All Prophets
Prophet #5

صالح

SalihProphet of the Thamud

Also known as: Salih

Nation / People

The Thamud, an ancient Arab people of al-Hijr (Madain Salih in present-day Saudi Arabia)

Period

After Hud; possibly around 2,000 BCE

Lifespan

Not specified in the Quran

Burial Place

Hadramaut in Yemen according to some narrations

Message

Gratitude for Allah's blessings, worship of Allah alone, and avoidance of corruption. The story of Salih teaches that testing a divine sign is an act of grave ingratitude.

Lineage

  1. 1.
    'Ubayd- Father
  2. 2.
    Asif- Grandfather
  3. 3.
    Mashikh- Great-grandfather
  4. 4.
    Thamud- Ancestor (of the tribe)

Key Miracles

  • The miraculous She-Camel (al-Naqah) produced by Allah from a rock at the demand of the Thamud
  • The She-Camel had a supernatural ability to produce an abundance of milk
  • Three days' warning before the punishment, which came exactly as foretold

Key Stories

  • The Thamud demanded a sign: a she-camel to emerge from a rock
  • The She-Camel was given specific rights: to roam freely and drink from the water on her allotted day
  • The Thamud defiantly hamstrung the She-Camel, sealing their fate
  • Salih warned them of a three-day grace period before divine punishment
  • A mighty blast (al-sayhah) destroyed the Thamud on the fourth day

Mentioned in the Quran

Surah Hud (11:61-68)Surah al-A'raf (7:73-79)Surah al-Naml (27:45-53)Surah al-Shams (91:11-15)

Special Characteristics

Salih was from the Thamud themselves, a respected young man before prophethood. The ruins of the Thamud civilisation at Madain Salih (al-Hijr) in Saudi Arabia are visible to this day and serve as a physical reminder of their fate.