And when Our Messengers brought Abraham the glad tidings they said: 'We are destroying the people of this village, because its people are harmdoers' 31 He said: 'Lot is in it' They replied: 'We know who are in it, we shall save him and his family, except his wife, she has become of those that shall remain behind' 32 And when Our messengers came unto Lot, he was sorely grieved on their account, seeing that it was beyond his power to shield them; but they said: "Fear not, and grieve not! Behold, we shall save thee and thy household - all but thy wife: she will indeed be among those that stay behind. 33 Indeed, we will bring down on the people of this city punishment from the sky because they have been defiantly disobedient." 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 towards Madyan, their fellowman Shuaib – he therefore said, “O my people! Worship Allah, and anticipate the Last Day, and do not roam the earth spreading turmoil.” 36 They rejected him so We jolted them with a violent earthquake and they were left motionless in their houses. 37 And We destroyed the A’ad and the Thamud, and you already know their dwellings; Satan made their deeds appear good to them and prevented them from the path, whereas they could perceive. 38 (Remember) Qarun, Pharaoh and Haman to whom Moses came with clear signs; but they were haughty (and oppressed) the land. Yet they could not run away from Us; 39 And We seized all of them for their crimes. Against some We sent a violent wind hurling stones, and some We seized with a mighty blast, and some We submerged under the earth, and some We drowned. It was not for God to wrong them, they wronged themselves. 40 The parable of those who take guardians besides Allah is as the parable of the spider that makes for itself a house; and most surely the frailest of the houses is the spider's house did they but know. 41 Verily Allah knoweth whatsoever thing they invoke beside Him. And He is the Mighty, the Wise. 42 And (as for) these examples, We set them forth for men, and none understand them but the learned. 43 God has created the heavens and the earth for a purpose; surely in this there is a sign for true believers. 44