Tafsir of Fussilat 41:17

وأما ثمود فهديناهم

And as for Thamud, We showed them the path of truth. Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, Abu Al-Aliyah, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Qatadah, As-Suddi and Ibn Zayd said, "We explained to them.'' Ath-Thawri said, "We called them.'' Allah's saying;

فاستحبوا العمى على الهدى

but they preferred blindness to guidance; means, `We showed them the truth and made it clear to them through the words of their Prophet Salih, but they opposed him and rejected him, and they slaughtered the she-camel of Allah which He had made a sign for them of the truth of their Prophet.'

فٲخذتهم صاعقة العذاب الهون

so the Sa`iqah of disgracing torment seized them. means, Allah sent upon them the Sayhah, earthquake, intense humiliation, punishment and torment.

بما كانوا يكسبون

because of what they used to earn. means, because of their disbelief and rejection

ونجينا الذين آمنوا وكانوا يتقون