۞ And unto (the tribe of) Thamud (We sent) their brother Salih. He said: O my people! Serve Allah, Ye have no other Allah save Him. He brought you forth from the earth and hath made you husband it. So ask forgiveness of Him and turn unto Him repentant. Lo! my Lord is Nigh, Responsive. 61 They said: "O Salih (Saleh)! You have been among us as a figure of good hope (and we wished for you to be our chief), till this [new thing which you have brought; that we leave our gods and worship your God (Allah) Alone]! Do you (now) forbid us the worship of what our fathers have worshipped? But we are really in grave doubt as to that which you invite us to (monotheism)." 62 He said, 'O my people, what think you? If I stand upon a clear sign from my Lord, and He has given me mercy from Him, who shall help me against God if I rebel against Him? You would do nothing for me, except increase my loss. 63 O my people, this is the She-camel of God, to be a sign for you. Leave her that she may eat in God's earth, and touch her not with evil, lest you' be seized by a nigh chastisement.' 64 But they hamstrung her. He [Salih] said, "Enjoy yourselves in your homes for three more days. This warning will not prove false." 65 And when Our command came, We delivered Salih and those who believed with him by a mercy from Us, and from the degradation of that day; thy Lord is the All-strong, the All-mighty. 66 And the shriek seized those who had wronged, and they became within their homes [corpses] fallen prone 67 as though they had never lived there before. Oh, verily the Thamud denied their Lord! Oh, the Thamud were destroyed. 68