AND, INDEED, there came unto Abraham Our [heavenly] messengers, bearing a glad tiding. They bade him peace; [and] he answered, "[And upon you be] peace!" - and made haste to place before them a roasted calf. 69 And when he saw their hands not reaching towards it, he thought they were pretending and inwardly started fearing them; they said, “Do not be afraid – we are sent to the people of Lut.” 70 And his wife was standing by and she started laughing*, so We gave her glad tidings regarding Ishaq, and following Ishaq, regarding Yaqub.** (* She was glad that the disbelieving people of Lut would be destroyed.** The birth of these two.) 71 She said: O wonder! shall I bear a son when I am an extremely old woman and this my husband an extremely old man? Most surely this is a wonderful thing. 72 They said, 'What, dost thou marvel at God's command? The mercy of God and His blessings be upon you, O people of the House! Surely He is All-laudable, All-glorious.' 73 When Abraham's fear was dispelled, and the good news had come to him, he pleaded for the people of Lot with Us. 74 Surely Abraham was forbearing, tenderhearted and oft-turning to Allah. 75 Thereupon (Our angels) said to him: 'O Abraham! Desist from this, for indeed your Lord's command has come; and a chastisement which cannot be averted is about to befall them.' words literally suggest; the purpose is merely to express a sense of wonder. 76 And when Our messengers, [the angels], came to Lot, he was anguished for them and felt for them great discomfort and said, "This is a trying day." 77 And his people came rushing towards him, and since aforetime they used to commit crimes (sodomy, etc.), he said: "O my people! Here are my daughters (i.e. the daughters of my nation), they are purer for you (if you marry them lawfully). So fear Allah and degrade me not as regards my guests! Is there not among you a single right-minded man?" 78 They said, "You have already known that we have not concerning your daughters any claim, and indeed, you know what we want." 79 He said, "Would that I had the power (to overcome you) or could seek strong protection." 80 They said: O Lut! we are the apostles of your Lord; they shall by no means reach you; so remove your followers in a part of the night-- and let none of you turn back-- except your wife, for surely whatsoever befalls them shall befall her; surely their appointed time is the morning; is not the morning nigh? 81 And so, when Our judgment came to pass, We turned those [sinful towns] upside down, and rained down upon them stone-hard blows of chastisement pre-ordained, one upon another, 82 Marked as from thy Lord: Nor are they ever far from those who do wrong! 83