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....Salih
had been greatly respected by his people and they had wished that
he be their chief before Allah's revelation came to him. When
he admonished his people to worship only Allah and not to associate
partners with Him, they said:
...." O Salih! Surely you were
one amongst us in whom great expectations were placed before this;
do you (now) forbid us from worshipping what our fathers worshipped?
And as to that which you call us to, most surely we are in disquieting
doubt." (Hud, 62)
....Hazrat Salih asked them what
he should do to dismiss their concerns. His people, pointing at
a rock, demanded: "If your Lord can make a she-camel, ten months
pregnant, tall and attractive, issue from this rock for us, then
we will believe in Him."
....Hazrat Salih agreed on the condition
that they fulfill the following requirement: they would first
ask the same from their idols. If the idols would not do what
they had asked for, then Hazrat Salih would pray to his Lord.
They agreed to do this, and set a day. On that day, all gathered
and began to pray to their idols. They prayed, prostrated before
them, stood at attention, sacrificed animals; yet, nothing happened.
When it was Salih's turn, everybody was very excited. What if
Salih's Lord could do what the idols had not been able to do?
....Hazrat Salih prayed two rakahs
of salat and asked Allah to grant their request. The distant rock
split asunder, bringing forth a large she-camel that was ten months
pregnant. The camel took three steps, and gave birth to a calf.
....What happened then?
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