فَعَقَرُوا۟ ٱلنَّاقَةَ وَعَتَوْا۟ عَنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّهِمْ وَقَالُوا۟ يَـٰصَـٰلِحُ ٱئْتِنَا بِمَا تَعِدُنَآ إِن كُنتَ مِنَ ٱلْمُرْسَلِينَ 77
Translations
So they hamstrung the she-camel and were insolent toward the command of their Lord and said, "O Ṣāliḥ, bring us what you promise us, if you should be of the messengers."
Transliteration
Fa'aqaru an-naaqata wa'ataw 'an amri rabbihim wa qaaluu yaa Salihu ita'na bimaa ta'iduna in kunta mina al-mursaleen
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes how the people of Thamud hamstrung (killed) the she-camel that Prophet Salih had presented as a sign from Allah, thereby rejecting his message and defying their Lord's command. Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari explain that this act of rebellion against the divine sign and the prophet was the culmination of their arrogance, and they mockingly challenged Salih to bring upon them the punishment he had warned them about, thereby sealing their fate and demonstrating their disbelief despite clear evidence.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the narrative of the people of Thamud in Surah Al-A'raf, which recounts stories of past nations who rejected their prophets. The context shows the escalation of Thamud's rejection: from refusing to believe in Salih's message, to destroying the miraculous she-camel sent as a sign from Allah, culminating in their arrogant challenge to the prophet. This Meccan surah addresses the Quraysh of Muhammad's time with examples of previous peoples who suffered destruction for similar rejection.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim contain hadiths about the she-camel of Salih and how the people of Thamud were destroyed. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) mentioned the destruction of Thamud when warning against arrogance and rejection of divine signs. See also Surah Ash-Shams (91:11-14) which mentions the she-camel story.
Themes
Key Lesson
The destruction of the she-camel by Thamud teaches us that deliberately rejecting clear signs from Allah and defying His messengers leads to inevitable divine punishment, no matter how arrogant one's challenge. This serves as a sobering reminder that rejecting truth with mockery and stubbornness, rather than sincere reflection, seals one's fate in both this life and the hereafter.
Related Ayahs
قَالُوٓا۟ أَجِئْتَنَا لِنَعْبُدَ ٱللَّهَ وَحْدَهُۥ وَنَذَرَ مَا كَانَ يَعْبُدُ ءَابَآؤُنَا ۖ فَأْتِنَا بِمَا تَعِدُنَآ إِن كُنتَ مِنَ ٱلصَّـٰدِقِينَ
They said, "Have you come to us that we should worship Allāh alone and leave what our fathers have worshipped? Then bring us what you promise us, if you should be of the truthful."
أَهَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ ٱلَّذِينَ أَقْسَمْتُمْ لَا يَنَالُهُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِرَحْمَةٍ ۚ ٱدْخُلُوا۟ ٱلْجَنَّةَ لَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْكُمْ وَلَآ أَنتُمْ تَحْزَنُونَ
[Allāh will say], "Are these the ones whom you [inhabitants of Hell] swore that Allāh would never offer them mercy? Enter Paradise, [O people of the Elevations]. No fear will there be concerning you, nor will you grieve."
وَقَطَّعْنَـٰهُمُ ٱثْنَتَىْ عَشْرَةَ أَسْبَاطًا أُمَمًا ۚ وَأَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَىٰ مُوسَىٰٓ إِذِ ٱسْتَسْقَىٰهُ قَوْمُهُۥٓ أَنِ ٱضْرِب بِّعَصَاكَ ٱلْحَجَرَ ۖ فَٱنۢبَجَسَتْ مِنْهُ ٱثْنَتَا عَشْرَةَ عَيْنًا ۖ قَدْ عَلِمَ كُلُّ أُنَاسٍ مَّشْرَبَهُمْ ۚ وَظَلَّلْنَا عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْغَمَـٰمَ وَأَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْمَنَّ وَٱلسَّلْوَىٰ ۖ كُلُوا۟ مِن طَيِّبَـٰتِ مَا رَزَقْنَـٰكُمْ ۚ وَمَا ظَلَمُونَا وَلَـٰكِن كَانُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَهُمْ يَظْلِمُونَ
And We divided them into twelve descendant tribes [as distinct] nations. And We inspired to Moses when his people implored him for water, "Strike with your staff the stone," and there gushed forth from it twelve springs. Every people [i.e., tribe] knew its watering place. And We shaded them with clouds and sent down upon them manna and quails, [saying], "Eat from the good things with which We have provided you." And they wronged Us not, but they were [only] wronging themselves.
يَـٰبَنِىٓ ءَادَمَ قَدْ أَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْكُمْ لِبَاسًا يُوَٰرِى سَوْءَٰتِكُمْ وَرِيشًا ۖ وَلِبَاسُ ٱلتَّقْوَىٰ ذَٰلِكَ خَيْرٌ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ مِنْ ءَايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَذَّكَّرُونَ
O children of Adam, We have bestowed upon you clothing to conceal your private parts and as adornment. But the clothing of righteousness - that is best. That is from the signs of Allāh that perhaps they will remember.