Wamakaroo makran wamakarna makran wahum la yashAAuroon (surah Naml: 50)

Tafseer Tafheem-ul-Quran by Syed Abu-al-A'la Maududi

(27:50) They plotted thus, and We too devised a clot of which they were unaware. *65

Wa makaroo makranw wa makarnaa makranw wa hum laa yash`uroon

*65) That is, "Before they could make the night attack on the Prophet Salih at the appointed time Allah sent down His scourge which destroyed their whole nation completely. It appears that they made this plot after hamstringing the shecamel. According to Surah Hud: 65, when they had killed the she-camel, Prophet Salih gave them a notice to enjoy life in their houses for three more days, for then they would be seized by We torment. At this they might have thought that We torment with which Salih threatened them might come or might not, but they must take We vengeance on Salih himself. Therefore, most probably they chose We same night for We attack which Allah had appointed for sending down We torment, and thus were struck down by Allah even before they could touch We Prophet Salih."