۞ And to Thamood their brother Salih; he said, 'O my people, serve God! You have no god other than He. It is He who produced you from the earth and has given you to live therein; so ask forgiveness of Him, then repent to Him; surely my Lord is nigh, and answers prayer. 61 They said, 'Salih, thou hast hitherto been a source of hope among us. What, dost thou forbid us to serve that our fathers served? Truly we are in doubt, concerning what thou callest us to, disquieting.' 62 He said; O my people! bethink if I rest on an evidence from my Lord, and there hath come to me from Him a mercy, then who will succour me against Allah, if I disobey Him? Ye then increase me not save in loss. 63 'My nation, this is the shecamel of Allah, a sign for you. Leave her to graze upon the earth of Allah and do not touch her with evil lest you be seized by a punishment that is near' 64 But they hamstrung her; and he said, 'Take your joy in your habitation three days -- that is a promise not to be belied.' 65 And when Our command came, We saved Salih together with those who believed with him through Our Mercy, and from the ignominy of that day. Your Lord is Strong and Mighty. 66 The wrongdoers were overtaken by a dreadful blast and they lay dead in their homes, 67 As if they had never dwelt and flourished there. Ah! Behold! for the Thamud rejected their Lord and Cherisher! Ah! Behold! removed (from sight) were the Thamud! 68