Tafsir of Ash-Shu`ara' 26:157

{فَعَقَرُوهَا}: The act of slaughtering is attributed to all of them, even though the one who actually slaughtered it was one of them, namely Qudar ibn Salif, who was a weaver, as stated by more than one scholar. It is mentioned in a narration that Musṭa‘ assaulted it until he forced it into a narrow pass in a ravine, then shot it with an arrow which struck its leg, causing it to fall, after which Qudar struck it. This is based on the report that the one who slaughtered it said: "I will not slaughter it until you are all pleased." Thus, they would enter upon a woman in her private quarters and say: "Are you pleased?" And she would say: "Yes," and likewise the children; so they were all pleased. It is also said [that it is attributed to all] because the slaughtering took place by their command and with their collective assistance, as is made clear by His saying, the Exalted: {فَنَادَوْا صَاحِبَهُمْ فَتَعَاطَى فَعَقَرَ} ("Then they called their companion, and he dared and slaughtered"), though there is discussion regarding this.

{فَأَصْبَحُوا نَادِمِينَ}: This is out of fear that the punishment would descend, as a group has stated. This has been refuted by the argument that it is contradicted by the saying of the Exalted: {وَقَالُوا... يَا صَالِحُ ائْتِنَا بِمَا تَعِدُنَا إِنْ كُنْتَ مِنَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ} ("And they said... O Salih, bring us what you promise us, if you are among the messengers"), which occurred after they slaughtered it.

The response to this is that the claim that the saying occurred after they slaughtered it is contestable, since the particle wa (and) does not denote sequence. Therefore, it is possible they meant by "what you promise us" the [additional] miracle. Or, the wa is ḥāliyyah (circumstantial), meaning: they requested it from Salih while promising to believe in it upon its manifestation. Furthermore, it is permissible that some regretted it while others said that, and the action of the few is attributed to the whole because they did not forbid it, or similar reasons. Alternatively, perhaps they all felt regret initially out of fear, then their hearts hardened and their fear dissipated, or vice versa.

It is also permissible to say that they regretted slaughtering it with the regret of repentance, but this occurred upon witnessing the punishment, and at that point, regret is of no avail. It is said that it did not avail them because they did not rectify what they had done by believing, as was required of them.

It is also said that they regretted missing out on its colt, but its distance [from the intended meaning] is not hidden. Similar to this is the claim that they regretted slaughtering it because of what they missed out on regarding its milk; for it is reported that on its day, it would provide them with as much milk as they desired.