Divine Punishment on the Tribe of Samood

Imam al-Baqir has stated that in the book of ‘Ali it is recorded that there was a tribe from Thamud. To examine them Allah dispatched much fish to their doors and it also entered their water tanks and canals every Saturday. Some ignorant people started catching fish. The learned persons prevented them. One day the Satan came to them and said, “Allah has not prevented you to eat fish, He has forbidden to catch them on Saturday and eat on Sunday.” Due to this, people were divided into three groups. The first group said, “We will hunt on Saturday and it is legal.” The second group said, “It is unlawful.” And the third group was quiet. They did not say anything and said to the second group not to advise them. Allah would punish them. The people who advised them often, decided to leave the city that night as they were afraid they would also be held along with them in Divine chastisement. Therefore, they moved to the forest and passed the night. In the morning, they returned to their own city to find the condition of the offenders. When they reached the gates of the city, they found them closed. They knocked the again and again. Instead of humans voices they heard the animal sound. They brought a ladder and a man climbed up to see inside. He saw apes and swine roaming the city. Reference: Hayat Al-Qulub, Vol. 1, Stories of the Prophets