And when Our messengers brought Abraham the good news, they said: Lo! we are about to destroy the people of that township, for its people are wrong-doers. 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 Lot, he was troubled upon their account, for he could not protect them; but they said: Fear not, nor grieve! Lo! we are to deliver thee and thy household, (all) save thy wife, who is of those who stay behind. 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 We sent to the people of Midian their brother Shu`ayb. He told them, "Worship God. Have hope in the life to come. Do not spread evil in the land". 36 They rejected him so We jolted them with a violent earthquake and they were left motionless in their houses. 37 And 'Ad and Thamud (people)! And indeed (their destruction) is clearly apparent to you from their (ruined) dwellings. Shaitan (Satan) made their deeds fair-seeming to them, and turned them away from the (Right) Path, though they were intelligent. 38 Korah, Pharaoh, and Haman: Moses came to them with clear signs but they were arrogant in the land. They could not escape Us. 39 So We punished each (of them) for his sins, of them were some on whom We sent Hasiban (a violent wind with shower of stones) [as the people of Lout (Lot)], and of them were some who were overtaken by As-Saihah [torment - awful cry, etc. (as Thamud or Shu'aib's people)], and of them were some whom We caused the earth to swallow [as Qarun (Korah)], and of them were some whom We drowned [as the people of Nuh (Noah), or Fir'aun (Pharaoh) and his people]. It was not Allah Who wronged them, but they wronged themselves. 40 The parable of those who take protectors other than Allah is that of the spider, who builds (to itself) a house; but truly the flimsiest of houses is the spider's house;- if they but knew. 41 Indeed, Allah knows whatever thing they call upon other than Him. And He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise. 42 These are the parables that We set forth to make people understand. But only those endowed with knowledge will comprehend them. 43 God has created the heavens and the earth for a genuine purpose. In this there is evidence (of the truth) for the believers. 44