Hazrat Salih (Peace be upon him) – Part 3
For a long time the matter continued like this. Finally their
chiefs gathered, and after consultation unanimously decided to kill the
she-camel so that they could be rid of her and get all the water. The person
who took responsibility for killing the she-camel was named Qidar bin Salif bin
Junda. He was red-complexioned and blue-eyed. It is also said that he was born
as a result of Salif’s wife’s illicit relationship with another man. Because he
had killed the she-camel following the unanimous decision of all the people,
the act was attributed to all of them.
Imam Ibn Jarir (may Allah have mercy on him) and other
commentators state that there were two women among the people of Thamud. One
was named Saduq bint Mahya bin Suhair bin Mukhtar. She was wealthy and of noble
lineage. She had married a man from the tribe of Aslam but then took a divorce.
She called her paternal cousin Masda‘ bin Mehraj bin Mahya and said, “If you
kill the she-camel, I will marry you.”
The second woman was named Unaiza bint Ghunaim. Her kunya was Umm
Ghanam. She was a disbelieving old woman. Her husband was a chief. This woman
said to Khidar bin Salim, “These are my four daughters. If you kill the
she-camel, I will marry you to whichever girl you wish.”
It is said both incited the people for this task. They also
encouraged the individuals of the tribe. Seven more people joined them. They
tried to get the rest of the tribe to join as well, and the people supported
them. They lay in ambush to kill the she-camel. When she returned after
drinking water, Masda‘, who was hiding, shot an arrow at her which lodged in
the bone of her shin.
Unaiza and her daughters also came to encourage Khidar. To rouse
him, they lifted the veils from their faces. Qidar bin Salim quickly attacked
the she-camel with a sword and cut her hamstring. She fell to the ground and
let out a loud cry. Hearing it, her calf was startled and ran to a distant
mountain and bleated three times. Qidar struck the she-camel’s throat with a
spear and killed her.
When evening came, they planned to martyr Hazrat Salih (Peace be
upon him) as well. So they all swore an oath, saying, “Come, let us attack him
and his family by night.” That is, we will enter Salih’s house at night and
martyr him along with his family. Then if his relatives seek retribution or
demand blood money, we will deny it and say we did not kill him.
So Salih said, “Enjoy yourselves in your homes for three days.
That is a promise not to be belied.” Then when Our command came, We saved Salih
and those who believed with him by Our mercy, and kept them safe from the
disgrace of that day. Indeed, your Lord is the Strong, the Mighty.
As for those who wronged, the punishment seized them in the form
of a shriek, and they became fallen prone in their homes — as if they had never
lived there. So beware: Thamud disbelieved in their Lord, and beware: a curse
is upon Thamud.
We sent upon them one terrible shriek, and they became like the
dry, broken twigs of a fence-builder. Allah Ta‘ala had already sent punishment
upon them before their nation, and crushed them by raining stones upon them and
destroyed them. When the sun rose, a severe sound came from the sky and an
earthquake came from below. So the souls of all the individuals flew away. They
died and became motionless and silent. They were transformed into lifeless
bodies just as they were sitting in their homes, and could not move at all.
_Source: Al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya, Imam Ibn Kathir_
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