(O Prophet), did the story of Abraham's honoured guests reach you? 24 When they came to him saying, "Peace be with you," he replied to their greeting in the same manner and said to himself, "These are a strange people". 25 Then he went apart unto his housefolk so that they brought a fatted calf; 26 He placed it before them. Then he said, "Why are you not eating?" 27 (When they did not eat), He conceived a fear of them. They said, "Fear not," and they gave him glad tidings of a son endowed with knowledge. 28 Thereupon his wife approached [the guests] with a loud cry, and struck her face [in astonishment] and exclaimed: "A barren old woman [like me]!" 29 They said, “This is how your Lord has decreed; indeed He only is the Wise, the All Knowing.” 30 ۞ Abraham asked, "Messengers, what is your task?" 31 They replied, "We have been sent to a sinful people, 32 to loose upon them stones of clay 33 marked with thy Lord for the prodigal. 34 So We brought out whoever was in the cities of the believers. 35 for apart from one [single] house We did not find there any who had surrendered themselves to Us. 36 And We left therein a sign for those who fear the painful punishment. 37 And in Moses (too, there is a portent) when We sent him unto Pharaoh with clear warrant, 38 The Pharaoh and his forces turned away from him, saying, "He is either a magician or an insane person". 39 So We took him and his hosts, and dumped them into the sea, while he was to be blamed. 40 There is another sign in the [tribe of] 'Ad, when We sent against them a life-destroying wind 41 It did not leave aught on which it blew, but it made it like ashes. 42 And in [the story of the tribe of] Thamud, too, when they were told, "You shall enjoy your life for [but] a little while," 43 But they were insolent toward the command of their Lord, so the thunderbolt seized them while they were looking on. 44 Then they could not even stand (on their feet), nor could they help themselves. 45 [We destroyed] the people of Noah before them. They were certainly a sinful people. 46