And when Our messengers came to Abraham with the good tidings, they said, 'We shall destroy the people of this city, for its people are evildoers.' 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 Lut, he was grieved on their account, and felt himself powerless (to protect) them: but they said: "Fear thou not, nor grieve: we are (here) to save thee and thy following, except thy wife: she is of those who lag 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 indeed We have left thereof an evident Ayah (a lesson and a warning and a sign the place where the Dead Sea is now in Palestine) for a folk who understand. 35 And We sent to Midian their brother Shuayb. He said: “My people, serve Allah and look forward to the Last Day and do not go about the earth committing mischief.” 36 Then they belied him; wherefore an earthquake laid hold of them, and they lay in their dwellings, crouching. 37 And We destroyed Ad and Thamud, whose dwellings you have observed. Satan had embellished their deeds for them and had turned them away from the Right Path although they were a people of clear 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 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 belief of considering other things as one's guardians besides God is as feeble as a spider's web. The spider's web is the frailest of all dwellings, if only they knew it. 41 Verily Allah knoweth whatsoever thing they invoke beside Him. And He is the Mighty, the Wise. 42 And these similitudes We put forward for mankind, but none will understand them except those who have knowledge (of Allah and His Signs, etc.). 43 God has created the heavens and the earth with reason. Surely in this is a sign for those who believe. 44