(Before this,) We sent Moses The Book, and appointed his brother Aaron with him as minister; 35 (Then) We said: 'Go to the nation who have belied Our signs' And We utterly destroyed them. 36 And the people of Noah,- when they rejected the messengers, We drowned them, and We made them as a Sign for mankind; and We have prepared for (all) wrong-doers a grievous Penalty;- 37 And [remember how We punished the tribes of] Ad and Thamud and the people of Ar-Rass, and many generations [of sinners] in-between: 38 And to every one We gave examples and every one did We destroy with utter destruction. 39 And certainly they have (often) passed by the town on which was rained an evil rain; did they not then see it? Nay! they did not hope to be raised again. 40 Hence, whenever they consider thee, [O Muhammad,] they but make thee a target of their mockery, [saying:] "Is this the one whom God has sent as an apostle? 41 Indeed, he would well-nigh have led us astray from our deities, had we not been [so] steadfastly attached to them!" But in time, when they see the suffering [that awaits them,] they will come to know who it was that went farthest astray from the path [of truth]! 42 How can you be the guardian of those who have chosen their own desires as their Lord? 43 Do you think most of them can hear or understand? They are like cattle. Indeed, they are even more astray. 44