۞ AND UNTO [the tribe of] Thamud [We sent] their brother Salih. He said: "O my people! Worship God [alone]: you have no deity other than Him. He brought you into being out of the earth, and made you thrive thereon. Ask Him, therefore, to forgive you your sins, and then turn towards Him in repentance - for, verily, my Sustainer is ever-near, responding [to the call of whoever calls unto Him]!" 61 They said, “O Saleh! You seemed very promising among us, before this – What! You forbid us from worshipping the deities of our forefathers? And indeed we have fallen into a deeply intriguing doubt concerning what you call us to.” 62 He said, “O my people! What is your opinion – if I am on clear proof from my Lord and He has bestowed upon me mercy from Him, so who will rescue me from Allah if I disobey Him? So you will not increase anything for me, except loss!” 63 “And O my people! This is the she-camel of Allah – a sign for you – so let her graze in Allah’s earth, and do not touch her with an evil intention for an imminent punishment will reach you.” 64 But they slew her, so he said: Enjoy yourselves in your abode for three days, that is a promise not to be belied. 65 So when Our decree came to pass, We delivered Salih and those who believed with him by mercy from Us, and (We saved them) from the disgrace of that day; surely your Lord is the Strong, the Mighty. 66 And the blast [of God's punishment] overtook those who had been bent on evildoing: and then they lay lifeless, in their very homes, on the ground, 67 as though they had never lived there before. Oh, verily the Thamud denied their Lord! Oh, the Thamud were destroyed. 68