AND HAS the story of Abraham's honoured guests ever come within thy ken? 24 When they came in to him, and said, "Salam, (peace be upon you)!" He answered; "Salam, (peace be upon you)," and said: "You are a people unknown to me," 25 Then he turned to his household, so brought out a roasted calf [as the property of Ibrahim (Abraham) was mainly cows]. 26 He placed it before them. Then he said, "Why are you not eating?" 27 [And when he saw that the guests would not eat,] he became apprehensive of them; [but] they said, "Fear not" - and gave him the glad tiding of [the birth of] a son who would be endowed with deep knowledge. 28 Then his wife came forward, crying and beating her brow. She said, "I am surely a barren, old woman." 29 They said: “So has your Lord said (that you shall have a boy). Surely He is Most Wise, All-Knowing.” 30 ۞ Abraham said: “Envoys (of Allah), what is your errand?” 31 They said, "We have been sent to a people (deep) in sin;- 32 to let loose upon them stone-hard blows of chastisement, 33 Marked in the presence of your Lord for the transgressors." 34 Thus We brought forth from therein who were believers. 35 We therefore found just one house over there that was Muslim. 36 We left a sign in this for those who fear the grievous punishment, 37 And in Moses (was another Sign): Behold, We sent him to Pharaoh, with authority manifest. 38 but he turned his back with his Assembly, saying: 'He is (either) a sorcerer or a mad man' 39 Then We laid hold of him and his hosts and flung them into the sea, and he was reproachable. 40 And in the tribe of A’ad, when we sent a dry windstorm upon them. 41 and it destroyed everything over which it passed and reduced it to dust. 42 There is also a Sign for you in (the story of) Thamud. They were told: “Enjoy yourselves for a while.” 43 But they brazenly disobeyed their Lord's command, and then a sudden chastisement overtook them while they looked on. 44 So they were not able to rise up, nor could they defend themselves- 45 And [thus, too, We destroyed] Noah's people aforetime: for they were iniquitous folk. 46