Overall meaning : Allah, Exalted be He, mentions that He sent to the tribe of Thamud their brother Salih to call them to worship Allah alone and give up the worship of others. 'My people,’ he said to them, 'worship Allah alone. You have no other god worthy of worship other than Him. Clear evidence proving the truth of I have brought has now come to you: This is a she-camel Allah has sent as a convincing proof for you to obey me. Let her graze on Allah’s earth, and do not do her harm in any way or you will be struck by a painful punishment. Remember Allah’s favours to you and how He made you the successors of 'Aad (Hud’s people) after He had destroyed them and has settled you in the land (the Hijr area, between the Hejaz and the Levant). You build for yourselves palaces on its plains and carve out homes in the mountains. Remember, then, Allah’s numerous favours and do not go about spreading corruption and evil in the land.’
The unbelieving and haughty notables and leaders among his people said to the believers who were oppressed and whom they deemed weak, 'Do you know with certainty that Salih is a messenger from Allah to us and that he is not a liar?’ The oppressed believers replied, 'Surely we believe in the message with which he has been sent.’ 'As for us,’ the arrogant leaders said, 'We disbelieve in what you believe in.’ Then they killed the she-camel and defiantly disobeyed Allah’s command, saying to Salih, 'Bring about that punishment with which you have threatened us if you are truly one of Allah’s messengers.’ Thereupon the punishment descended upon them: They were overtaken by a dreadful blast so powerful it violently shook the earth, and there they lay lifeless, prostrate on the ground.
Salih turned away from them, rebukingly saying, 'I conveyed to you, my people, the message of my Lord and gave you good and sincere counsel, but you had no love for those who give good advice.’