownerless animal - referred to in several places in the Qur'an - was obviously due to the cruel high-handedness displayed by the tribe, who, as the next two verses show, were wont to "act wickedly on earth by spreading corruption" and "gloried in their arrogance towards all who were deemed weak": in other words, their treatment of the defenceless animal was to be a "token" of their change of heart or (as is made clear in 54:27 ) "a test for them".

For the people of Thamud We selected their brother Saleh, who said: "O my people! Worship Allah; you have no other god but Him. Now a clear proof has come to you from your Rabb; here is Allah's she-camel as a sign for you, therefore leave her alone to pasture on Allah's land and do not touch her with bad intentions, lest you incur a painful punishment.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
And to the people of Thamud We sent their brother Salih. He said, 'O my people! Worship Allah- you have no other god except Him. A clear proof has come to you from your Lord: this is Allah's she-camel as a sign to you. So leave her to graze 'freely' on Allah's land and do not harm her, or else you will be overcome by a painful punishment.
  - Mustafa Khattab
And to (the tribe of) Thamud (We sent) their brother Salih. He said: O my people! Serve Allah. Ye have no other God save Him. A wonder from your Lord hath come unto you. Lo! this is the camel of Allah, a token unto you; so let her feed in Allah's earth, and touch her not with hurt lest painful torment seize you.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
To the Thamud people (We sent) Saleh one of their own brethren: he said: "O my people! worship Allah; ye have no other god but Him. Now hath come unto you a clear (sign) from your Lord! This she-camel of Allah is a sign unto you: so leave her to graze in Allah's earth and let her come to no harm or ye shall be seized with a grievous punishment. 1043 1044
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The Thamud people were the successors to the culture and civilization of the 'Ad people, for whom see n. 1040 and vii. 65 above. They were cousins to the 'Ad, apparently a younger branch of the same race. Their story also belongs to Arabian tradition, according to which their eponymous ancestor Thamud was a son of 'Abir (a brother of Aram), the son of Sam, the son of Noah. Their seat was in the north-west corner of Arabia (Arabia Petraea), between Madinah and Syria. It included both rocky country (hijr. xv. 80), and the spacious fertile valley (Wadi) and plains country of Qura, which begins just north of the City of Madinah and is traversed by the Hijaz Railway. When the holy Prophet in the 9th year of the Hijra led his expedition to Tabuk (about 400 miles north of Madinah) against the Roman forces, on a reported Roman invasion from Syria, he and his men came across the archaeological remains of the Thamud. The recently excavated rock city of Petra, near Maan, may go back to the Thamud, though its architecture has many features connecting it with Egyptian and Graeco-Roman culture overlaying what is called by European writers Nabataean Culture. Who were the Nabataeans? They were an old Arab tribe which played a considerable part in history after they came into conflict with Antigonus I in 312 B.C. Their capital was Petra, but they extended their territory right up to the Euphrates. In 85 B.C. they were lords of Damascus under their king Haritha (Aretas of Roman history). For some time they were allies of the Roman Empire and held the Red Sea littoral. The Emperor Trajan reduced them and annexed their territory in A.D. 105. The Nabataeans succeeded the Thamud of Arabian tradition. The Thamud are mentioned by name in an inscription of the Assyrian King Sargon, dated 715 B.C., as a people of Eastern and Central Arabia (Encyclopaedia of Islam). See also Appendix VII to S. xxvi. With the advance of material civilisation, the Thamud people became godless and arrogant, and were destroyed by an earthquake. Their prophet and warner was Salih, and the crisis in their history is connected with the story of a wonderful she-camel: see next note.

The story of this wonderful she-camel, that was a sign to the Thamud, is variously told in tradition. We need not follow the various versions in the traditional story. What we are told in the Qur-an is: that (1) she was a Sign or Symbol, which the prophet Salih, used for a warning to the haughty oppressors of the poor: (2) there was scarcity of water, and the arrogant or privileged classes tried to prevent the access of the poor or their cattle to the springs, while Salih intervened on their behalf (xxvi. 155, liv. 28); (3) like water, pasture was considered a free gift of nature, in this spacious earth of Allah (vii. 73), but the arrogant ones tried to monopolise the pasture also; (4) this particular she-camel was made a test case (liv. 27) to see if the arrogant ones would come to reason; (5) the arrogant ones, instead of yielding to the reasonable rights of the people, ham-strung the poor she- camel and slew her, probably secretly (xci. 14, liv. 29): the cup of their iniquities was full, and the Thamud people were destroyed by a dreadful earthquake, which threw them prone on the ground and buried them with their houses and their fine buildings.

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7:74
وَٱذْكُرُوٓا۟ إِذْ جَعَلَكُمْ خُلَفَآءَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ عَادٍ وَبَوَّأَكُمْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ تَتَّخِذُونَ مِن سُهُولِهَا قُصُورًا وَتَنْحِتُونَ ٱلْجِبَالَ بُيُوتًا ۖ فَٱذْكُرُوٓا۟ ءَالَآءَ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا تَعْثَوْا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ مُفْسِدِينَ Wa o th kuroo i th jaAAalakum khulaf a a min baAAdi AA a din wabawwaakum fee alar d i tattakhi th oona min suhoolih a qu s ooran watan h itoona aljib a la buyootan fa o th kuroo a l a a All a hi wal a taAAthaw fee alar d i mufsideen a
"And remember how He made you heirs to [the tribe of] 'Ad58 and settled you firmly on earth, so that you [are able to] build for yourselves castles on its plains and hew out mountains [to serve you] as dwellings:59 remember, then, God's blessings, and do not act wickedly on earth by spreading corruption."
  - Mohammad Asad

Cf. the parallel expression in verse {69} above - "heirs to Noah's people" - and the corresponding note. From all the historical references to the Thamud it is apparent that they were one of the greatest and most powerful Arab tribes of their time.

A reference to the elaborate rock-dwellings or tombs - to be seen to this day - which the Thamud carved out of the cliffs west of Al-Hijr, in northern Hijaz, and embellished with sculptures of animals as well as many inscriptions attesting to the comparatively high degree of their civilization and power. In popular Arabian parlance, these rock-dwellings are nowadays called Mada'in Salih ("The Towns of Salih").

Remember how you were made the heirs of 'Ad and settled in the land, capable of building mansions in the valleys and carving out homes in the mountains. Therefore, remember the favors of Allah and do not spread mischief in the land."
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Remember when He made you successors after 'Ad and established you in the land- 'and' you built palaces on its plains and carved homes into mountains. So remember Allah's favours, and do not go about spreading corruption in the land.'
  - Mustafa Khattab
And remember how He made you viceroys after 'Aad and gave you station in the earth. Ye choose castles in the plains and hew the mountains into dwellings. So remember (all) the bounties of Allah and do not evil, making mischief in the earth.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
"And remember how He made you inheritors after the Ad people and gave you habitations in the land: ye build for yourselves palaces and castles in (open) plains and carve out homes in the mountains; so bring to remembrance the benefits (ye have received) from Allah and refrain from evil and mischief on the earth."
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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7:75
قَالَ ٱلْمَلَأُ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱسْتَكْبَرُوا۟ مِن قَوْمِهِۦ لِلَّذِينَ ٱسْتُضْعِفُوا۟ لِمَنْ ءَامَنَ مِنْهُمْ أَتَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ صَـٰلِحًا مُّرْسَلٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦ ۚ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا بِمَآ أُرْسِلَ بِهِۦ مُؤْمِنُونَ Q a la almalao alla th eena istakbaroo min qawmihi lilla th eena istu d AAifoo liman a mana minhum ataAAlamoona anna sa li h an mursalun min rabbihi q a loo inn a bim a orsila bihi muminoon a
The great ones among his people, who gloried in their arrogance towards all who were weak, said unto the believers among them: "Do you [really] know that Salih has been sent by his Sustainer?" They answered "Verily, we believe in the message which he bears."60
  - Mohammad Asad

The contents of his message (lit., "that with which he has been sent") appeared to them justification enough to accept it on its merits, without the need of any esoteric "proof" of Salih's mission. In a subtle way, this statement of faith has a meaning which goes far beyond the story of the Thamud. It is an invitation to the sceptic who is unable to believe in the divine origin of a religious message, to judge it on its intrinsic merits and not to make his acceptance dependent on extraneous, and objectively impossible, proofs of its origin: for only through the contents of a message can its truth and validity be established.

The arrogant leaders from his nation asked the oppressed among them who have believed: "Do you really believe that Saleh is a Rasool from his Rabb?" They replied: "We do indeed believe in the revelation which he has been sent."
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
The arrogant chiefs of his people asked the lowly who believed among them, 'Are you certain that Salih has been sent by his Lord?' They replied, 'We certainly believe in what he has been sent with.'
  - Mustafa Khattab
The chieftains of his people, who were scornful, said unto those whom they despised, unto such of them as believed: Know ye that Salih is one sent from his Lord? They said : Lo! In that wherewith he hath been sent we are believers.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
The leaders of the arrogant party among his people said to those who were reckoned powerless those among them who believe: "know ye indeed that Saleh is an apostle from his Lord?" They said: "We do indeed believe in the revelation which hath been sent through him." 1045 1046
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

As usually happens in such cases, the Believers were the lowly and the humble, and the oppressors were the arrogant, who in selfishly keeping back nature's gifts (which are Allah's gifts) from the people, were deaf to the dictates of justice and kindness. Salih took the side of the unprivileged, and was therefore himself attacked.

Notice the relation between the question and the answer. The godless chiefs wanted to discredit Salih, and put a personal question, as much as to say, "Is he not a liar?" The Believers took back the issue to the higher plane, as much as to say. "We know he is a man of Allah, but look at the justice for which he is making a stand: to resist it is to resist Allah". The answer of the godless was to reject Allah in words, and in action to commit a further act of cruelty and injustice in ham-stringing and killing the she-camel, at the same time hurling defiance at Salih and his God.

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7:76
قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱسْتَكْبَرُوٓا۟ إِنَّا بِٱلَّذِىٓ ءَامَنتُم بِهِۦ كَـٰفِرُونَ Q a la alla th eena istakbaroo inn a bi a lla th ee a mantum bihi k a firoon a
[But] the arrogant ones said: "Behold, what you have come to believe in we refuse to regard as true!"
  - Mohammad Asad
The arrogant, who considered themselves superior, said: "We deny all that you believe in."
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
The arrogant said, 'We surely reject what you believe in.'
  - Mustafa Khattab
Those who were scornful said : Lo! in that which ye believe we are disbelievers.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
The arrogant party said: "for our part we reject what ye believe in."
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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7:77
فَعَقَرُوا۟ ٱلنَّاقَةَ وَعَتَوْا۟ عَنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّهِمْ وَقَالُوا۟ يَـٰصَـٰلِحُ ٱئْتِنَا بِمَا تَعِدُنَآ إِن كُنتَ مِنَ ٱلْمُرْسَلِينَ FaAAaqaroo a l nn a qata waAAataw AAan amri rabbihim waq a loo y a sa li h u itin a bim a taAAidun a in kunta mina almursaleen a
And then they cruelly slaughtered the she-camel,61 and turned with disdain from their Sustainer's commandment, and said: "O Salih! Bring, about that [punishment] with which thou hast threatened us, if thou art truly one of God's message-bearers!"
  - Mohammad Asad

The verb 'aqara primarily denotes "he hamstrung [an animal]" - i.e., before slaughtering it, so that it might not run away. This barbarous custom was widely practiced in pre-Islamic Arabia, so that 'aqr ("hamstringing") gradually became synonymous with slaughtering in a cruel manner (Razi; see also Lane V, 2107 f.).

Then they hamstrung the she-camel, defied the commandment of their Rabb and challenged Saleh saying: "Bring down the scourge you have threatened us with, if you truly are one of the Rasools."
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Then they killed the she-camel- defying their Lord's command- and challenged 'Salih', 'Bring us what you threaten us with, if you are 'truly' one of the messengers.'
  - Mustafa Khattab
So they hamstrung the she-camel, and they flouted the commandment of their Lord, and they said: O Salih! Bring upon us that thou threatenest if thou art indeed of those sent (from Allah).
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Then they ham-strung the she-camel and insolently defied the order of their Lord saying: "O Saleh! bring about thy threats if thou art an apostle (of Allah)!"
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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7:78
فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ ٱلرَّجْفَةُ فَأَصْبَحُوا۟ فِى دَارِهِمْ جَـٰثِمِينَ Faakha th athumu a l rrajfatu faa s ba h oo fee d a rihim j a thimeen a
Thereupon an earthquake overtook them: and then they lay lifeless, in their very homes, on the ground.62
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "they became, in their homes, prostrate on the ground". The term rajfah which occurs at the beginning of this sentence signifies any violent commotion or trembling, and is often, though not always, applied to an earthquake (rajfat al-ard). It is possible that the earthquake mentioned here was accompanied by the volcanic eruption which at some time overtook the historical dwelling-places of the Thamud tribe, and to which the extensive black lava-fields (harrah) of northern Hijaz, and particularly near Mada'in Salih see note [59] above, bear eloquent witness to this day.

Thereupon an earthquake overtook them and they became lifeless bodies in their homes with their faces down.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Then an 'overwhelming' earthquake struck them, and they fell lifeless in their homes.
  - Mustafa Khattab
So the earthquake seized them, and morning found them prostrate in their dwelling place.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
So the earthquake took them unawares and they lay prostrate in their homes in the morning! 1047
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The retribution was not long delayed. A terrible earthquake came and buried the people and destroyed their boasted civilisation. The calamity must have been fairly extensive in area and intense in the terror it inspired, for it is described (liv. 31) as a "single mighty blast" (saihatan wahidatan), the sort of terror-inspiring noise which accompanies all big earthquakes.

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7:79
فَتَوَلَّىٰ عَنْهُمْ وَقَالَ يَـٰقَوْمِ لَقَدْ أَبْلَغْتُكُمْ رِسَالَةَ رَبِّى وَنَصَحْتُ لَكُمْ وَلَـٰكِن لَّا تُحِبُّونَ ٱلنَّـٰصِحِينَ Fatawall a AAanhum waq a la y a qawmi laqad ablaghtukum ris a lata rabbee wana s a h tu lakum wal a kin l a tu h ibboona a l nn as i h een a
And [Salih] turned away from them, and said: "O my people! Indeed, I delivered unto you my Sustainer's message and gave you good advice: but you did not love those who gave [you] good advice."
  - Mohammad Asad
Saleh left them saying: "O my people! I did indeed convey to you the message of my Rabb and gave you good advice but you did not love the good advisers."
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
So he turned away from them, saying, 'O my people! Surely I conveyed to you my Lord's message and gave you 'sincere' advice, but you do not like 'sincere' advisors.'
  - Mustafa Khattab
And Salih turned on them and said : O my people! I delivered my Lord's message unto you and gave you good advice, but ye love not good advisers.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
So Saleh left them saying: "O my people! I did indeed convey to you the message for which I was sent by my Lord: I gave you good counsel but ye love not good counsellors!" 1048
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Salih was saved by Allah's mercy as a just and righteous man. His speech here may be either a parting warning, or it may be a soliloquy lamenting the destruction of his people for their sin and folly.

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7:80
وَلُوطًا إِذْ قَالَ لِقَوْمِهِۦٓ أَتَأْتُونَ ٱلْفَـٰحِشَةَ مَا سَبَقَكُم بِهَا مِنْ أَحَدٍ مِّنَ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ Waloo t an i th q a la liqawmihi atatoona alf ah ishata m a sabaqakum bih a min a h adin mina alAA a lameen a
AND [remember] Lot,63 when he said unto his people: "Will you commit abominations such as none in all the world has ever done before you?
  - Mohammad Asad

The story of Lot, Abraham's nephew (Lut in Arabic), is given in greater detail in {11:69-83}.

We also selected Lut, who said to his people: "Will you do such indecent acts as no one else in the world has committed before you?
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
And 'remember' when Lot scolded 'the men of' his people, 'saying,' 'Do you commit a shameful deed that no man has ever done before?
  - Mustafa Khattab
And Lo! (Remember) when he said unto his folk: Will ye commit abomination such as no creature ever did before you?
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
We also (sent) Lut: he said to his people: "Do ye commit lewdness such as no people in creation (ever) committed before you? 1049
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Lut is the Lot of the English Bible. His story is biblical, but freed from some shameful features which are a blot on the biblical narrative, (e.g., see Gen. xix. 30-36). He was a nephew of Abraham, and was sent as a Prophet and warner to the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, cities utterly destroyed for their unspeakable sins. They cannot be exactly located, but it may be supposed that they were somewhere in the plain cast of the Dead Sea. The story of their destruction is told in the 19th chapter of Genesis. Two angels in the shape of handsome young men came to Lot in the evening and became his guests by night. The inhabitants of Sodom in their lust for unnatural crime invaded Lot's house but were repulsed. In the morning, the angels warned Lot to escape with his family. "Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven; and He overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground. But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt." (Gen. xix. 24-26). Note that Lot's people are the people to whom he is sent on a mission. He was not one of their own brethren, as was Salih or Shu'aib. But he looked upon his people as his brethren (I. 13), as a man of God always does.

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