(23–32) “Thamūd denied the warnings. They said, ‘Are we to follow a single human being from among ourselves? We would then surely be in error and madness. Was the Reminder sent down to him alone from among us? No! He is an insolent liar. Tomorrow they will know who the insolent liar is. We are sending the she-camel as a test for them, so watch them and remain patient.’”
That is, Thamūd—the well-known tribe in the land of al-Hijr—denied their prophet Sālih, peace be upon him, when he called them to worship Allah alone, without partner, and warned them of punishment if they opposed him. They denied him and arrogantly rejected him, saying out of pride and conceit: “Are we to follow a single human being from among ourselves?” That is: How could we follow a human being who is no king, whether from among us or from elsewhere among those held in higher esteem than we are? Moreover, he is only one person. “We would then”—if we followed him despite his being as described—“surely be in error and madness”; that is, misguided and wretched. Yet this very statement arose from their own misguidance and wretchedness: they were too proud to follow a messenger who was human, but not too proud to worship trees, stones, and images.
“Was the Reminder sent down to him alone from among us?” That is: Why would Allah single him out from among us and send the Reminder down to him? What distinction does he possess that he should be singled out from among us? This is an objection that those who deny the truth raise against Allah. They have always advanced it, wielded it aggressively, and used it to reject the messengers’ call. Allah answered this specious argument through the messengers’ words to their peoples: “Their messengers said, ‘We are only human beings like you, but Allah bestows His favor upon whomever He wills of His servants.’” Allah bestowed upon the messengers qualities, character traits, and perfections that made them fit to convey their Lord’s messages and to be singled out for His revelation.
It was also part of His mercy and wisdom that they were human. Had they been angels, human beings would not have been able to receive their teachings from them; and had He made the messengers angels, Allah would have swiftly overtaken those who denied them with immediate punishment.
The purpose of these words addressed by Thamūd to their prophet Sālih was to brand him a liar. They therefore passed this unjust judgment upon him, saying: “No! He is an insolent liar”; that is, one much given to lying and wickedness.
May Allah disgrace them! How foolish and unjust their minds were, and how appallingly they confronted truthful, sincere advisers with such vile words. No wonder Allah punished them when their transgression became extreme.
Allah sent the she-camel, which was one of the greatest blessings bestowed upon them: a sign from among Allah’s signs and a blessing from whose udder (1) they could milk enough to suffice them all. She was “a test for them”; that is, He was testing and trying them through her. “So watch them and remain patient”; that is, remain patient in calling them, and wait to see what befalls them—or wait to see whether they believe or disbelieve.