When Our Messengers came to Abraham with the good news, they said: "We are indeed going to destroy the people of this township: for truly they are (addicted to) crime." 31 [And when Abraham] exclaimed, "But Lot lives there!" - they answered: We know fully well who is there; most certainly we shall save him and his household - all but his wife: she will indeed be among those that stay behind." 32 And when Our messengers came to Lot, he was distressed for them and felt for them great discomfort. They said, "Fear not, nor grieve. Indeed, we will save you and your family, except your wife; she is to be of those who remain behind. 33 "For we are going to bring down on the people of this township a Punishment from heaven, because they have been wickedly rebellious." 34 Surely the ruins We left of that city are a clear sign for a people who use their reason. 35 And unto Madyan We sent their brother, Shu'aib. He said: my people! worship Allah, and fear the Last Day, and commit not evil on the earth as corrupters. 36 But they denied him, so the earthquake seized them, and they became within their home [corpses] fallen prone. 37 And the 'Aad and Thamud and of a surety their destruction is apparent unto you from their dwellings. The Satan made fairseeming their works unto them, and so kept them off from the path, while they were endued with sight. 38 And (We destroyed) Qaroun and Firon and Haman; and certainly Musa came to them with clear arguments, but they behaved haughtily in the land; yet they could not outstrip (Us). 39 We punished all of these people because of their sin. Some of them were struck by a violent sand-storm, some by a blast of sound, others were swallowed up by the earth, and some were drowned (in the sea). God did not do injustice to them, but they had wronged themselves. 40 The semblance of those who take protectors besides God is that of the spider. She arranges a house for herself, but the flimsiest of houses is the spider's. If only they had sense! 41 Verily God knows what they invoke in His place, for He is all-mighty and all-wise. 42 These are the parables that We set forth to make people understand. But only those endowed with knowledge will comprehend them. 43 God has created the heavens and the earth with reason. Surely in this is a sign for those who believe. 44