Saleh Saleh W. C. Sellar Category="Arabian mythology"Category="Islam"
Not to be confused with the city of Salè, Morocco.

Saleh, Arabic: صالح, is a prophet in the Qur'an.

According to Islamic tradition, Saleh was born nine generations after Nuh and the flood. He lived in an area in between Palestine and the Hijaz. This is regarded by many to be where the ancient city of Petra is, currently in Jordan (due to descriptions of Saleh's people living in houses carved in mountains). The people not only lived in houses carved in stone, but worshipped idols made from stone. Saleh tried to teach the people not to worship idols and turn to God, but they did not listen. They eventually angered God by killing two animals instead of feeding them, against the words of Saleh. Saleh was thus ordered by God to leave the people and he complied. This was followed by a massive earthquake which destroyed his former people. This character is certainly associated with the biblical Shelah, although there are discrepancies between the Torah and Septuagint as to what generation he belonged to.