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Chapter 5 Prophet Salih (a.s.) and the People of Thamud

� ���� �� ۡ ��� � �  ��ۡ �� �  ���� � And to the Thamud, We sent Salih one of their own brethren…… (Hud 11:61)

The tribe of Thamud became prominent after the destruction of `Ad. They established their townships in the northern part of the Arabian Peninsula, known as Al-Hijr (The Rock-Hewn City). They were named after their founder, Thamud bin `Athir bin Iram bin Sam bin Nuh (a.s.). Like `Ad, they were also descendant of Iram, and hence was also known as `Ad Al-Ukhra, as mentioned (in Chapter 4).

Allah recounts the favours bestowed upon Thamud for their mastery: “…Thamud who hewed out rocks in the valley” (Al-Fajr 89:9). Instead of being mindful and thankful, ignorance and arrogance became prevalent in their life. They also fell to idol worshipping and became too proud of their achievements to be heedful. As their material wealth increased so, too, did their evil ways while their virtue decreased. Once again the all too typical fallacy, while they made great strides in achievements, they failed badly in Iman and virtues. So Allah sent to them Prophet, Salih (a.s.), a man from among them, to remind and to guide them. His name was Salih bin Ubaid bin Maseh bin Ubaid bin Hader bin Thamud bin Ather bin Iram bin Sam bin Nuh (a.s.) He called his people: And We sent to Thamud their brother Salih (with the Message): “Serve Allah”, but all of a sudden they became split into two quarrelling factions. (An-Naml 27:45). The righteous who knew Salih (a.s.) to be one of them heeded, but the majority rejected him and argued against them. Prophet Salih (a.s.) was known for his righteousness and was respected by all of his people before Allah confer upon him Prophethood. They said: “O Salih! Until now you were one of those among us on whom we placed great hopes. Now, would you forbid us to worship what our forefathers were wont to worship? Indeed we are in disquieting doubt about what you are calling us to” (Hud 11:62).

They were the first to build city on valleys and hewed beautiful homes out of the hills and rocks. They used to hew out houses from the mountains and lived in security (Al-Hijr 15:81). [Left: View of Mount Athlab, in Mada`in Salih, where the People of Thamud used to live. Later the people of Dedan (Dedanites) dwelt in the region and inherited the skills of hewing houses out of rocky valleys]

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The disbelievers regarded false worship as customary without the need for sound reasoning. They wanted Salih (a.s.) to join them and not to disrupt their lifestyle. Salih (a.s.) replied: “My people! What do you think? If I had clear evidence from my Lord and then He also bestowed His mercy upon me, who will rescue me from the punishment of Allah if I still disobey Him? You can only make me lose even more” (Hud 11:63). Salih (a.s.) reasoned with them that Allah assigned him as a Prophet to guide Thamud and if he were to disobey Allah by neglecting his task, in order to please them, who could save him from Allah’s punishment? Surely, the people of Thamud could not, whereas he could save them from affliction, as Salih (a.s.) was sent by Allah for the well-being and benefit of Thamud. Despite of their prosperity they preferred blind following when it comes to worship. Prophet Salih (a.s.) aroused them to ponder and reflect of their prosperous status by reminding them of the past and of being the inheritors of `Ad. And remember how He made you inheritors after the 'Ad people and gave you habitations in the land, you build for yourselves palaces and castles in (open) plains, and carve out homes in the mountains; so bring to remembrance the benefits (you have received) from Allah and refrain from evil and mischief on the earth (Al-A`raf 7:74). But his reminder fell on deaf ears and they further discredited Prophet Salih (a.s.), whom the chiefs regarded as inferior, someone who they wanted to promote up to their ranks and by their authority, they decided not to. Therefore, they saw Salih (a.s.) as an ordinary citizen, not worthy of leadership. So they thought why should they listen to such a person? They said: “Are we to follow a single mortal, one from among ourselves? If we do that, we shall surely be in error and folly” Was there none but he to whom the Reminder could be vouchsafed excluding all others? Nay; he is an insolent liar” (Al-Qamar 54:24-25). They mockingly expressed their amazement, that the Reminder was sent to Salih (a.s.) alone to the their exclusion as leaders. So they blatantly accused him of being a liar. A few who were deemed weak and poor followed Salih (a.s.). They were not spiritually corrupt with arrogance and obstinacy, but those who possessed wealth and power were corrupted. The leaders of the arrogant party among his people said to those who were reckoned powerless, those among them who believed, “Know indeed that Salih is a messenger from his Lord?” They said, “We do indeed believe in the revelation, which have been sent through him” (Al-A`raf 7:74). Such are the typical characteristics of the disbelievers, their achievements and possessions made them too arrogant to listen and ponder. Further they were afraid of losing their status and luxurious lifestyle by following a righteous way of life. This was just their assumption. However, these were their underlying reasons for opposing a Prophet’s call. Prophet Salih (a.s.) is a typical Prophet of Allah, who carried out his tasks patiently and diligently. He started off as a young man and kept on preaching till his old age, without gaining material wealth, from his noble work. The disbelievers feared that Salih’s (a.s.) followers would increase in time with such a noble and valiant effort. So they deliberately hurled false accusation: They replied: “You are nothing but one of those who are bewitched; you are no different from a mortal like us. So produce a sign if you are truthful” (Ash-Shu`araa 26:153-4). Further, they tried to put him off by assigning him an impossible task, to prove that he is a Messenger of Allah by performing a miracle. They demanded Salih (a.s.) to produce a she-camel with a particular characteristic and from a hill they called, Katibah. This hill was a lone hill in the valley of Al-Hijr and probably the rocks were too hard for them to hew and carve into homes, hence they specified it to Salih (a.s.).

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Naqatullah (She-Camel of Allah) The chiefs of Thamud thought that they have come up with an ultimate challenge. In their arrogance, they thought they could humiliate Salih (a.s.) as a “liar”. Allah assures and console His Prophet, Salih (a.s.): “Tomorrow they shall know who the insolent liar is. We shall send the she-camel as a trial for them; so watch their end with patience” (Al-Qamar 54:26-27). Salih (a.s.) remained steadfast and patient as Allah commanded. One day, the people of Thamud gathered at a meeting place, for the occasion. Prophet Salih (a.s.), still have hope in Allah’s Rahmah for his people. So he reminded them again to believe in Allah, the One who granted them favours and raised them after the destruction of `Ad. But they totally ignored his call, then the chiefs demanded, “If you are a Messenger of Allah, produce a she-camel from Katibah, this hill of ours and it has to be in its tenth month’s pregnancy, while being strong and healthy.” Salih (a.s.) trust in Allah’s help and was steadfast in his duty as a Prophet and that is, being concern for his people’s salvation. He was fearful for them and wanted them to be truthful, in order to avoid Allah’s punishment, so he responded, “Look now! If Allah sends you what you have requested, just as you have described, will you believe in that which I have come to you with and have faith in the message I have been sent with?” They answered, “Yes.” So he took a vow from them, then Salih (a.s.) performed Solat and prayed to Allah the Almighty, “For You (Allah) nothing is difficult, let their demand be fulfilled.” All this was done, after his people’s vow of acceptance. Prophet Salih’s (a.s.) noble intention was to invite his people to the right path and earn Allah’s Pleasure and not incur His affliction. Allah granted Salih (a.s.) this miracle and a huge, unique, beautiful she-camel appeared from the Katibah hill. The people of Thamud witnessed the rock split as the she-camel strut away from the rubbles to their amazement. It was pregnant and its foetus was visibly moving in its belly, exactly as Salih's (a.s.) people asked. They couldn’t believe their eyes at this wondrous miracle and this was indeed a very clear evidence. The People of Thamud Reaction Thereafter several more people believed in Salih (a.s.), but most of them remained obstinate and continued in their disbelief. Verily the dwellers of Al-Hijr denied the Messengers. We also gave them Our Signs, yet they turned away from them (Al-Hijr 15:80-81). One of the chief, Jundu` bin Amr and several men who followed him believed and kept their oath. The rest of the noblemen of Thamud wanted to believe as well, but Dhu'ab bin `Amr bin Labid, Al-Habbab, who tended their idols and Rabbab bin Sum`ar bin Jilhis stopped them. One of the cousins of Jundu` bin `Amr, whose name was Shihab bin Khalifah bin Mikhlat bin Labid bin Jawwas, was one of the leaders of Thamud and he also wanted to accept the message. However, the chiefs as mentioned prevented him and he conceded to their promptings. The camel remained in Thamud, as well as, its offspring after she delivered it before them. The camel used to drink from its well on one day and leave the well for Thamud the next day. As the Qur`an relates: Let them know that the water should be divided between them and the she-camel, each availing their turn (Al-Qamar 54:28). They also used to drink its milk, for on the days she drank water, they used to milk her and fill their containers with its milk. (Tafsir of Ibn Kathir) The miraculous nature of the she-camel was reported in several accounts, as recorded by Ulama` of Tafsir. It was said that a rock in the mountain split open and the she-camel came forth followed by its young offspring. In another version the she-camel gave birth after three days and its young followed wherever its mother roams. The she-

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camel used to drink all the water in the wells in one day and no other animals could approach the water. The she-camel produced milk sufficient for all the people to drink, on the same day that it drank all the water, leaving none for them. If it slept in a place, that place was abandoned by other animals. Thus it was obvious that not only that the she-camel came into being miraculously, it also had a unique nature unlike any other animals. It lived among the people of Thamud for some time and their life was never the same, from then on. However, the changes had a mix effect. On a positive note, the believers remained faithful with Taqwa (mindful of Allah) and abide by their Prophet’s guidance. While the disbelievers still opposed Salih (a.s.) openly even though the Sign of Allah was evident in their daily life, and some resorted to hypocrisy just to gain benefit from the she-camel’s milk, devoid of Iman in Allah and His Prophet’s message. The Plot The disbelievers envy and hatred were further enflamed when Salih (a.s.) met their challenge for proof, that he is indeed a Messenger of Allah, when Salih (a.s.) presented to them a clear Sign from Allah. They felt humiliated and defeated, but this was not the aim of Salih (a.s.). On the other hand Salih (a.s.) only hoped for their reconciliation with the truth for the sake of their own well-being. Furthermore, Prophet Salih’s (a.s.) success with some of his people prompted the disbelievers to resort to evil ways. They turned against the blessed she-camel as a pretext. The she-camel’s unique nature caused many to incline towards belief. On the other hand, the disbelievers and hypocrites used it as a cause for hostility. They deliberately raised issues against the she-camel. They find fault with its huge size and with that, they raised the issue of grazing area and water consumption. They complained that it drank huge quantity of water and with the loud sound that its make and its sheer size frightened away their flocks during grazing. Their aim was to influence the people to see the she-camel as a nuisance. Soon many joined in to show their resentment towards Salih (a.s.) and the she-camel. Then, the disbelievers began to hatch a plot to kill the she-camel. Salih (a.s.) could sense that something evil was brewing and feared that they might harm the she-camel, so he warned them: “My people! This she-camel of Allah is a sign for you. So let her pastures on Allah's earth and do not hurt her or else some chastisement which is near at hand should overtake you” (Hud 11:64). They thought that by killing the she-camel, they would triumph over Prophet Salih (a.s.). Killing of the She-Camel After gaining support, the chiefs of the disbelievers gathered the people to look for volunteers to carry out their heinous plan. Offers were made and women were used to tempt the men to carry out their commands. A wealthy old woman named Unaizah binti Ghanm bin Mijlaz had a deep hatred towards Salih (a.s.). Her husband, Dhu'ab bin `Amr was one of the chief and they had beautiful daughters. There was another noblewoman whose name was Saduf bint Al-Muhayya bin Dahr, who was also wealthy and beautiful. She was married to a believing man from Thamud, but she left him. These two women offered reward for those who swore to them that they would kill the she-camel. Saduf offered herself to Al-Habbab on condition that he would kill the she-camel, but he refused. So she called her cousin Musaddi` bin Mihraj (According to Ibn Hisham his name was Masrai bin Mahraj) and he agreed. As for Unaizah, she called Qudar bin Salif bin Jundu` and offered him, “I will give you any of my daughters you wish, if you kill the she-camel.” Qudar bin Salif accepted the offer and recruited several mischievous persons from Thamud to kill the she-camel. (At-Tabari)

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The Nine “Raht” (Ring Leaders) There were nine men all were chiefs, Qudar bin Salif among them and they lured the entire tribe into agreeing to kill the she-camel. Qudar, the most-wicked chief of Thamud with his men set an ambush. They waited until the she-camel left the well, Qudar waited beside a rock on its path, while Musaddi` waited at another rock. When the camel passed by Musaddi`, he shot an arrow that pierced her leg. At that time, Unaizah was present with her daughter when Qudar was about to commit a heinous sin. She asked her daughter to remove her veil in order to reveal her beauty to Qudar, and thus encouraging him to finish his job without hesitation. So, Qudar slashed its knee and it fell to the ground and screamed once to warn its offspring. Then Qudar stabbed its neck and slaughtered the she-camel. Its offspring went up a high rock and screamed. Qudar is the one whom Allah refers to in Surah Al-Qamar 54:29 - But they called their comrade and he took (a sword) and killed her (i.e. the she-camel) and in Surah Ash-Shams 91:12 - When the most-wicked man among them went forth (to kill the she-camel). Imam Hasan Al-Basri reported that the she-camel’s offspring screamed and prayed, “O my Lord! Where is my mother?” It was said that its offspring screamed thrice and entered a rock and vanished in it, or they followed it and killed it together with its mother. Soon the news reached Prophet Salih (a.s.), he stood before the crowd and saw what they did to the she-camel. Salih (a.s.) cried and proclaimed, “Enjoy yourselves in your homes for three days” (Hud 11:65). The nine wicked men in their thirst for blood, after killing the she-camel, conspired to kill Salih (a.s.). They said, “If he is truthful, we should finish him before we are finished. If he is a liar, we will make him follow his camel” (Tafsir of Ibn Kathir). The she-camel was killed cruelly based on a flimsy pretext that they want to have full control over the water. It was carried out by men who were after worldly pleasure and heedless of Prophet Salih’s (a.s.) warning. They took an oath to be faithful, they knew and agreed to the arrangements regards to the use of well water and grazing and were duly warned by Salih (a.s.) not to harm the she-camel. But lust for worldly life made them merciless with greed for power and fame, till they became brazenly defiant. The Qur`an relates: Then they hamstrung the she-camel, disdainfully disobeyed the commandment of their Lord and said: “O Salih! Bring upon us the scourge with which you threatened us if you are truly a Messenger (of Allah)” (Al-A`raf 7:77). The Plot to Kill Prophet Salih (a.s.) As mentioned Salih (a.s.) warned them that punishment from Allah will descend upon them in three days. Even at this stage of cruelty and injustice, Salih (a.s.) hoped that within the period of time they would repent and seek Allah’s forgiveness. Indeed Salih (a.s.) is a Prophet of Allah with a noble character. But alas, his people mockingly asked, “Why three days?” Then they added, “Let the punishment come as quickly as possible” Salih (a.s.) said: “O my people! Why do you seek to hasten the evil (torment) before the good (Allah's Mercy)? Why seek you not the Forgiveness of Allah, that you may receive mercy?” They said, “We augur ill-omen from you and those with you.” He (Salih) said, “Your ill omen is with Allah; nay, but you are a people that are being tested.” (An-Naml 27:46-47). The disbelievers talked about “ill-omen” while they were the ones who committed the heinous deeds. They were so ignorant and arrogant at the same time that they could not see that the onus was on them. To make matters worse they planned to kill Prophet Salih (a.s.) and his family. The same nine ring leaders made a solemn pledge to each other and carefully laid out a plan to kill Salih (a.s.) without having to face justice in the land.

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The she-camel was killed on a Wednesday, and that night, they conspired to kill Salih (a.s.). They further convinced each other of the need to kill Salih (a.s.), they said, “Salih claims that he will finish with us in three days, but we will finish him and his family before the three days are over.” Now there were nine Raht (ring-leaders) in the city who created corruption in the land and never worked to set things right. They said: “Swear to one another in the name of Allah that we shall make a sudden night swoop on Salih and his family and will then tell their heirs that we did not witness the destruction of his family. We are indeed truthful” (An-Naml 27:48-49). According to the Tribal tradition, the nine chiefs were also recognized as “Wali” (guardian) and could make a claim to blood vengeance. So as “guardian” they promised to each other that none would claim blood vengeance for Salih (a.s.) and none would even testify to any wrong-doing. So they gathered that night to carry out their plot. They knew of the place where Salih (a.s.) worship, it was at a rocky tract in a valley, where he used to pray. So they set out to go to a cave there one night and said, “When he comes to pray, we will kill him, then we will return. When we have finished him off, we will go to his family and finish them off too.” Then Allah sent down a rock upon them from the mountains round about. They feared that it would crush them, so they ran into the cave and the rock covered the mouth of the cave while they were inside. Their people did not know where they were or what had happened to them. So Allah punished some of them here and some of them there and saved Salih (a.s.) and those with him. Then Salih (a.s.) recited: Thus they planned and We too planned, while they did not know. (An-Naml 27:50) In another version, Allah rained down stones that smashed the heads of these nine people before calamity struck the others. Still defiant, the others challenged Salih (a.s.) in jest, as to how and from where the calamity would come and tell them of the signs. They were arrogantly sceptical as to how a calamity would destroy Thamud’s rock-solid city. Salih (a.s.) told them of the signs, that they will witness for themselves happening daily during the three days of respite. The signs as told by Prophet Salih (a.s.) and that was witnessed happened were as follows - On Thursday, the first of the three days of respite, the people woke up and their faces were pale. On the second day of respite, Friday, they woke up and found their faces had turned red. On the third day of the respite, Saturday, they woke up with their faces black. It all happened as Salih (a.s.) promised them. On Sunday, the disbelievers were in total despair that they did not pray to Allah for forgiveness. Instead they wore the fragrance of Hanut (a perfume for enshrouding the dead before burial) and waited for Allah’s torment and revenge. They did not know what will be done to them or how and from where the torment would come. And As-Saihah (Loud Cry or Blast) overtook those who were wont to do wrong and then they lay lifeless in their homes (Hud 11:67). When the sun rose, it was As-Saihah that caught them. It came from the sky and a severe tremor overtook them from below, the souls were captured and the bodies became lifeless, all in an hour. (Tafsir of Ibn Kathir) Thamud’s Destruction Three days after Salih's (a.s.) warning, there was one awesome cry, which had hardly ended when the disbelievers were struck dead at the same time. Their rock-hewn homes could protect them. Thunderbolts filled the air, followed by severe earthquakes, which destroyed the entire valley. So the earthquakes seized them and they lay dead, prostrate in their homes. (Al A`raf 7:78).

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Their plot to kill Salih (a.s.) was met with disaster. So see what was the outcome of the plan they made, We utterly destroyed them and their people, all of them. Now behold their houses that lie in utter ruins because of their wrong-doing. Verily there is a Sign in this for people who know. (An-Naml 27:51-52). Allah saved Salih (a.s.) and his followers. We saved Salih and those who shared his faith through Our special mercy, from the disgrace of that day. Truly Your Lord is

All-Strong, All-Mighty. (Hud 11:66). Heavy hearted, Salih (a.s.) and his followers left and migrated away from the wretched place. And Salih left them, saying: “O my people! I conveyed to you the message of my Lord and gave you good advice, but you have no liking for your well-wishers” (Al-A`raf 7:79). According to most Ulama` of Tafsir, Prophet Salih (a.s.) said this in lamentation and not addressing any survivors. Qatadah (r.a.) said, “It has reached us that the leader of tribe of Thamud did not kill the she-camel until their youth, their elderly, their males and their females all pledged allegiance to him. So when the people cooperated in killing her, Allah destroyed them all with the same punishment due to their sin”. Therefore, Salih (a.s.) lamented at the sight of dead bodies and an utterly ruined civilization. Such lamentation is common in Arab tradition, as this also served as a reminder to those with him of Allah’s Wrath which they were saved from and of Allah’s Mercy which they were blessed with. According to one narration, there were around four thousand people who followed him and they settled in Makkah and Salih (a.s.) passed away there. But in another narration he went to Hadramaut, Yemen, where he passed away. A tomb near Hasik in Oman is said to be that of Prophet Salih (a.s.). He was indeed a righteous (as his name indicates) and a compassionate Prophet of Allah.

Other tribes migrated and lived in the area amongst the ruins and they probably took over Thamud’s dwellings and later learnt the skills themselves. Such were the people who came later, like the Tribes of Dedan (500 BC), Lihyan (100 BC) and Nabataean (37 CE). This has survived to this day and is spread over thousands of acres. It was once inhabited by no less than half a million people. At the time of the revelation of the Qur'an Arab trade caravans passed through the ruins of this city. When Ibn Batutah reached there in the 8th century AH on his way to Makkah, he wrote: “I have seen the buildings of Thamud hewed into red mountains; the paintings look so bright as if they have been put on only recently, and rotten bones of human beings are found in them even today”

[More Details in Appendix III]

Thamud’s Legacy The site of Thamud’s ruins is also known as Al-Hijr. In the present time there is a station on the Hejaz railway between Madinah and Tabuk. This is called Mada'in Salih, which was the capital town of Thamud. Numerous carved-out rocks and tombs still stand. [Left Picture: Al-`Ula Valley in Madain Salih]

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Prophet Muhammad’s (s.a.w.) Journey Ibn Umar (r.a.) narrated that when the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) was on a journey to Tabuk, he (s.a.w.) and his companions passed by Thamud's ruins. They encamped there and fetched water from the wells from which the people of Thamud used to drink. They prepared their dough (for baking) and filled their water skins from it (the water from the wells). The Prophet (s.a.w.) ordered them to empty the water skins and feed the prepared dough to the camels. Then he went away with them until they stopped at the well from which the she-camel (of Salih a.s.) used to drink. He instructed the Muslims to draw water from that well alone and to avoid all other wells. The mountain pass through which that she-camel came to drink was also indicated by the Prophet (s.a.w.). The pass is still known as Fajj An-Naqah. The Prophet (s.a.w.) then gathered all the Muslims who had been directed to look around that city of rocks and addressed them. He drew their attention to the tragic end of the Thamud, who by their evil ways had invited Allah’s punishment upon themselves. The Prophet (s.a.w.) asked them to hastily move ahead for the place was a grim reminder of Allah’s severe punishment and he hence called for reflection and repentance. He warned them against entering upon the people that had been punished, saying, “I fear that you may be affected by what afflicted them, so do no enter upon them.” Even the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) was in awe of Allah’s calamity. This can be seen in his reaction when he (s.a.w.) taught his people to act accordingly with Taqwa. Abdur Razzaq reported another interesting incident about the Prophet Muhammad’s (s.a.w.) journey. Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) passed by a grave site and asked his Companions if they knew whose grave it was. They said, “Allah and His Messenger know better”. He (s.a.w.) said, “This is the grave of Abu Righal, a man from Thamud. He was in the Sacred Area of Allah (Makkah) and this fact saved him from receiving Allah's torment. When he went out of the Sacred Area, a stone fell from the sky and killed him. He was buried here along with a branch made from gold”. So the people used their swords and looked for the golden branch and found it. Imam Az-Zuhri said that Abu Righal is the father of the tribe of Thaqif. The Story of Ashab Ar-Rass (Dwellers of Ar-Rass) The Qur`an only mentions them by name and that they denied their Prophet and not much is known about them for certain. However, in the time of the revelation of the Quran the Arabs were generally aware of this nation and its history, but traditions about them could not be preserved in historic records. In the traditions of Arabia two places are well known by the name of Ar-Rass, one in the Najd and the other in northern Hejaz. Ar-Rass of the Najd is better known and has been referred to more often in the pre-Islamic poetry of Arabia. Now it is difficult to determine which of these the home of the Ashab Ar-Rass was. No reliable detail of their story is found in any tradition either. About them the Qur`an relates: And in like manner were the 'Ad and the Thamud destroyed and the people of Ar-Rass and many a nation in the centuries in between (Al-Furqan 25:38). In another verse: In the past (i.e. before the pagans of Makkah) Nuh's people and the people of Rass and Thamud gave the lie (to Messengers) (Qaf 50:12). These verses indicate that the dwellers of Ar-Rass were destroyed, as were the other people who refused to believe in the prophets of Allah. The most popular version is that it was a nation which had thrown its Prophet into a well and rendered the well useless. Ar-Rass literally mean unused or dried well or well without stones or rocks.

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Ad-Dahak (r.a.) related that they migrated with Prophet Salih (a.s.) to Hadramaut, after Thamud was destroyed. Salih (a.s.) passed away there and that is why it was called Hadra Maut (death overcame). Generations later, they were led astray by Satan into worshiping idols. Allah sent to them a Prophet to guide them but they killed him. Allah punished them by rendering their wells useless and their buildings and dwellings were desolated. Ad-Dahak (r.a.) related the verse: How many towns have We destroyed because their people were steeped in iniquity, so they lie fallen down upon their turrets! How many wells lie deserted and how many towering palaces lie in ruins! (Al-Hajj 22:45) At-Tabari related that the dwellers of Ar-Rass were the people of one of Thamud's villages. Allah sent a prophet to them called Huzlah bin Safwan. They denied and killed him, so Allah destroyed them. Abu Bakr Muhammad bin Al-Hassan narrated: “The dwellers of Ar-Rass had a well sufficing them and their land. They also had a just and good-hearted king. When he died, they were very much in grief. After four days Satan took his form and said, “I was not dead, but I kept absent from you to see your reaction.” They were very joyful. He commanded them to set up a curtain between him and them and told them that he would never die. A great number of them believed him and were fascinated with and worshipped him. Then Allah sent them a prophet telling them that it was Satan who was addressing them from behind the curtain. He forbade them to worship him and commanded them to worship only Allah and no partner with Him. In spite of that, they killed their prophet and threw his body into a well. Therefore, Allah punished them. In other version, a prophet named Hanzalah bin Safwan was appointed amongst the people of this village and he called them to belief. They killed him and threw his dead body in a well called Ar-Rass. That was the origin of them being called companions of Ar-Rass. Allah destroyed that whole village because of their arrogance in rejecting belief and the heinous crime of killing a Prophet. Other tradition narrated from Ibn Abbas (r.a.) said that Ashab Ar-Rass were the people of one of the villages of Thamud. Sufyan Ath-Thawri narrated from Abu Bukair from Ikrimah bin Abi Jahl that Ar-Rass was a well where they buried (Rassu) their Prophet. In any case, the Qur`an referred to Ashab Ar-Rass as amongst those who rejected their Prophets, along with Nuh’s (a.s.) people, `Ad and Thamud. Thus Ashab Ar-Rass is widely believed belonging to that era. Lessons Achievement followed by haughtiness, then denial, then rejection and a rebellious mind set develops and then defiance. When they did not see any harm befalling them in years and decades, they became more defiant. All these happened to the ancient people of `Ad, Thamud and Ashab-Ar-Rass and the same happens in current times. Basically, this is the root of atheism or rejection of belief that has become common today. There is nothing intelligent about it but rather an ancient fallacy that is all too typical. Human held on to what becomes dear to them with obsession that triggered obstinacy. Greed for power, control of material wealth and luxurious life divert human’s focus on superficial matters in life. However, Allah the Almighty is unaffected by human’s follies, and always grants respite as a Mercy from Him and to Allah is the final destination. How many towns did I respite at first though they were steeped in iniquity and then I seized them! To Me are all destined to return (Al-Hajj 22:48).