Salih and the She-Camel — A Sign Among the Clearest, and Ingratitude Among the Worst
stories
Level: basic
other-prophets
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هَٰذِهِۦ نَاقَةُ ٱللَّهِ لَكُمۡ ءَايَةٗ
— الأعراف 73
Verse: "This is the she-camel of Allah as a sign for you — let her feed in Allah's earth and do not harm her or a painful punishment will take you." (7:73)
Thamud: They asked Salih ﷺ for a sign — Allah produced the she-camel from a rock. An undeniable sign.
The hamstringing: "They hamstrung the she-camel and defied their Lord's command" — punishment came in three days: yellow, then red, then black.
Lesson: The clearest signs do not benefit a heart insisting on ingratitude — the sign is for the reflective, not for one who has closed his heart.
Source: Ibn Kathir (3/449); Al-Sadi; Al-Tabari
Question: What test did Allah impose on Thamud in the story of Salih's she-camel?
Answer: Respecting the she-camel and sharing water with her on alternate days — ingratitude appeared when they hamstrung her despite the clear sign and explicit warning.