First: they rebuked him for his call, by calling out “O Saleh”, which is an indication of reprimand.
Secondly: they said to him: Before you said what you did, we had high hopes in you, and believed that you would be our master whom we obeyed, but your call to us changed your position.
(They argued, “O Ṣâliḥ! We truly had high hopes in you before this.1 How dare you forbid us to worship what our forefathers had worshipped? We are certainly in alarming doubt about what you are inviting us to.”)
Third: they accused him of being bewitched, and a conceited liar who claimed to be something he’s not.
Fourth: they said that they were a group, so how does the group follow one individual?
(Thamûd rejected the warnings ˹as well˺, arguing, “How can we follow one ˹average˺ human being from among us? We would then truly be misguided and insane. Has the revelation been sent down ˹only˺ to him out of ˹all of˺ us? In fact, he is a boastful liar.” ˹It was revealed to Ṣâliḥ,˺ “They will soon know who the boastful liar is.
Fifth: the people were obstinate towards their prophet and asked him for a sign; which is that the rock should crack and produce a she-camel.
) And O my people! This she-camel of Allah is a sign for you.1 So leave her to graze ˹freely˺ on Allah’s earth and do her no harm, or a swift punishment will overtake you!”(
Sixth: They started testing the weak believers among the followers of their prophet Saleh by questioning their faith, and telling them: Do you know whether Saleh is truthful? That is, we do not think that you believed in him for sure, but you follow blindly, and perhaps this is what the Qur’an referred to in the saying of Allah Almighty: (who spread corruption throughout the land, never setting things right.”)
) They replied, “You are simply bewitched! You are only a human being like us, so bring forth a sign if what you say is true.” Ṣâliḥ said, “Here is a camel. She will have her turn to drink as you have yours, each on an appointed day.(
Seventh: They said to their prophet, Peace be upon him, we have a bad omen about you being among us, because your presence has led to our differences and separation.
(They replied, “You and your followers are a bad omen for us.”1 He responded, “Your omens are destined by Allah. In fact, you are ˹only˺ a people being tested.”)
Eighth: The people decided to kill their prophet Saleh, peace be upon him, and they gathered together and swore to God that they will do so at night so that no one will see them, and ‘if Saleh’s relatives ask them about the killer, we will deny our knowledge of this, and swear that we are truthful.’
‘We did not witness the murder of his family. We are definitely telling the truth.’”)
(We are sending the she-camel as a test for them. So watch them ˹closely˺, and have patience.
And tell them that the ˹drinking˺ water must be divided between them ˹and her˺, each taking a turn to drink ˹every other day˺.) Al-Qamar 54: 27-29
أولاً: جعلوا يوبخونه على هذه الدعوة، “يا صالح” فقصد النداء هنا هو التوبيخ.
ثانيًا: قالوا له: إنك قبل أن تقول مقالتك كنا نرجو أن يكون فيك الخير، وأن تكون فينا سيدًا مطاعًا، لكن دعوتك غيرتك مكانتك.
“قَالُوا يَا صَالِحُ قَدْ كُنْتَ فِينَا مَرْجُوًّا قَبْلَ هَذَا أَتَنْهَانَا أَنْ نَعْبُدَ مَا يَعْبُدُ آبَاؤُنَا وَإِنَّنَا لَفِي شَكٍّ مِمَّا تَدْعُونَا إِلَيْهِ مُرِيبٍ”
ثالثًا: اتهموه بأنه رجل مسحور، وأنه كاذب معجب بنفسه مدع ما ليس فيه.
رابعًا: قالوا إنهم جماعة، فكيف تتبع الجماعة فردًا واحدًا؟
“فَقَالُوا أَبَشَرًا مِنَّا وَاحِدًا نَتَّبِعُهُ إِنَّا إِذًا لَفِي ضَلَالٍ وَسُعُرٍ. أَأُلْقِيَ الذِّكْرُ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ بَيْنِنَا بَلْ هُوَ كَذَّابٌ أَشِرٌ. سَيَعْلَمُونَ غَدًا مَنِ الْكَذَّابُ الْأَشِرُ”
خامسًا: تعنت القوم على نبيهم عليه السلام فطلبوا منه آية، وذلك بأن تنفلق الصخرة عن ناقة.
“وَيَا قَوْمِ هَذِهِ نَاقَةُ اللَّهِ لَكُمْ آيَةً فَذَرُوهَا تَأْكُلْ فِي أَرْضِ اللَّهِ وَلَا تَمَسُّوهَا بِسُوءٍ فَيَأْخُذَكُمْ عَذَابٌ قَرِيبٌ”
“قَالُوا إِنَّمَا أَنْتَ مِنَ الْمُسَحَّرِينَ. مَا أَنْتَ إِلَّا بَشَرٌ مِثْلُنَا فَأْتِ بِآيَةٍ إِنْ كُنْتَ مِنَ الصَّادِقِينَ. قَالَ هَذِهِ نَاقَةٌ لَهَا شِرْبٌ وَلَكُمْ شِرْبُ يَوْمٍ مَعْلُومٍ”
سادسًا: جعلوا يمتحنون أتباع نبيهم صالح من الضعفاء المؤمنين بطريق تشكيكهم في إيمانهم، ويقولون لهم: أتعلمون أن صالحًا صادق أم كاذب؟ أي لا نظنكم آمنتم به عن يقين بل هو عن ضلالة وعماية، ولعل هذا من جنس ما أشار له القرآن في قوله الله تعالى: “الَّذِينَ يُفْسِدُونَ فِي الأرْضِ وَلا يُصْلِحُونَ”.
سابعًا: قالوا لنبيهم-عليه السلام-تشاءمنا من وجودك بيننا، فوجودك أدى إلى اختلافنا وافتراقنا.
“قَالُوا اطَّيَّرْنَا بِكَ وَبِمَنْ مَعَكَ قَالَ طَائِرُكُمْ عِنْدَ اللهِ بَلْ أَنْتُمْ قَوْمٌ تُفْتَنُونَ”
ثامنًا: تمالئ القوم على قتل نبيهم صالح-عليه السلام- بل إنهم اجتمعوا وأقسموا بالله أنهم سيفعلون ذلك ليلاً لئلا يشعر بهم أحد، فإن سألهم أقرباء صالح عن القاتل ننكر معرفتنا بذلك وننفيه، ونحلف أنّا “لَصَادِقُونَ”.
“قَالُوا تَقَاسَمُوا بِاللهِ لَنُبَيِّتَنَّهُ وَأَهْلَهُ ثُمَّ لَنَقُولَنَّ لِوَلِيِّهِ مَا شَهِدْنَا مَهْلِكَ أَهْلِهِ وَإِنَّا لَصَادِقُونَ”
إِنَّا مُرْسِلُو النَّاقَةِ فِتْنَةً لَّهُمْ فَارْتَقِبْهُمْ وَاصْطَبِرْ
( وَنَبِّئْهُمْ أَنَّ الْمَاءَ قِسْمَةٌ بَيْنَهُمْ ۖ كُلُّ شِرْبٍ مُّحْتَضَرٌ
القمر 27 – 29 :54