AND HAS the story of Abraham's honoured guests ever come within thy ken? 24 When those [heavenly messengers] came unto him and bade him peace, he answered, "[And upon you be] peace!" - [saying to himself,] "They are strangers." 25 So he hurried to the house and brought a fatted calf, 26 and placed it before them, saying, "Will you not eat?" 27 Then he conceived a fear of them. They said: fear not. And they gave him the tidings of a youth knowing. 28 Then his wife came up in great grief, and she struck her face and said: An old barren woman! 29 They said, "Thus has said your Lord; indeed, He is the Wise, the Knowing." 30 ۞ Abraham said: “Envoys (of Allah), what is your errand?” 31 They said, 'We have been sent to a people of sinners, 32 to let loose upon them stone-hard blows of chastisement, 33 Marked, from before thy Lord, for the extravagant. 34 Then We brought forth such as were therein of the believers. 35 But We found in it only one household of those who had surrendered themselves, 36 And We left therein a sign for those who fear the painful punishment. 37 And in Moosa, when We sent him with a clear proof towards Firaun. 38 but he turned his back with his Assembly, saying: 'He is (either) a sorcerer or a mad man' 39 We seized him and his hosts, and cast them all into the sea: and [none but Pharaoh] himself was to blame [for what happened]. 40 And in 'Aad [was a sign], when We sent against them the barren wind. 41 that left nothing it came upon, except that it was ashes. 42 And in Thamud, when We said to them: "Enjoy yourselves for a while;" 43 They transgressed against the command of their Lord. So a blast of sound struck them and they were unable to do anything but stare. 44 They were unable even to stand up or protect themselves. 45 And [thus, too, We destroyed] Noah's people aforetime: for they were iniquitous folk. 46