You know when your kid comes home one day and tells you something, and after you tell them it's wrong, they hit you with the "But everyone's doing it, though"? It's annoying. You just want them to actually do the right thing, and not do something because they got influenced by the people around them.
Prophet Salih lived that except it wasn't just his family pushing back, it was an entire nation. For years, he has been telling people to stop worshiping statues and worship Allah. And they're just... refusing to listen.. Calling him crazy.
But here's the thing, he doesn't quit. Which is wild because most of us would've given up after like, the first month.
His story with these people, called the Thamud, and this she-camel. It's actually insane. And I think it's a story our kids really need to know. At
At some point, your kid's gonna be the only one saying no to something. That's when they need to know the story of Prophet Salih. Because he just kept going, no matter what.
Who Was Prophet Salih?
So Prophet Salih (AS) lived way back in history. This is after Prophet Hud (AS) and before Prophet Lut (AS) came around. He was from the descendants of Prophet Nuḥ (AS), according to some reports. The name Salih comes from the Arabic root meaning ‘righteous’ or ‘upright’.
His people were called the Thamud. They'd basically forgotten Allah existed. The Thamud were completely lost. They were worshipping statues and rocks, living however they wanted, not thinking about Allah at all. So Allah sends Prophet Salih (AS) to them to bring them back to the right path!
And the thing that gets me about Prophet Salih (AS)? He never backed down. Just like all the prophets, they had one message and they made sure they delivered no matter what.. These people would laugh right in his face and tell him he's crazy. Some got really aggressive with him. And Prophet Salih (AS) didn't lose it. He just kept going. Day after day after day. Patient beyond what most of us could handle.
Prophet Saleh’s name is mentioned in the Quran 9 times, while his people were mentioned around 26 times. The story of Prophet Salih (AS) is mentioned in the following Surahs:
- Al-A'raf
- Hud
- Ash-Shu'ara
- An-Naml
- Qaf
- Ash-Shams
But for your kids, the real takeaway is this: Prophet Salih (AS) stood for something massive when he was basically standing alone. And he didn't quit. So who were the Thamud anyway?
The easiest way to spark your child's love for the Quran is by letting them explore our Prophet stories videos that bring each lesson to life.
The People of Thamud: Who Were They?
Thamud (Thamood) people lived in a place called al-Hijr, up in the northwest part of Arabia. If you went there today, you'd see it's called Madain Saleh now, the city of Saleh. You can actually still visit the ruins there.
The thing is, they weren't just some random broke tribe. These people had money. They had skills. They were carving these massive homes right into the mountains and rocks. Like, seriously impressive architecture. They had everything going for them materially: good lives, comfortable homes, respect, and power. They were set.
But here's where it gets sad. They had everything. Money, homes, power, all of it. But spiritually? They were empty. They were worshipping idols and just doing their own thing, completely disconnected from Allah's guidance. When you've got that much stuff, it's easy to forget you even need Allah, honestly. That's where they were at. Rich, successful, empty.
What’s more, they oppressed poor people and took advantage of them.
“And remember when He made you successors after the ʿAad and settled you in the land, [and] you take for yourselves palaces from its plains and carve from the mountains, homes. Then remember the favors of Allah and do not commit abuse on the earth, spreading corruption.” Said the eminent ones who were arrogant among his people to those who were oppressed, to those who believed among them, “Do you [actually] know that Salih is sent from his Lord?” They said, “Indeed, we, in that with which he was sent, are believers.” Said those who were arrogant, “Indeed, we, in that which you have believed, are disbelievers.”
(Quran 7:74-76)
That's exactly why Prophet Salih (AS) was sent to them. Someone had to wake them up. Someone had to tell them that all this wealth and these fancy houses and this power, none of it meant anything if they weren't worshipping Allah; someone had to remind them that all that they had was only there because Allah SWT granted it to them!
Before Salih was a prophet, he was an honorable and respectable man among his people, and they knew he was a wise man who only did good!
When Allah gave him prophethood, they still didn't believe. Just like people before them, they didn't want to leave behind what their ancestors had been doing for something new.
They said: "O Sâlih (Saalih)! You have been among us as a figure of good hope (and we wished for you to be our chief), till this [new thing which you have brought; that we leave our gods and worship your God (Allâh) Alone]! Do you (now) forbid us the worship of what our fathers have worshipped? But we are really in grave doubt as to that which you invite us to (monotheism)." (Hud 11:62)
So what did they do when Prophet Salih (AS) showed up? They basically laughed. They thought he was crazy, basically. Like, "Who is this guy to tell us how to live?" They weren't interested. They had it all figured out, or at least that's what they thought. But they thought wrong!
And to Thamūd [We sent] their brother Ṣāliḥ. He said, “O my people, worship Allah; you have no deity other than Him. He has produced you from the earth and settled you in it, so ask forgiveness of Him and then repent to Him. Indeed, my Lord is near and responsive.” They said, “O Ṣāliḥ, you were among us a man of promise before this. Do you forbid us to worship what our fathers worshipped? And indeed we are, about that to which you invite us, in disquieting doubt.”
(Quran 11:61-62)
Prophet Salih (AS) wasn't going anywhere. He had a mission.
There are plenty of stories in Islam that will teach your kids all the morals and manners they need from a young age, and now they can learn with our interactive activities that will keep them engaged throughout the whole time.
Prophet Salih's Mission
So Prophet Salih (AS) shows up and basically tells these people straight up, stop worshipping all these rocks and statues. Worship Allah. That's the message. Simple right?
But the way he did it wasn't mean or aggressive.
He was smart about it. He talked to people in a way that made them, you know? Not just dismiss him right away.
But man, they did not want to hear it; they laughed at him. Mocking him. Being straight up rude. And the rich ones especially? Forget it. They were basically like, we're fine, we don't need this. Why would they listen when they already had everything? The young people, too—they just followed what their parents and the leaders were doing. Nobody wanted to be the weird one.
And Prophet Salih (AS)? He just kept at it. Seriously. Every day. Every single day for years, basically. Getting rejected constantly. Getting made fun of. Getting told to basically shut up. Most of us would've been done after like a week. But Prophet Salih (AS) didn't stop. He was patient about it because patience is power.
Think about this with your kids for a second. What if you were trying to help someone and they just kept pushing you away? How would that mess with you? That's what Prophet Salih (AS) was dealing with constantly.
But here's where it gets intense. He wasn't just gonna keep doing this forever. Something was coming.
The Miraculous She-Camel: The Greatest Sign
After years of preaching, the Thamud demanded Salih for proof, like all the goodness and wealth they enjoyed was not enough for them! They wanted a sign, a miracle that would show them Prophet Salih (AS) was telling the truth.
So they challenged him—"If you really are a messenger, show us something that proves it." In their minds, the challenge was going their way, like they knew for sure he wouldn’t do it, and they would just prove him wrong; they were that confident! Then the she-camel appeared.
And this wasn't just any camel. She was a massive, absolutely stunning creature that Allah SWT has created as a Sign for them! A she camel, emerging from a rock, immense, and producing abundant milk!
When the people saw her materialize right in front of them, literally appearing where nothing had been moments before, they were speechless. Some of them fell to their knees. Others just stood there in shock, not believing what they were witnessing.
But here's where it gets interesting. The she-camel came with conditions. The Thamud's water supply was their lifeline in the desert, and now they had to share it with this camel. On certain designated days, the she-camel would drink from its well.
On the other days, the water belonged to the people. It was a test, really. A test of their willingness to obey, to respect what Allah had given to them through His messenger.
He said, “O my people, have you considered: if I should be upon clear evidence from my Lord and He has given me mercy from Himself, who would protect me from Allah if I disobeyed Him? So you would not increase me except in loss. And O my people, this is the she-camel of Allah – [she is] to you a sign. So let her feed upon Allah’s earth and do not touch her with harm, or you will be taken by an impending punishment.”
(Quran 11:62-64)
And at first? It actually worked. The she-camel drank on her assigned days. The people drank on theirs. She was so magnificent, so undeniably miraculous, that people actually accepted it. Some of them even believed. They looked at this beautiful, powerful creature and thought, "Okay, maybe Prophet Salih (AS) really is right. Maybe we need to change."
Can you imagine the conversations happening in their homes at night? "Did you see her today?" "How is this even possible?" "What does it mean?" Some people were genuinely moved, questioning everything they thought they knew.
For your kids, this is the moment to talk about what a real test of faith looks like. The she-camel wasn't just a miracle to prove Prophet Salih (AS) was right. She was a test. Would the people respect what they'd been given? Would they honor the agreement? Would their faith hold when it actually meant something?
But not everyone was convinced, and not everyone was willing to pass the test.
The Test of Faith
At first, everyone was amazed by the she-camel. But after a while, it just became normal, you know? She came to drink, they came to drink. Days went by. Weeks. Months. And slowly, people started getting annoyed about it. Lik,e actually frustrated.
The rich ones, especially. They had the most to lose with the water situation, and they weren't happy about sharing. They started complaining to each other, getting more and more upset.
Meanwhile, some people had actually believed. They'd seen the she-camel and thought, "Okay, this is real. Prophet Salih (AS) is right." But others? They just dug in harder. They didn't want to believe. The whole community basically split in half—people who got it and people who straight up refused.
Prophet Salih (AS) kept trying, though. He warned them one more time. He told them to look at the signs, to pay attention to what Allah was showing them. He basically said, "This is your last chance, seriously." But they weren't having it. They'd already decided.
And here's the thing to explain to your kids—sometimes people see the truth and just say no anyway. Even when it's right there. That's actually really important to understand because it teaches kids that not everything can be proved to make someone believe. Sometimes people just choose not to.
But the Thamud had made their choice. And it was about to cost them everything.
The Consequence: What Happened Next?
So the rejectors couldn't just leave it alone. They gathered, 9 disbelievers (1 from each family of the 9 families that ruled back then), and decided they were gonna kill the she-camel.
What were they thinking you may ask! Probably something like, if they just got rid of the camel, everything goes back to how it was, like nothing ever happened, right? Wrong.
When the most wicked man among them went forth (to kill the she-camel)." (Ash-Shams 91:12)
They killed her. They hamstrung her so she couldn't survive. And when Prophet Salih (AS) found out, he told them —You just made the worst decision of your lives.
So they hamstrung the she-camel and were insolent toward the command of their Lord and said, “O Ṣāliḥ, bring us what you promise us if you should be of the messengers.”
(Quran 7:77)
He warned them. He said Look, you had your chance. You saw the miracle. You knew it was real. But you rejected it anyway, and now you're gonna see what happens when you reject Allah's signs like that.
After they had killed the she-camel, they dared Prophet Saleh to bring what he had promised them, i.e., Allah’s punishment.
But they hamstrung her, so he said, “Enjoy yourselves in your homes for three days. That is a promise not to be denied [i.e., unfailing].” (Quran 11:65)
Allah SWT gave them three days, then everything changed. An earthquake hit them. And I mean, it really hit them. The ground was shaking so hard that everything fell apart.
Those fancy carved-out houses in the mountains? Gone. Their wealth? Gone. Everything they'd built and everything they thought mattered? Destroyed. The whole tribe was wiped out from the face of the earth.
Indeed, we sent upon them one shriek [i.e., blast from the sky], and they became like the dry twig fragments of a [animal] pen. (Quran 54:31)
So the earthquake seized them, and they fell prone within their home, corpses fallen prone. (Quran 7:78)
In Surahs like Hud and An-Naml, Allah SWT describes how the punishment came down on them. Did any of them survive? YES! The only ones who survived were the believers who'd stayed with Prophet Salih (AS). Everyone else was gone.
And the shriek seized those who had wronged, and they became within their homes [corpses] fallen prone as if they had never prospered therein. Unquestionably, Thamūd denied their Lord; then, away with Thamūd. (Quran 11:67-68)
That's why their story is remembered even today. They became an example. A warning basically. Showing what happens when people know the truth and decide to reject it anyway and refuse to obey Allah SWT.
Your kids need to know this isn't meant to scare them. It's about understanding that our choices have real consequences. So what do we actually learn from all of this?
Key Lessons from Prophet Salih's Story: What Kids Can Actually Learn Here
So Prophet Salih (AS) waited. Year after year. People laughed at him, and he just kept going. That's patience. Real patience. Not the kind where you're gritting your teeth waiting for something to end, no! It’s the kind where you genuinely believe in what you're doing and you stick with it no matter what. Your kids need to see that.
He also didn't break. Everyone was against him. Everyone. But he stayed who he was, believed what he believed. Kids are gonna have moments where they feel like they're the only ones saying no to something or doing something different. The story of Prophet Salih shows them that you can do that. You can stand alone and not fall apart.
Then there's the she-camel lesson. She came with responsibilities, and people had to respect that even when it wasn't convenient. That teaches respect. It teaches that we can't just destroy things because they're in our way. And the ending? It shows that rejecting what's true and being arrogant about it—that catches up with you.
What This Means for Parents
You want to raise kids who have courage about their beliefs, right? This story does that. It shows them standing alone is actually possible. It may not always feel good, but it's possible.
Also, the Thamud had everything money could buy. Big houses carved into mountains. Wealth. Power. And they were still empty. That's worth talking about with your kids. What actually matters? Money or your connection to Allah?
Talk About This Together
- Why do you think they killed the she-camel?
- What would have been different if they'd listened?
- When do you feel pressure to do what everyone else is doing?
- How can we be stronger like Prophet Salih (AS)?
Where is Prophet Salih Mentioned in the Quran?
As we mentioned before, Prophet Salih (AS) is mentioned in different surahs. Al-A'raf, Hud, Ash-Shu'ara, An-Naml, Qaf. They all tell pieces of his story. Some go really deep into what happened with the she-camel. Others talk more about him, warning people. Some describe the punishment that came.
Honestly, take a minute and actually read these parts with your kids from the Quran itself. Not just hearing you tell the story. They're reading it. Because something changes when a kid is actually looking at the Quran and reading Allah's words directly. It's different. It sticks with them more.
You don't have to make it this huge thing. Pick one surah. Read a few verses. Talk about what they mean. Let your kid ask questions. Keep it simple and real.
If you want to make this even better for them, we have interactive games that actually connect these stories to the Quranic verses. So they're not just learning the story and then separately learning the Quran. They're putting it together at the same time. Makes it click way faster.
Making This Story Engaging for Your Kids
When you're telling this story, don't just read it flat. Use different voices. Make Prophet Salih (AS) sound thoughtful and calm. Make the rejectors sound arrogant or frustrated. Use pauses—let moments sink in. When the she-camel appears, slow down and make it vivid. "And then... she was there. Massive. Beautiful." Pauses work. They make kids actually pay attention.
Ask them questions while you're going through it.
- What do you think happens next?
- - How do you think Salih felt when they kept rejecting him?
- Don't wait until the end. Keep them thinking along the way.
After you've told the story, do something with it. Have them draw the she-camel. Act out scenes. Get your older kids to create conversations between Prophet Salih (AS) and the people. What would they say to each other? What would the people's arguments actually sound like? Let them explore it.
Then ask the real questions. "What would you have done if you were Salih?" "How would you feel if everyone were against you?" "What does this story teach us about standing up for what's right?" Connect it to their lives.
Talk about courage, about being honest even when it's harder, about respecting things and people around us—that's environmental stewardship too, actually. Respecting what we've been given.
If you want to take this further, our video library has animated versions of Prophet Salih (AS)'s story with stunning visuals and narration that'll bring it to life in a different way. Plus, our interactive Quran lessons help cement these lessons while they're learning the actual references in scripture. It's another layer to help it stick.
So share this story with them. Sit down and tell it. Read it from the Quran together or make them listen to the Quran if they still can't read well, cause it can be challenging at first.
Conclusion
So that's Prophet Salih (AS)'s story. A man who believed in something bigger than himself, who stayed patient and kind even when everyone rejected him, and a people who had everything except faith. They saw a miracle and still said no. That says something about how powerful choice is, and how dangerous it becomes when we ignore truth.
Why does this matter now? Because your kids are gonna face the same choice in different ways. They're gonna feel pressure to fit in. They're gonna see people choose what's easy over what's right.
They're gonna wonder if standing alone is worth it. And when that happens, they'll remember Prophet Salih (AS). They'll remember that someone stayed true even when it was impossibly hard.
Building your child's Islamic knowledge isn't just about knowing stories. It's about giving them something solid to stand on. It's about shaping their values and their identity. It's about showing them what courage actually looks like.
Start exploring what we offer at Islamic Galaxy. We even have trial options so you can see what works for your family.
Your kids are ready for these stories. Give them what they need to grow.
