And when Our Messengers brought Abraham the glad tidings they said: 'We are destroying the people of this village, because its people are harmdoers' 31 Abraham said, "Lot is there in that town!" They said, "We know everyone there. We shall certainly save him and his family except his wife who will remain behind." 32 And when Our messengers came unto Lut, he was distressed on their account and felt straitened on their account. And they said: fear not, nor grieve: verily we are to deliver thee and thy household, save thy wife: she is to be of the lingerers. 33 We shall bring down upon the people of this city a scourge from the heaven because of their evildoing.” 34 And We have left thereof an evident Sign, for any people who (care to) understand. 35 And We sent to Midian their brother Shuayb. He said: “My people, serve Allah and look forward to the Last Day and do not go about the earth committing mischief.” 36 But they denied him and were seized by an earthquake, and lay overturned in their homes in the morning. 37 Aad and Thamood, it has become clear to you from their dwellings; satan made their works seem fair to them and barred them from the Path, although they saw clearly. 38 And [thus, too, did We deal with] Qarun and Pharaoh, and Haman: to them had come Moses with all evidence of the truth, but they behaved arrogantly on earth [and rejected him]; and withal, they could not escape [Us]. 39 So We took each one in his sin; of them was he on whom We sent a hurricane, and of them was he who was overtaken by the (Awful) Cry, and of them was he whom We caused the earth to swallow, and of them was he whom We drowned. It was not for Allah to wrong them, but they wronged themselves. 40 The likeness of those who have taken guardians, other than Allah, is as the likeness of the spider that takes to itself a house; surely the spider's house is the weakest house if they but knew. 41 God knows whatever thing they call upon apart from Him; He is the All-mighty, the All-wise. 42 And such are the Parables We set forth for mankind, but only those understand them who have knowledge. 43 Allah created the heavens and the earth in true (proportions): verily in that is a Sign for those who believe. 44