And assuredly We sent unto the Thamud their brother Saleh saying: worship Allah. Then lo! they became two parties contending. 45 He said: O my people! wherefore seek ye to hasten the evil before the good? Wherefore ask ye not forgiveness of Allah, that haply ye may be shewn mercy. 46 They said: "You betoken evil, and those with you." (Saleh) replied: "The evil you presage can only come from God. In reality you are a people under trial (for your own inauspiciousness)." 47 In the city there were nine people who were corrupting the land and did not reform. 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 We planned without their knowledge. Consider the result of their plot. 50 Behold, then, what all their scheming came to in the end: We utterly destroyed them and their people, all of them; 51 So yonder are their houses overturned, for they did wrong. Verily, herein is a sign unto a people who know. 52 And We delivered those who believed and were wont to fear. 53 AND [thus, too, did We save] Lot, when he said unto his people: "Would you commit this abomination with your eyes open (to its being against all nature)? 54 Must you go lustfully to men instead of women? Indeed, you are a people who are deeply ignorant." 55 ۞ But his people's only answer was this: "Expel [Lot and] Lot's followers from your township! Verily, they are folk who make themselves out to be pure!" 56 Then We delivered him and his household save his wife: We destined her to be of the lingerers. 57 And We rained down on them a rain (of stones). So evil was the rain of those who were warned. 58