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The Land of Sâlih's (PUH) People

We've pointed out previously their living places although there is some controversy that had not been under discussion, so after tracing back we've found out that it lies between Shâm (modern Syria and surroundings) and Hijâz (in KSA) in a place called Al-Hijr. God said: Though ye hew out dwellings in the mountain, being skilful?(Al-Sho`arâ':149), and from Ibn-`Abbâs as reported in interpreting the meanings of this holy phrase: they used to build castles in every position and hew houses in the mountains to be their dwellings places in winter so it is better and warmer, and Þemud was in Wâdi Al-Qurâ [= Valley of Villages] between Medina and Shâm, and A'ad was in Yemen, and the ages of Þemud's people used to range between one thousand years and three hundred years. And in His saying: Ye choose castles in the plains(Al-A`râf:74), meaning that they used to build the castles in the plains, and it is said that they used to make it there to take a rest in them. Abdul-Wahâb Al-Najjâr [another person that has also a book about prophets] said in his stories: Their homes were in Al-Hijr and it is between Hijâz and Shâm in Wâdi Al-Qurâ and they are apparent still til this very day, and some of my friends visited it and got into the king's home and it was a house with some rooms and has a large hall and carved into stone, and the place of their dwellings is known today as Faj Al-Nâqah [= The Hole of The She-Camel].
Al-Mas'udi said: Their remains are still obvious in the way as you come back from Shâm, and Al-Hijr of Þemud is in the southern-east part of the land of Midian and it is near the bay of Aqabah. And in the speech of Sâlih (PUH) as been told by the Holy Book: And remember how He made you viceroys after A'ad and gave you station in the earth. Ye choose castles in the plains and hew the mountains into dwellings(Al-A`râf:74) and this is a point to denote the origin of Þemud and their time and that they are the remains of A'ad, and this is as said by some historians. The people of Hadramawt claim that the lands of Þemud were part of A'ad colonies, so Abdul-Wahâb Al-Najjâr said: This is closer to the logic and doesn't conflict with what was said before, and also he reported some speeches and tidings in this section from european orientalists and also copied from the book of Jorji Zedân (Al-`Arab Qabl Al-Islâm) [=Arabs before Islam] and also from so many others discussing Þemud and the origin of Þemud and their time, and he mentioned his point of view about all of that in a long speech that we don't need to mention here after stating the holy phrase that discusses their situation and after what was traced from the Prophet and his Household (PUT), and we've explained as much as possible for those who has an attentive ears and an awakened heart.
Then in the speech about the prophets and messengers and their situations with their people, Quran ordered them one by one by names and moves from one before to the one after, and it is a clue for their time and place order, as understood by logic, look into the chapters of Al-A`râf, Hud, Al-Anbiyâ', Al-Mu'minun, Al-Sho`arâ', Al-Qasas, Fossilat, and the others, you will see them mostly moving from one known story to another one the same as in the story of Noah to the story of Hud, and the story of Sâlih to the story of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (PUT). It is for sure that their prophecy is proved according to the time order that Quran provided as to mention Jacob after Isaac and he is after Abraham, and also Solomon after David, and Jesus after Moses, and it is after Abraham and after Noah and after Adam, and their end is the prophet Muhammad and his Household (PUT). [here comes some lines that I couldn't translate easily. They bear much philosophical terms I guess plus they add nothing to the subject].

Some scholars mentioned about this matter that deserves to be mentioned here which is comparing `Ali ben Abi Tâlib, the prince of believers (PUH), with the She-Camel of Sâlih, because there are some speeches (Hadiths) that had been proved and traced back to the prophet (PUH), and also it is mentioned a comparison between Al-Zahrâ' [meaning Fâtima, the daughter of the prophet] with her (the she-camel) for some reasons. As traced back from the prophet (PUH) that he said to `Ali (PUH): The most unblessed in this life is the one who killed the she-camel of Sâlih and the one who will strike you on the head O `Ali until the blood of your head dye your beard. For many times it is reported from him (PUH) [meaning `Ali ben Abi Tâlib] that he compared his killer with the killer of the she-camel of Sâlih, and it is mentioned that some historians wrote papers and explained in length the possible reasons for such comparison. Some scholars said: whoever meditates through it will see the similarities, and that is `Ali (PUH) was a miracle shown by God through the prophet Muhammad (PUH) and he said (`Ali PUH): And what miracle is greater than me?. Al-Fâdhil Al-Mo`tazali Ibn Abi Al-Hadeed [person's name] in his interpretations: The history of this life is known and checked for the time after the flood until this very day, and never reached us in this period of time any tidings about any man from Arabs, Persians, Turks, Indians, Romans or any others, that has such bravery or even being close to him (`Ali PUH) in any character of completeness.
The owner of the book called "Al-`Adasiyât" [?] mentioned that: Gabriel (PUH) said to the prophet (PUH): God sent `Ali with the prophets in secret, and sent him with you in public. His birth (`Ali PUH) was in the Holy Kaaba, which is the rock of God's shrine, as the she-camel got out from a rock and this had never happened for any prophet or a viceroy of a prophet, and he (PUH) used to give the wisdom and knowledge for people as the she-camel used to give the people, and the reason for his killing is the same as this for killing the she-camel if anyone did meditate in both cases, and it is a long story, and after his killing they killed his son, Al-Husain (PUH), as they (people of Sâlih) killed the weanling of the she-camel, and so on with such similarities, and this is all what we could mention in explaining the situation of Sâlih (PUH) with his people, and may God help us.

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