The Creature that will Speak with Humans

 The following is adapted from: The Serpent & The Snake: a Clear Sign 

The Moving Creature from The Earth

وَإِذَا وَقَعَ الْقَوْلُ عَلَيْهِمْ أَخْرَجْنَا لَهُمْ دَابَّةً مِّنَ الْأَرْضِ تُكَلِّمُهُمْ أَنَّ النَّاسَ كَانُوا بِآيَاتِنَا لَا يُوقِنُون

And when the saying fell on them, We will bring out a moving creature for them from the earth that will speak to them, that: Humanity had not been certain of Our signs.

[Al-Quran 27:82, Translation: Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar]

Surah an-Naml (The Ant) recounts the story of Moses' staff becoming a snake, then goes on to mention Solomon's army which includes birds and snakes, and their ability to speak with each other. Then, the Queen Ant warning her ants; the Hoopoe who goes on a reconnaissance mission; the Sun-worshipping Queen of Saba; Solomon's warning letter demanding submission to the true religion; the throne of Saba being transported in the blink of an eye to Solomon's court; the Queen of Saba realising how she had been wronging her nafs, and consequently accepting the true religion; and then it flashes back to the Samood: the nine groups in the city plotting to kill their Messenger of Allah: 

وَكَانَ فِي الْمَدِينَةِ تِسْعَةُ رَهْطٍ يُفْسِدُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا يُصْلِحُون

And there had been nine groups of persons in the city who make corruption in the earth and make not things right.

[Al-Quran 27:48, Translation: Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar]

The surah continues with a brief mention of the destruction of the Samood; and then an overview of the impurity-loving people to whom Messenger Lot had been sent to, and how they were also destroyed. 

After a few pertinent questions establishing Allah as the only true ilah (god), the surah foretells the emergence of the moving creature from the Earth who will speak with humans! 

< —————— > 

The Thamud were given the she-camel as a clear sign. They were warned not to harm her. Disbelieving and disobeying, they not only harmed the she-camel, they also conspired to kill their Messenger of Allah, Saleh, and his family. Their plan came to naught, and the Thamud were utterly destroyed. 

< ——————— > 

As quoted in Muhammad ﷺ – Ascension & Return  

… we read in Q17:60: 

وَمَا مَنَعَنَا أَن نُّرْسِلَ بِالْآيَاتِ إِلَّا أَن كَذَّبَ بِهَا الْأَوَّلُونَ وَآتَيْنَا ثَمُودَ النَّاقَةَ مُبْصِرَةً فَظَلَمُوا بِهَا 

وَمَا نُرْسِلُ بِالْآيَاتِ إِلَّا تَخْوِيفًا

وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لَكَ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ أَحَاطَ بِالنَّاسِ وَمَا جَعَلْنَا الرُّؤْيَا الَّتِي أَرَيْنَاكَ إِلَّا فِتْنَةً لِّلنَّاسِ وَالشَّجَرَةَ الْمَلْعُونَةَ فِي الْقُرْآنِ

وَنُخَوِّفُهُمْ فَمَا يَزِيدُهُمْ إِلَّا طُغْيَانًا كَبِيرًا

And not stopped Us that We send the Signs except that denied them the former (people) And We gave Thamud the she-camel (as) a visible sign, but they wronged her. 

And not We send the Signs except (as) a warning.

And when We said to you, "Indeed, your Lord has encompassed the mankind." And not We made the vision which We showed you except (as) a trial for mankind, and the tree the accursed in the Quran. 

And We threaten them but not it increases them except (in) transgression great. 

[Al-Quran 17:59 - 60]