And We sent to Thamood their brother Salih: 'Serve you God!' And behold, they were two parties, that were disputing one with another. 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: We augur evil of thee and those with thee. He said: Your evil augury is with Allah. Nay, but ye are folk that are being tested. 47 There were in that city nine persons who spread disorder in the land, and did not reform. 48 They said, "Take a mutual oath by Allah that we will kill him by night, he and his family. Then we will say to his executor, 'We did not witness the destruction of his family, and indeed, we are truthful.' " 49 And they devised a scheme and, without their knowledge, We devised a scheme. 50 We destroyed them and their people altogether. 51 and [now] those dwellings of theirs are empty, [ruined] as an outcome of their evil deeds. In this, behold, there is a message indeed for people of [innate] knowledge 52 And We delivered those who believed and were wont to fear. 53 We also sent Lot, and recall when he told his people: "Do you commit shameless acts with your eyes open? 54 Do you lustfully approach men instead of women? Nay, you engage in acts of sheer ignorance." 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 So We saved him and his family, except his wife. We destined her to be of those who remained behind. 57 and We pelted them with torrential rain. How dreadful that rain was for those who had been warned! 58