TibyanTafsir Ibn Kathir
Al-A'raf

The Story of Prophet Salih and Thamud

Allah said,

﴿ وَإِلَىٰ ثَمُودَ ﴾

(And to Thamud), meaning, to the tribe of Thamud, We sent their brother Salih,

﴿ قَالَ يَـٰقَوۡمِ ٱعۡبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنۡ إِلَـٰهٍ غَيۡرُهُ ۥۤ‌ۚ ﴾

(He said: "O my people! Worship Allah! You have no other god but Him.'') All Allah's Messengers called to the worship of Allah alone without partners. Allah said in other Ayat,

﴿ وَمَآ أَرۡسَلۡنَا مِن قَبۡلِكَ مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلَّا نُوحِىٓ إِلَيۡهِ أَنَّهُ ۥ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنَا۟ فَٱعۡبُدُونِ ﴾

(And We did not send any Messenger before you but We revealed to him (saying): "None has the right to be worshipped but I, so worship Me.'') (21:25) and,

﴿ وَلَقَدۡ بَعَثۡنَا فِى ڪُلِّ أُمَّةٍ۬ رَّسُولاً أَنِ ٱعۡبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَٱجۡتَنِبُواْ ٱلطَّـٰغُوتَ‌ۖ ﴾

(And verily, We have sent among every Ummah a Messenger (proclaiming): "Worship Allah (Alone), and avoid Taghut (all false deities)'') (16:36).