And We sent to Thamood their brother Salih: 'Serve you God!' And behold, they were two parties, that were disputing one with another. 45 Said [Salih to the erring ones]: Why do you seek to hasten the coming upon you of evil instead of hoping for the good?" Why do you not, rather, ask God to forgive you your sins, so that you might be graced with His 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 There were nine tribes in the city spreading evil without any reform in the land. 48 They said: swear by God one to another that we shall surely fall upon him and his household by night and thereafter we shall surely say unto his heir; we witnessed not the destruction of his household, and verily we are truthtellers. 49 They plotted and planned, but We too planned, even while they perceived it not. 50 See, then, how was the end of their plan that We destroyed them and their people, all (of them). 51 So these are their houses fallen flat, the recompense of their injustice; indeed in this is a sign for people who know. 52 and We saved those who believed in and feared God. 53 And (We sent) Lut, when he said to his people: What! do you commit indecency while you see? 54 Do you lustfully approach men instead of women? Nay, you engage in acts of sheer ignorance." 55 ۞ But the answer of his people was no other except that they said: Turn out Lut's followers from your town; surely they are a people who would keep pure! 56 So We delivered him and his family, except his wife; We decreed she should be of those that tarried. 57 And We rained down upon them a rain. It was an evil rain for those who had already been warned. 58