And when Our messengers came to Abraham with the good tidings, they said, 'We shall destroy the people of this city, for its people are evildoers.' 31 [Abraham] said, "Indeed, within it is Lot." They said, "We are more knowing of who is within it. We will surely save him and his family, except his wife. She is to be of those who 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 Verily we are about to bring down upon the inhabitants of this city a scourge from the heaven, for they have been transgressing. 34 And We have undoubtedly kept a part of it as a clear sign for people of intellect. 35 And to Midian their brother Shuaib; he said, 'O my people, serve God, and look you for the Last Day; and do not mischief in the land, working corruption.' 36 And they belied him [Shu'aib (Shuaib)], so the earthquake seized them, and they lay (dead), prostrate in their dwellings. 37 And We destroyed Ad and Thamud, whose dwellings you have observed. Satan had embellished their deeds for them and had turned them away from the Right Path although they were a people of clear perception. 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 each We punished for his sin; of them was he on whom We sent down a violent storm, and of them was he whom the rumbling overtook, and of them was he whom We made to be swallowed up by the earth, and of them was he whom We drowned; and it did not beseem Allah that He should be unjust to them, but they were unjust to their own souls. 40 The semblance of those who take protectors besides God is that of the spider. She arranges a house for herself, but the flimsiest of houses is the spider's. If only they had sense! 41 Verily Allah doth know of (every thing) whatever that they call upon besides Him: and He is Exalted (in power), Wise. 42 And (as for) these examples, We set them forth for men, and none understand them but the learned. 43 Allah has created the heavens and the earth in Truth. Certainly there is a Sign in this for those who believe. 44