To Thamud We sent their brother Salih. He said, "Serve none but God." But they divided themselves into two factions contending with one another. 45 He said: O my people! why do you seek to hasten on the evil before the good? Why do you not ask forgiveness of Allah so that you may be dealt with mercifully? 46 They said: "You betoken evil, and those with you." (Saleh) replied: "The evil you presage can only come from God. In reality you are a people under trial (for your own inauspiciousness)." 47 And there were in the city nine persons who made mischief in the land and reformed not. 48 They said: Swear to each other by Allah that we will certainly make a sudden attack on him and his family by night, then we will say to his heir: We did not witness the destruction of his family, and we are most surely truthful. 49 Thus they planned and We too planned, the while they did not know. 50 Behold, then, what all their scheming came to in the end: We utterly destroyed them and their people, all of them; 51 So these their habitations lie deserted now because of their iniquities. Verily there is a sign in this for those who understand. 52 And We delivered those who believed and who guarded (against evil). 53 And Lot! when he said unto his folk: Will ye commit abomination knowingly? 54 Must ye needs lust after men instead of women? Nay, but ye are folk who act senselessly. 55 ۞ Yet the only answer of his nation was that they said: 'Expel the family of Lot from your village, they are people who purified themselves' 56 We therefore rescued him and his family, except his wife; We had decreed that she is of those who will remain behind. 57 the while We rained a rain [of destruction] upon the others: and dire is such rain upon all who let themselves be warned [to no avail] 58