The people of Thamud asked the Prophet Saleh (PBUH) to bring them a she-camel as a proof of his prophecy. But after the miracle happened, they disbelieved in it, so that Allah (swt) has punished them severely. Allah (swt) showed them the right path but they chose the wrong path of disbelief. They did not obey the Prophet Saleh (PBUH) and killed the she-camel. In this regard, Allah (swt) says:

 وَأَمَّا ثَمُودُ فَهَدَيْنَاهُمْ فَاسْتَحَبُّوا الْعَمَىٰ عَلَى الْهُدَىٰ

(And as for Thamud, We guided them, but they preferred blindness over guidance,) (Fussilat: 19)

Allah (swt) has told us the stories of the previous Prophets and how their people were punished severely when they disbelieved them. For example, Allah (swt) mentions the story of the Prophet Noah (PBUH) with his people, the Prophet Hud (PBUH) with his people ‘Ad, the Prophet Saleh (PBUH) with his people Thamud, the Prophet Shuaib (PBUH) with his people and the Prophet Lut (PBUH) with his people.

All these people used to disbelieve their Messengers:

 كَدَأْبِ آلِ فِرْعَوْنَ وَالَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۚ كَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا فَأَخَذَهُمُ اللَّهُ بِذُنُوبِهِمْ ۗ وَاللَّهُ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ

([Theirs is] like the custom of the people of Pharaoh and those before them. They denied Our signs, so Allah seized them for their sins. And Allah is severe in penalty.) (Ali-Imran: 11)

When Allah (swt) speaks about The Inevitable Reality in this verse, He (swt) mentions how the people of Thamud and ‘Ad disbelieved in it. Allah (swt) says:

 فَأَمَّا عَادٌ فَاسْتَكْبَرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ وَقَالُوا مَنْ أَشَدُّ مِنَّا قُوَّةً ۖ أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا أَنَّ اللَّهَ الَّذِي خَلَقَهُمْ هُوَ أَشَدُّ مِنْهُمْ قُوَّةً ۖ وَكَانُوا بِآيَاتِنَا يَجْحَدُونَ

(As for ‘Aad, they were arrogant upon the earth without right and said, “Who is greater than us in strength?” Did they not consider that Allah who created them was greater than them in strength? But they were rejecting Our signs.) (Fussilat: 15)

‘Ad and Thamud disbelieved their Prophets and denied their Messages as well. They also denied the Striking Calamity as mentioned in this verse of the study.

What is the “Striking Calamity”? Linguistically, the Arabic word refers to the thing that hits strongly on something still. According it is used in the expression of “Striking on the door”. However, there is a difference between “knocking on the door” and “striking on the door”. In fact, the Striking Calamity beats the hearts, the ears and other senses with its horror and terror. It also strikes the hearts with punishment and fear. Thus, “Ad and Thamud denied the Day of Judgement, the Resurrection and the Gathering Day.

Reflecting upon this Surah, we find something wonderful; the Surah’s name is Al-Haqqa and it starts with verses indicate Al-Haqqa (the Inevitable Reality) but when Allah (swt) speaks about the denial of Thamud and ‘Ad people He (swt) does not say that they denied the Inevitable Reality; rather, He (swt) says that they denied the Striking Calamity. Allah (swt) mentions another name of the Day of Judgement to indicate that it is the Day when the believers and the disbelievers will get the deserved recompense, furthermore it strikes the hearts and the whole universe with horror.