Hûd 11:62
قَالُوا يَا صَالِحُ قَدْ كُنتَ فِينَا مَرْجُوًّا قَبْلَ هَٰذَا ۖ أَتَنْهَانَا أَن نَّعْبُدَ مَا يَعْبُدُ آبَاؤُنَا وَإِنَّنَا لَفِي شَكٍّ مِّمَّا تَدْعُونَا إِلَيْهِ مُرِيبٍ ٦٢
Qaloo ya salihu qad kunta feena marjuwwan qabla hatha atanhana an naAAbuda ma yaAAbudu abaona wainnana lafee shakkin mimma tadAAoona ilayhi mureebun
“They said: O Salih! Thou hast been among us hitherto as that wherein our hope was placed. Dost thou ask us not to worship what our fathers worshipped ? Lo! we verily are in grave doubt concerning that to which thou callest us.” (11:62)
The Conversation between Salih and the People of Thamud
Allah, the Exalted, mentions what transpired in the discussion between Salih and his people. Allah informs of their ignorance and obstinacy in their statement,
قَدْ كُنتَ فِينَا مَرْجُوًّا قَبْلَ هَـذَا
(You have been among us as a figure of good hope till this!) They were saying in this, "We had hope in your strong intellect before you began saying what you have said."
أَتَنْهَانَآ أَن نَّعْبُدَ مَا يَعْبُدُ ءابَاؤُنَا
(Do you (now) forbid us the worship of what our fathers have worshipped) "what those who were before us were upon."
وَإِنَّنَا لَفِى شَكٍّ مِّمَّا تَدْعُونَآ إِلَيْهِ مُرِيبٍ
(But we are really in grave doubt as to that which you invite us.) This alludes to the great amount of doubt that they had.
قَالَ يقَوْمِ أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِن كُنتُ عَلَى بَيِّنَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّى
(He said: "O my people! Tell me, if I have a clear proof from my Lord...") `In reference to what He (Allah) has sent me with to you, I am upon conviction and sure evidence.'
وَءَاتَـنِى مِنْهُ رَحْمَةً فَمَن يَنصُرُنِى مِنَ اللَّهِ إِنْ عَصَيْتُهُ
(and there has come to me a mercy from Him, who then can help me against Allah, if I were to disobey Him) `and abandon calling you to the truth and the worship of Allah alone. If I did so, you would not be able to bring me any benefit, nor increase me
غَيْرَ تَخْسِيرٍ
(but in loss.)' This means loss and ruin.