We sent (aforetime), to the Thamud, their brother Salih, saying, "Serve Allah": But behold, they became two factions quarrelling with each other. 45 He said: "O my people! why ask ye to hasten on the evil in preference to the good? If only ye ask Allah for forgiveness, ye may hope to receive mercy. 46 They said: "We augur ill omen from you and those with you." He said: "Your ill omen is with Allah; nay, but you are a people that are being tested." 47 In the city there were nine people who were corrupting the land and did not reform. 48 They said, "Let us bind ourselves by an oath sworn in the name of God that we shall attack Salih and his family by night, and to his protector [who demands retribution], we shall say, "We were not present when they were slain. We are telling the truth." 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 Now such were their houses, - in utter ruin, - because they practised wrong-doing. Verily in this is a Sign for people of knowledge. 52 And We rescued those who accepted faith and used to fear. 53 And Lot! when he said unto his folk: Will ye commit abomination knowingly? 54 Must you really approach men with lust instead of women? Nay, but you are people without any awareness (of right and wrong)!" 55 ۞ But his people gave no other answer but this: they said, "Drive out the followers of Lut from your city: these are indeed men who want to be clean and pure!" 56 But We saved him and his family, except his wife; her We destined to be of those who lagged behind. 57 And We rained upon them a rain [of stones], and evil was the rain of those who were warned. 58