And certainly We gave Musa the Book and We appointed with him his brother Haroun an aider. 35 And We said, "Go both of you to the people who have denied Our signs." Then We destroyed them with [complete] destruction. 36 And the people of Nuh, when they rejected the apostles, We drowned them, and made them a sign for men, and We have prepared a painful punishment for the unjust; 37 And [We destroyed] 'Aad and Thamud and the companions of the well and many generations between them. 38 Each (of them) We warned by examples, and each (of them) We brought to utter ruin. 39 Surely they have come by the city that was rained on by an evil rain; what, have they not seen it? Nay, but they look for no upraising. 40 Hence, whenever they consider thee, [O Muhammad,] they but make thee a target of their mockery, [saying:] "Is this the one whom God has sent as an apostle? 41 Well nigh he had led us astray from our gods if we had not persevered towards them. Presently they shall know, when they behold the torment, who is more astray in respect of path. 42 Seest thou such a one as taketh for his god his own passion (or impulse)? Couldst thou be a disposer of affairs for him? 43 Or do you think that most of them hear or understand something? They are not but like the cattle – in fact more astray from the path than them! 44