Saleh was appointed at the age of 16 and was among people up...

Saleh was appointed at the age of 16 and was among people up to the age of 120 but no one responded him positively. They had seventy idols which they worshipped besides Allah. Seeing this, Saleh said: I was appointed as Prophet to you at the age of 16 and I am now at the age of 120. I offer you two proposals. If you desire anything, ask me so that I will ask God to fulfill your desire. Or if you wish, I will ask your gods to fulfill a desire.

If they fulfilled my desire, I will depart from among you. Then none of us will be offended. They said: O Saleh! You are fair. Be prepared for it.

عَنْ أَبى جَعْفَرٍ مُحَمَّدِ بْنَ عَلِيّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ قالَ: إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّه صَلَّى اللَّه عَلَيْهِ وَآلهِ سَأَلَ جَبْرائيلَ كَيْفَ كانَ مُهْلِكُ قَوْمَ صَالحٍ؟ فَقَالَ: يَا مُحَمَّدُ إِنَ صَالِحًا بَعَثَ إِلى قَوْمِهِ وَهُوَ ابْنُ سِتِّ عَشرِ سَنَةً، فَلَبِثَ فيهِمْ حَتّى بَلَغَ عِشْرينَ وَمِئَةَ سَنَةٍ لا يُجِيبُونَهُ إِلى خَيْرٍ، قَالَ وَكَانَ لَهُمْ سَبْعُونَ صَنَمًا يَعْبُدُونَها مِنْ دُونِ اللَّه فَلَمّا رَأَى ذَلِكَ مِنْهُمْ قَالَ: يا قَوْمِ إِنّي قَدْ بُعِثْتُ إِلَيْكُمْ وَأَنا ابْنُ سِتَّ عَشَرِ سَنَةً وَقَد بَلَغْتُ عِشْرينَ وَمِئَةَ سَنَةٍ وَأَنَا أَعْرِضُ عَلَيْكُمْ أَمْرَيْنِ: إِنْ شِئْتُمْ فَاسْأَلُوني حَتّى أَسْأَلَ إِلهي فَيُجيبَكُمْ فيما تَسْأَلُوني وَإِنْ شِئْتُمْ سَأَلْتُ آلِهَتَكُمْ، فَإِنْ أَجَابَتْني بِالذي أَسْأَلُها خَرَجْتُ عَنْكُمْ فَقَدْ شَنَأتُكُمْ وَشَنَأْتُمُوني.

فَقَالُوا قَدْ أَنْصَفْتَ يَا صالِح. They left the city with their idols on their backs. When they were free eating and drinking, they said: O Saleh! Ask whatever you wish. Saleh said: What is the name of the big idol? They said the name. Saleh called the idol by name but there was no answer. Saleh said: Why it does not answer? They said: call other idols besides it. Saleh called other idols by name but there was no answer. Saleh said: O people!

Did you see that I called all the idols but they did not answer? Now you ask me something so that I will ask God to answer right away and fulfill your desire. They came to their idols saying: Why don’t you answer Saleh? They did not answer.

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