And see when Allaah^-SWT raised Salih^-AS as a Prophet unto his^-AS own nation Thamud. When called upon to worship only Allah^-SWT , the nation split into two groups. Some of them were inclined towards faith while others were not. They latter insisted that no matter how great a punishment, they would never become believers. This dissident group comprised mainly their eminent chieftains. Prophet Salih^-AS asked them why were they imprudently losing the chance to repent and attain Allah^-SWT's Mercy rather than insisting on destruction. They foolishly alleged that all the disharmony and wretchedness was in fact because of the Prophet^-AS and his^-AS retinue, otherwise they had been living in perfect peace.

Discord And Wretchedness

Such objections are raised even today. Whenever one attempts to forbid evil as enjoured by Islam, one has to face the accusation of creating discord in the society, though consensus over evil is synonymous to collective suicide. To stand up for virtue is indeed true unity even if such souls are few in number. Even if the majority stands united on evil it will beget nothing but unrest; see the outcome of Western democratic way of majority rule in Pakistan for the past half a century.

Prophet Salih^-AS told his people that the wretchedness was because of their conduct, their insistence on Allah^-SWT's disobedience. Beware that the respite was for few days in the form of a trial. If they failed to mend their ways they wouldsurely have to face dire consequences. All the nine chieftains in the city were mischief mongers who had created discord not only in their own nation but also in their neighbourhood. They never ever did any act of virtue. Now when they had no answer, they swore to collectively ambush Prophet Salih^-AS and his^-AS household and kill them under the cover of night. They will take an alibi thereafter and tell their heirs that they had been out of town attending to business when the incident took place, until the matter was hushed up. They conspired secretly, and Allaah^-SWT also, in turn, made a secret plan which they failed to discern. According to the Commentators, they went out at night and while passing along the foot of a mountain, a large rock tumbled down and crushed them to death. Later the entire nation was also destroyed because of their misconduct leaving their abodes desolate. This event provides a great lesson for anyone with a sound mind. While the entire nation was annihilated the believers remained absolutely unscathed as they had practised what they believed in.

Similar is the story of Prophet Lut^-AS’s people. He^-AS warned them against debauchery and blatantly seeking men instead of women for satisfying their lust. He told them that they were not only iniquitous but also ignorant, for they did not even know the basic human morals.

Western Society

This indeed is the true portrayal of the Western society of today, where the Church has legalized sodomy, and homosexuals are marrying each other. There are nude clubs all over, rather people roam around almost naked in the market places. This immorality indeed is also ignorance. All those who are obsessesed by the Western lifestyle must ponder over the Quranic thought about them.

Prophet Lut^-AS’s counselling infuriated his^-AS nation, and they decided to expel him^-AS and his^-AS followers from their township, who they thought were posing to be very pious. Yet destiny had other plans. Those whom they wanted to expel from their settlements were spared by Allaah^-SWT while the entire settlement including Prophet Lut^-AS’s wife, closely affiliated with the infidels, was destroyed. Stones were pelted at them from the heavens ensuring total destruction.

The Holy Prophet^-SW must declare that all Praise is for Allah^-SWT, Who is Infallible and Exalted. The peace and safety is for His^-SWT chosen bondsmen, that is, for the Prophets^-AS and their followers. No matter how protected an infidel may appear, he eventually has to face Divine punishment. Besides, Allaah^-SWT is far too exalted vis-a-vis their polytheistic rituals.