۞ And to the Thamud tribe, We sent their fellow man Saleh; he said, “O my people! Worship Allah, there is no other True God except Him; He created you from the earth and established you in it, so seek forgiveness from Him and incline towards Him in repentance; indeed my Lord is Close, Acceptor of Prayer.” 61 They said: 'Salih, before this you were a source of hope to us. What, would you now forbid us to worship what our fathers worshipped? Indeed, we are disquieted, and doubt that to which you invite' 62 He said: "O my people! do ye see? if I have a Clear (Sign) from my Lord and He hath sent Mercy unto me from Himself,- who then can help me against Allah if I were to disobey Him? What then would ye add to my (portion) but perdition? 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 But they hamstrung her, so he said, "Enjoy yourselves in your homes for three days. That is a promise not to be denied." 65 So, when Our command (of punishment) came We delivered Saleh by Our grace, and those who believed, with him, from the disgrace of that day. Verily your Lord is mighty and powerful. 66 The sinners were seized by a blast from heaven, and lay overturned in their homes in the morning, 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