And when Our messengers brought Abraham the good news, they said: Lo! we are about to destroy the people of that township, for its people are wrong-doers. 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 When Our emissaries came to Lot he was distressed and embarrassed on their account. They said: “Do not fear nor be distressed. We shall save you and all your household except your wife who is among those that will stay behind. 33 We are surely going to bring down a punishment from heaven on the people of this town because of their depravities." 34 And We have certainly left of it a sign as clear evidence for a people who use reason. 35 We sent to the people of Midian their brother Shu`ayb. He told them, "Worship God. Have hope in the life to come. Do not spread evil in the land". 36 But they cried lies to him; so the earthquake seized them, and morning found them in their habitation fallen prostrate. 37 And [We destroyed] 'Aad and Thamud, and it has become clear to you from their [ruined] dwellings. And Satan had made pleasing to them their deeds and averted them from the path, and they were endowed with perception. 38 And Korah, Pharaoh, and Haman Moses came to them with clear signs, but they became very insolent in the earth, yet they did not outstrip Us. 39 Each of them We seized for his sin. On some We loosed a squall of pebbles, and others were seized by the Cry. Some We caused to be swallowed up by the earth, and some We drowned. Allah would never wrong them but they wronged themselves. 40 The parable of those who take [beings or forces] other than God for their protectors is that of the spider which makes for itself a house: for, behold, the frailest of all houses is the spiders house. Could they but understand this! 41 God surely knows what they invoke besides Him. He is the Mighty, the Wise One. 42 As for these similitudes, We coin them for mankind, but none will grasp their meaning save the wise. 43 God has created the heavens and the earth for a genuine purpose. In this there is evidence (of the truth) for the believers. 44