We sent (aforetime), to the Thamud, their brother Salih, saying, "Serve Allah": But behold, they became two factions quarrelling with each other. 45 He said: O my people! wherefore seek ye to hasten the evil before the good? Wherefore ask ye not forgiveness of Allah, that haply ye may be shewn mercy. 46 They said, 'We augur ill of thee and of those that are with thee.' He said, 'Your augury is with God; nay, but you are a people being proved.' 47 In the city there were nine people who were corrupting the land and did not reform. 48 They said: "Swear a mutual oath by Allah that we shall make a secret night attack on him and his people, and that we shall then say to his heir (when he seeks vengeance): 'We were not present at the slaughter of his people, and we are positively telling the truth.'" 49 Thus they devised a plan, and We also devised a plan, but they were not aware of it. 50 Behold, then, what all their scheming came to in the end: We utterly destroyed them and their people, all of them; 51 and [now] those dwellings of theirs are empty, [ruined] as an outcome of their evil deeds. In this, behold, there is a message indeed for people of [innate] knowledge 52 We saved the faithful God-fearing believers. 53 And Lot, he said to his nation: 'Do you commit indecencies with your eyes open! 54 Must ye needs lust after men instead of women? Nay, but ye are folk who act senselessly. 55 ۞ Yet the only answer of his nation was that they said: 'Expel the family of Lot from your village, they are people who purified themselves' 56 But We saved him and his family, except his wife; her We destined to be of those who lagged behind. 57 And We rained on them a rain, and evil was the rain of those who had been warned. 58