۞ To Thamud We sent their brother Salih who told them, "My people, worship God; He is your only Lord. It is He who has created you from the earth and has settled you therein. Seek forgiveness from Him and turn to Him in repentance. My Lord is certainly close to everyone and He hears all prayers." 61 They said: O Saleh! heretofore thou wast amongst us as one hoped for. Forbiddest us thou to worship that which our fathers have worshipped? And verily we are regarding that to which thou callest us in doubt disquieting. 62 He said, "O my people, tell me: if I have clear evidence from my Lord, and He has granted His mercy, who then will support me against God, if I disobey Him? You would only make my loss greater. 63 O my people! This is the camel of Allah, a token unto you, so suffer her to feed in Allah's earth, and touch her not with harm lest a near torment seize you. 64 Yet they hamstrang her. Then he said: enjoy yourselves in your dwellings three days: that is a promise, not to be falsified. 65 Then when Our decree came to pass We delivered Saleh and those who believed with Him by a mercy from Us, and from the humiliation of that day. Verily thy Lord! He is the Strong, the Mighty. 66 And the harmdoers were seized by the Shout (of the angel), and in the morning, they were found crouched in their dwellings, dead, 67 as though they had never existed. The people of Thamud denied the existence of their Lord. How distant from the mercy of God had the people of Thamud gone! 68