Quran Universe
11:61

۞وَإِلَىٰ ثَمُودَ أَخَاهُمۡ صَٰلِحٗاۚ قَالَ يَٰقَوۡمِ ٱعۡبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنۡ إِلَٰهٍ غَيۡرُهُۥۖ هُوَ أَنشَأَكُم مِّنَ ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَٱسۡتَعۡمَرَكُمۡ فِيهَا فَٱسۡتَغۡفِرُوهُ ثُمَّ تُوبُوٓاْ إِلَيۡهِۚ إِنَّ رَبِّي قَرِيبٞ مُّجِيبٞ

Waila thamooda akhahum salihan qala ya qawmi oAAbudoo Allaha ma lakum min ilahin ghayruhu huwa anshaakum mina alardi waistaAAmarakum feeha faistaghfiroohu thumma tooboo ilayhi inna rabbee qareebun mujeebun

And to Thamud [We sent] their brother Salih. 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."

Word by word
  1. ۞وَإِلَىٰAnd to
  2. ثَمُودَThamud
  3. أَخَاهُمۡ(We sent) their brother
  4. صَٰلِحٗاۚSalih
  5. قَالَHe said
  6. يَٰقَوۡمِO my people
  7. ٱعۡبُدُواْWorship
  8. ٱللَّهَAllah
  9. مَاnot
  10. لَكُمyou have
  11. مِّنۡany
  12. إِلَٰهٍgod
  13. غَيۡرُهُۥۖother than Him
  14. هُوَHe
  15. أَنشَأَكُمproduced you
  16. مِّنَfrom
  17. ٱلۡأَرۡضِthe earth
  18. وَٱسۡتَعۡمَرَكُمۡand settled you
  19. فِيهَاin it
  20. فَٱسۡتَغۡفِرُوهُSo ask forgiveness of Him
  21. ثُمَّthen
  22. تُوبُوٓاْturn in repentance
  23. إِلَيۡهِۚto Him
  24. إِنَّIndeed
  25. رَبِّيmy Lord
  26. قَرِيبٞ(is) near
  27. مُّجِيبٞAll-Responsive
Hud · 11:61Makkah

The One who built you is near and answers.

Salih's first words to a prosperous people

What Salih reminded them
Thamudcities carved from rock
made from
the earthAdam was made from it
settled by
their Lordgave them prosperity there
Two steps back to Him
ask forgivenessfor what is already done
then
turn to Himfor what comes next
near, responsiveHe hears the one who calls

Thamud lived after the people of 'Ad, in cities carved from rock between Tabuk and Madinah. Allah sent them one of their own, Salih. He reminded them that the land they treasured was a gift, and told them to ask forgiveness for the past and turn to Allah for the future.

You have a decent flat, a job, a car that starts. It all feels like something you built. Then one night something goes wrong and you are not sure He is listening. He is near, and He answers. The door back is two steps: sorry for yesterday, a new direction for tomorrow.

What I have, I earned, and Allah feels far away.

He made me, He settled me where I am, and He is close enough to answer tonight.

Try this

Tonight, ask forgiveness for one specific thing, then name one small change for tomorrow.

Related2:186
Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir

And to Thamud (people We sent) their brother Salih. He said: "O my people! Worship Allah: you have no other god but Him. He brought you forth from the earth and settled you therein, then ask forgiveness of Him and turn to Him in repentance. Certainly, my Lord is Near (to all by His knowledge), Responsive. (61)

The Story of Salih and the People of Thamud

Allah, the Exalted, says,

وَ

(And) This is an introduction to that which is implied, "Verily, We sent."

إِلَىٰ ثَمُودَ

(to Thamud) They were a group of people who were living in cities carved from the rocks, between Tabuk and Al-Madinah (in Arabia). They lived after the people of 'Ad, so Allah sent to them,

أَخَاهُمْ صَالِحًا

(their brother Salih.) He (Salih) commanded them to worship Allah alone. He said to them,

هُوَ أَنشَأَكُم مِّنَ الْأَرْضِ

(He brought you forth from the earth) This means: 'He began your creation from it (the earth). From it He created your father, Adam.'

وَاسْتَعْمَرَكُمْ فِيهَا 

(and settled you therein,) This means: 'He made you prosperous in the earth. You are settled in it and you treasure it.'

فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ 

(then ask forgiveness) 'This is in reference to your previous sins.'

ثُمَّ تُوبُوا إِلَيْهِ

(and turn to Him in repentance.) 'This is in reference to the future.'

إِنَّ رَبِّي قَرِيبٌ مُّجِيبٌ

(Certainly, my Lord is Near (to all by His knowledge), Responsive.) This is similar to Allah's statement,

وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ ۖ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ

(And when My servants ask you concerning Me, then (answer them), I am indeed Near (to them by My knowledge). I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me.)[2:186]