And We had certainly given Moses the Scripture and appointed with him his brother Aaron as an assistant. 35 Then We said, "Go together to the people who have denied Our signs." We utterly destroyed them! 36 We had drowned the people of Noah when they had accused the apostles of lies, and turned them into an example for men. We have prepared a painful punishment for the wicked. 37 Likewise were destroyed the `Ad and the Thamud and the people of the Rass, and many a generation in between. 38 And to every one We gave examples and every one did We destroy with utter destruction. 39 They must have surely passed by the town on which We had rained the terrible rain of ruin. How could they not have seen it? Still they do not dread the Resurrection. 40 And when they see you, [O Muhammad], they take you not except in ridicule, [saying], "Is this the one whom Allah has sent as a messenger? 41 “Possibly he would have misled us away from our Gods had we not been firm upon them”; soon they will know, when they see the punishment, who was astray from the path. 42 Have you ever considered the case of the person who has made his lust his god? Can you take the responsibility of guiding such a one aright? 43 Or deemest thou that most of them hear or understand? They are but as the cattle; nay, they are further astray from the way. 44