11-61 And to Thamud (We sent) their brother Salih. He said: O my people, serve Allah, you have no god other than Him. He brought you forth from the earth and made you dwell in it, so ask forgiveness of Him, then turn to Him. Surely my Lord is Nigh, Answering.
وَإِلَىٰ ثَمُودَ أَخَاهُمْ صَـٰلِحًۭا ۚ قَالَ يَـٰقَوْمِ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَـٰهٍ غَيْرُهُۥ ۖ هُوَ أَنشَأَكُم مِّنَ ٱلْأَرْضِ وَٱسْتَعْمَرَكُمْ فِيهَا فَٱسْتَغْفِرُوهُ ثُمَّ تُوبُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهِ ۚ إِنَّ رَبِّى قَرِيبٌۭ مُّجِيبٌۭ (۶۱)
11-62 They said: O Salih, thou wast among us a centre of (our) hopes before this. Dost thou forbid us to worship what our fathers worshipped? And surely we are in grave doubt about that to which thou callest us.aa
قَالُوا۟ يَـٰصَـٰلِحُ قَدْ كُنتَ فِينَا مَرْجُوًّۭا قَبْلَ هَـٰذَآ ۖ أَتَنْهَىٰنَآ أَن نَّعْبُدَ مَا يَعْبُدُ ءَابَآؤُنَا وَإِنَّنَا لَفِى شَكٍّۢ مِّمَّا تَدْعُونَآ إِلَيْهِ مُرِيبٍۢ (۶۲)
11-62a: مَرْجُوۭ – رجاء is a conjecture whose purpose is to produce a happy expectation that is hope for betterment (R). So, مَرْجُو is a person from one expects great things.
مُرِيبٍۢ – The meaning of راب and اراب is to be put in رَیۡب and رَیۡب is to be doubtful or suspicious about a matter but later this doubt or suspicion is removed (R).
It is in the nature of prophets to serve humanity: The admission by Salih’s compatriots that they had great expectations from him shows that from the beginning a nation has high hopes from those individuals who become prophets. They have such great attributes of heart and mind and power of action that they acquire a significant distinction prior to prophethood. Historically, this is best seen in the Holy Prophet. He detested everything that was evil, stayed away from all frivolities and spent all his time serving his nation. Before his prophethood, he was involved in ثمال الیتامی عصمة الا رٰمل (Care of Orphans and Protection of Widows) and provided support and shelter to the poor and helpless. Day and night, he worried for a fallen humanity, and his righteousness was so perfect that nobody could find any fault in it right up to the end. In reality the portrayal of different prophets in the Quran is designed to draw attention to the similar but more perfect attributes of the Holy Prophet. Despite their outstanding attributes, when these people try to uproot evil from their society, a group of devilish persons become their enemies.
11-63 He said: O my people, see you if I have clear proof from my Lord and He has granted me mercy from Himself — who will then help me against Allah, if I disobey Him? So you would add to me naught but perdition.
قَالَ يَـٰقَوْمِ أَرَءَيْتُمْ إِن كُنتُ عَلَىٰ بَيِّنَةٍۢ مِّن رَّبِّى وَءَاتَىٰنِى مِنْهُ رَحْمَةًۭ فَمَن يَنصُرُنِى مِنَ ٱللَّهِ إِنْ عَصَيْتُهُۥ ۖ فَمَا تَزِيدُونَنِى غَيْرَ تَخْسِيرٍۢ (۶۳)
11-64 And, O my people, this is Allah’s she-camel, a sign for you, so leave her to pasture on Allah’s earth and touch her not with evil, lest a near chastisement overtake you.
وَيَـٰقَوْمِ هَـٰذِهِۦ نَاقَةُ ٱللَّهِ لَكُمْ ءَايَةًۭ فَذَرُوهَا تَأْكُلْ فِىٓ أَرْضِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا تَمَسُّوهَا بِسُوٓءٍۢ فَيَأْخُذَكُمْ عَذَابٌۭ قَرِيبٌۭ (۶۴)
11-65 But they hamstrung her, so he said: Enjoy yourselves in your houses for three days. That is a promise not to be belied.
فَعَقَرُوهَا فَقَالَ تَمَتَّعُوا۟ فِى دَارِكُمْ ثَلَـٰثَةَ أَيَّامٍۢ ۖ ذَٰلِكَ وَعْدٌ غَيْرُ مَكْذُوبٍۢ (۶۵)
11-66 So when Our commandment came to pass, We saved Salih and those who believed with him by mercy from Us from the disgrace of that day. Surely thy Lord — He is the Strong, the Mighty.
فَلَمَّا جَآءَ أَمْرُنَا نَجَّيْنَا صَـٰلِحًۭا وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مَعَهُۥ بِرَحْمَةٍۢ مِّنَّا وَمِنْ خِزْىِ يَوْمِئِذٍ ۗ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ ٱلْقَوِىُّ ٱلْعَزِيزُ (۶۶)
11-67 And the cry overtook those who did wrong, so they were motionless bodies in their abodes,a
وَأَخَذَ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ ٱلصَّيْحَةُ فَأَصْبَحُوا۟ فِى دِيَـٰرِهِمْ جَـٰثِمِينَ (۶۷)
11-67a: صَّيْحَةُ – It means to raise the level of sound (R). What is called صَّيْحَةُ here is called رجفة (earthquake) in 7:78, which shows that these are names for the different stages of the same punishment. Earthquakes are sometimes preceded by frightening noises. The narration of the she-camel, its killing and the coming of the punishment here is very similar to its recounting in Surah Al Araf section 7 and the reader is referred to it.
11-68 As though they had never dwelt therein. Now surely Thamud disbelieved in their Lord. So away with Thamud!
كَأَن لَّمْ يَغْنَوْا۟ فِيهَآ ۗ أَلَآ إِنَّ ثَمُودَا۟ كَفَرُوا۟ رَبَّهُمْ ۗ أَلَا بُعْدًۭا لِّثَمُودَ (۶۸)
Bayan-ul-Quran 