When Our messengers came to Abraham with good news, they said: "We have to destroy this city as its inhabitants have become sinful." 31 He said, 'Lot is in it.' They said, 'We know very well who is in it; assuredly We shall deliver him and his family, except his wife; she has become of those that tarry.' 32 And when Our messengers came unto Lot, he was troubled upon their account, for he could not protect them; but they said: Fear not, nor grieve! Lo! we are to deliver thee and thy household, (all) save thy wife, who is of those who stay behind. 33 Verily, we are about to bring down on the people of this town a great torment from the sky, because they have been rebellious (against Allah's Command)." 34 And assuredly We have left thereof manifest sign for a people who reflect. 35 AND UNTO [the people of] Madyan [We sent] their brother Shu'ayb who thereupon said: "O my people! Worship God [alone,] and look forward to the Last Day, and do not act wickedly on earth by spreading corruption!" 36 But they rejected him, so the earthquake overwhelmed them and they were left lying prostrate on the ground in their homes. 37 AND [the tribes of] Ad and Thamud [too, did We destroy] as should have become obvious to you from [whatever there remains of] their dwellings. [They perished] because Satan had made their [sinful] doings seem goodly to them, and thus had barred them from the path [of God] despite their having been endowed with the ability to perceive the truth. 38 And Qarun and Fir'awn and Haman! And assuredly Musa came unto them with the evidences, yet they were stiff-necked in the land. And they could not outstrip Us. 39 So each We punished for his sin; of them was he on whom We sent down a violent storm, and of them was he whom the rumbling overtook, and of them was he whom We made to be swallowed up by the earth, and of them was he whom We drowned; and it did not beseem Allah that He should be unjust to them, but they were unjust to their own souls. 40 The likeness of those who take Auliya' (protectors and helpers) other than Allah is as the likeness of a spider, who builds (for itself) a house, but verily, the frailest (weakest) of houses is the spider's house; if they but knew. 41 Indeed, Allah knows whatever thing they call upon other than Him. And He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise. 42 And (as for) these examples, We set them forth for men, and none understand them but the learned. 43 God has created the heavens and the earth with reason. Surely in this is a sign for those who believe. 44