قالوا يا صالِحُ قَد كُنتَ فينا مَرجُوًّا قَبلَ هـٰذا ۖ أَتَنهانا أَن نَعبُدَ ما يَعبُدُ آباؤُنا وَإِنَّنا لَفي شَكٍّ مِمّا تَدعونا إِلَيهِ مُريبٍ

They responded, “O Saleh, we had high hopes in you before this. Are you prohibiting us from worshiping what our ancestors worshiped? We are deeply uncertain about what you are inviting us to.”

قالَ يا قَومِ أَرَأَيتُم إِن كُنتُ عَلىٰ بَيِّنَةٍ مِن رَبّي وَآتاني مِنهُ رَحمَةً فَمَن يَنصُرُني مِنَ اللَّهِ إِن عَصَيتُهُ ۖ فَما تَزيدونَني غَيرَ تَخسيرٍ

He replied, “O my people, do you see that I have clear evidence from my Lord, and that He bestowed His mercy upon me? Who could help me against God if I were to disobey Him? You would only cause me greater loss.”

وَيا قَومِ هـٰذِهِ ناقَةُ اللَّهِ لَكُم آيَةً فَذَروها تَأكُل في أَرضِ اللَّهِ وَلا تَمَسّوها بِسوءٍ فَيَأخُذَكُم عَذابٌ قَريبٌ

“O my people, this is God’s she-camel for you as a symbol. Let her graze on God’s earth and don’t harm her, lest a swift punishment overtakes you.”

فَعَقَروها فَقالَ تَمَتَّعوا في دارِكُم ثَلاثَةَ أَيّامٍ ۖ ذٰلِكَ وَعدٌ غَيرُ مَكذوبٍ

Yet, they hamstrung her. He then declared, “Enjoy yourselves in your homes for three days. This is an irrevocable prophecy.”

فَلَمّا جاءَ أَمرُنا نَجَّينا صالِحًا وَالَّذينَ آمَنوا مَعَهُ بِرَحمَةٍ مِنّا وَمِن خِزيِ يَومِئِذٍ ۗ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ القَوِيُّ العَزيزُ

When Our decree came to pass, We saved Saleh and those who believed with him, by Our mercy, from the disgrace of that day. Your Lord is the All-Powerful, the Almighty.

كَأَن لَم يَغنَوا فيها ۗ أَلا إِنَّ ثَمودَ كَفَروا رَبَّهُم ۗ أَلا بُعدًا لِثَمودَ

As if they had never flourished there. Thamud denied their Lord, so away with Thamud!

وَلَقَد جاءَت رُسُلُنا إِبراهيمَ بِالبُشرىٰ قالوا سَلامًا ۖ قالَ سَلامٌ ۖ فَما لَبِثَ أَن جاءَ بِعِجلٍ حَنيذٍ

Our messengers came to Abraham with good news. They said, “Peace,” and he answered, “Peace,” and promptly brought a roasted calf.

فَلَمّا رَأىٰ أَيدِيَهُم لا تَصِلُ إِلَيهِ نَكِرَهُم وَأَوجَسَ مِنهُم خيفَةً ۚ قالوا لا تَخَف إِنّا أُرسِلنا إِلىٰ قَومِ لوطٍ

But when he saw their hands not reaching for it, he grew suspicious and felt a sense of apprehension. They said, “Fear not; we’ve been sent to the people of Lot.”

وَامرَأَتُهُ قائِمَةٌ فَضَحِكَت فَبَشَّرناها بِإِسحاقَ وَمِن وَراءِ إِسحاقَ يَعقوبَ

And his wife was standing, and she laughed. Then We gave her the joyful news of Isaac and, following Isaac, Jacob.

قالَت يا وَيلَتىٰ أَأَلِدُ وَأَنا عَجوزٌ وَهـٰذا بَعلي شَيخًا ۖ إِنَّ هـٰذا لَشَيءٌ عَجيبٌ

She exclaimed, “Wondrous indeed! Will I give birth while I am an old woman, and this husband of mine is an old man? This is truly a strange thing!”