Asy-Syu'ara' 137–182
Four peoples who rejected their messenger and perished — Ad who held to ancestral inheritance, Thamud who slaughtered a she-camel, the people of Lot, and the inhabitants of Midian who cheated in measuring.
Verses 137-140 continue the story of Hud and his people who struggled greatly to understand the truth from Allah and His Messenger. They said, this religion of ours is the legacy of our forefathers and we will not be punished because of it. Because they boasted of polytheism and disbelief, Allah destroyed them. May the story of the destruction of the people of 'Ad be a lesson for mankind born after them. Indeed, Allah is All-Mighty and All-Merciful.
Verses 141-159 explain the story of the disbelief of the people of Thamud. Prophet Salih, whom Allah sent to them, explained that he was a trustworthy Messenger of Allah. Therefore he asked them to be God-conscious of Allah and obey him without expecting any worldly compensation from them. Allah alone would reward him. Prophet Salih warned them not to think they would be left to dwell safely in that land, in gardens within which are springs, various plants and beautiful date palms, and houses carved from mountains. Prophet Salih also warned them not to follow the commands of corrupt leaders and community elites who live excessively, because they only cause corruption on the earth and do not repair it.
Salih's advice and call to goodness they answered with the same answer as the people of Ad before them, and they accused Prophet Salih of being bewitched saying: You are only a human like us. Bring us a sign if you are truthful, they said to Salih. Prophet Salih answered: This is a she-camel that has a water share like yours. Do not harm it, or you will receive a great punishment. Then they slaughtered it, and Allah's punishment came. That event should be a lesson for mankind. Indeed, Allah is All-Mighty and All-Merciful.
Verses 160-175 explain the story of the disbelief of the people of Lot. They rejected Lot's prophethood as the people of Ad and Thamud had before him. They did not want to be God-conscious of Allah and obey Prophet Lot. Besides associating partners with Allah, they committed the grave sin of homosexuality and abandoned women as life partners that Allah created. They threatened Prophet Lot to expel him if he did not stop preaching to them the way of Allah. Prophet Lot did not retreat an inch and even boldly stated his hatred of such deviant sexual behavior and prayed that Allah save him and his family from such abomination. Then Allah saved him and his family except his wife who was already old and was a traitor. Then Allah destroyed all his people by sending a rain of hot stones. The destruction of Lot's people should indeed be a lesson for mankind after them. Indeed, Allah is All-Mighty and All-Merciful.
Verses 176-183 tell of the inhabitants of Aikah (Midian) who rejected the prophethood of Shu'aib, did not want to be God-conscious of Allah and obey their prophet. Yet, like the prophets before him, Prophet Shu'aib did not expect any compensation from them. Besides committing polytheism against Allah, they cheated in weight, measure, and scale. Therefore they corrupted the economic system and were considered by Allah as corruptors on the face of the earth.
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