When Our messengers came to Abraham with good news, they said: "We have to destroy this city as its inhabitants have become sinful." 31 [And when Abraham] exclaimed, "But Lot lives there!" - they answered: We know fully well who is there; most certainly we shall save him and his household - all but his wife: she will indeed be among those that stay behind." 32 And when Our messengers came to Lot, he was distressed for them and felt for them great discomfort. They said, "Fear not, nor grieve. Indeed, we will save you and your family, except your wife; she is to be of those who remain behind. 33 "For we are going to bring down on the people of this township a Punishment from heaven, because they have been wickedly rebellious." 34 And We have left a vestige of it in that city as a Clear Sign for a people who use their reason. 35 And to Midian their brother Shu'aib. He said: 'Worship Allah, my nation. Look to the Last Day. Do not make mischief in the land, doing corrupt works. 36 Then they belied him; wherefore an earthquake laid hold of them, and they lay in their dwellings, crouching. 37 AND [the tribes of] Ad and Thamud [too, did We destroy] as should have become obvious to you from [whatever there remains of] their dwellings. [They perished] because Satan had made their [sinful] doings seem goodly to them, and thus had barred them from the path [of God] despite their having been endowed with the ability to perceive the truth. 38 And Qarun and Fir'awn and Haman! And assuredly Musa came unto them with the evidences, yet they were stiff-necked in the land. And they could not outstrip Us. 39 Each We seized for his sin; and of them against some We loosed a squall of pebbles and some were seized by the Cry, and some We made the earth to swallow, and some We drowned; God would never wrong them, but they wronged themselves. 40 The example of those who take allies other than Allah is like that of the spider who takes a home. And indeed, the weakest of homes is the home of the spider, if they only knew. 41 Verily Allah doth know of (every thing) whatever that they call upon besides Him: and He is Exalted (in power), Wise. 42 These are parables which We tell to human being, but only the learned ones understand them. 43 God has created the heavens and the earth with reason. Surely in this is a sign for those who believe. 44