To Thamood We sent their brother Salih saying: 'Worship Allah' But they were two parties in dispute with one another. 45 He said: "O my people! why ask ye to hasten on the evil in preference to the good? If only ye ask Allah for forgiveness, ye may hope to receive mercy. 46 They said: We have met with ill luck on account of you and on account of those with you. He said: The cause of your evil fortune is with Allah; nay, you are a people who are tried. 47 In the city there were nine people who were corrupting the land and did not reform. 48 They said, "Let us bind ourselves by an oath sworn in the name of God that we shall attack Salih and his family by night, and to his protector [who demands retribution], we shall say, "We were not present when they were slain. We are telling the truth." 49 And they planned a plan, and We planned a plan, while they perceived not. 50 So see what was the outcome of the plan they made: We utterly destroyed them and their people, all of them. 51 So these their habitations lie deserted now because of their iniquities. Verily there is a sign in this for those who understand. 52 We saved the faithful God-fearing believers. 53 Lot asked his people, "Do you understandably commit indecency? 54 Do you lustfully approach men instead of women? Nay, you engage in acts of sheer ignorance." 55 ۞ But his people's only answer was this: "Expel [Lot and] Lot's followers from your township! Verily, they are folk who make themselves out to be pure!" 56 Thereupon We saved him and his household - all but his wife, whom We willed to be among those that stayed behind 57 And we rained on them a rain (of stones); indeed it is an evil rain that rains on those that are warned. 58