In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Beneficent

There were in the city nine men who did evil deeds in the land, and would not do any good. They said: “Let us swear a mutual oath by God that we shall suddenly kill him and his household by night; and then we shall boldly say to his next of kin, ‘We did not witness the destruction of his household; and we are indeed telling the truth.’” They devised a scheme; but We also devised a scheme, while they could not perceive it. Behold what all their scheming came to in the end: We destroyed them utterly, together with all their people, and their dwellings are now empty, ruined, because of their wrongdoing. In this there is a clear sign for people of knowledge. And we saved the people who believed and were God-fearing.

(The Ants; Al-Naml: 27: 48-53)

In this short account of the people of Thamud and how they behaved toward Prophet Salih who was sent to them with God’s message, we do not have any mention of the special she-camel that was shown to them as a proof confirming his message. It was when they slew the she-camel that they incurred God’s displeasure and were overwhelmed with His punishment. He gave them sound advice and sincere counsel, but they told him point-blank that they felt he brought them bad omen. We explained last week that people associate bad omen with all sorts of things, such as the number 13, or the direction of a bird’s flight, or a black cat passing in front of them. But nothing of all these brings anything other than what God determines. Salih stated this clearly to them and told them that they, like all mankind, undergo a test in this life that determines their destiny in the life to come. The account given of Thamud in this surah reveals something that is not mentioned anywhere else in the Qur’an, despite the many references to Salih and his people given in many surahs.

True faith makes people evaluate things properly, motivates them to reflect on what takes place all around them, and makes them realize that it all happens by God’s will. Nothing occurs as a result of blind coincidence. Thus, life increases in value and people attain a higher standard. Man will make his journey through life on this planet without any feeling of isolation from the universe around him, or its Creator who conducts its affairs, or the laws of nature operated by God to ensure the continuity of the universe.

This sound approach is, however, accepted only by sound hearts that have not been twisted by irrevocable deviation from the truth. Among Salih’s people there were nine of their leaders irreconcilable in their opposition to his call. They were plotting against him and his family: “There were in the city nine men who did evil deeds in the land, and would not do any good. They said: Let us swear a mutual oath by God that we shall suddenly kill him and his household by night; and then we shall boldly say to his next of kin, ‘We did not witness the destruction of his household; and we are indeed telling the truth.’” (Verses 48-49)

Those nine people left no room in their hearts for the truth and its message. They were determined to bring matters to a head after they felt that Salih’s argument was overpowering. Hence they devised a plot. What is singular is that they agreed under oath by God to carry out their evil plot and kill Salih and his family under the cover of darkness, when he asked them nothing other than to believe in God and worship Him alone. It is also singular that they should swear to kill him and his family during the night, and then to deny any knowledge of the crime. “We are indeed telling the truth.” They will have killed them in darkness, and as such they could not see the killing and were not witnesses to it.

What a stupid shallow trick! But they reassured themselves with it, justifying their lies. It is certainly singular that such people were keen to sound truthful in the circumstances. When it is blinded to God’s guidance that shows the straight path, human nature betrays countless twists and deviations.

So they schemed and plotted, but God was watching them, aware of their scheming: “They devised a scheme; but We also devised a scheme, while they could not perceive it.” (Verse 50) The gap between the two schemes, and the two powers behind them is too far to bridge. Yet often those who have power are deceived by their resources and become oblivious of God’s watching eye that never sleeps.

They do not reckon with the power of God as it takes them suddenly from where they do not expect: “Behold what all their scheming came to in the end: We destroyed them utterly, together with all their people, and their dwellings are now empty, ruined, because of their wrongdoing.” (Verses 51-52)

It is only a moment and destruction engulfs them, leaving their homes empty with no soul in them. Yet a moment earlier they were scheming and feeling sure that they could carry out their evil plots. The surah deliberately portrays the two scenes in quick succession, in order to highlight the devastating surprise element that takes unaware those plotters who were deceived by their power, thinking their plot to be perfectly worked out.

“In this there is a clear sign for people of knowledge.” (Verse 52) The surah as a whole and its comments on the stories it relates repeatedly emphasize the importance of knowledge.

Following the scene of surprise punishment the surah mentions the fact that the believers who were conscious of God and feared Him were saved: “And we saved the people who believed and were God-fearing.” (Verse 53) A person who fears God is spared other fears, because God will not allow two types of fear to afflict him, as clearly stated in a sacred Hadith.