AND HAS the story of Abraham's honoured guests ever come within thy ken? 24 When they entered upon him, they said: Peace. Peace, said he, a strange people. 25 Then he turned away privately unto his household, and brought a calf fatted. 26 He then presented it before them and said, “Do you not eat?” 27 So he conceived in his mind a fear on account of them. They said: Fear not. And they gave him the good news of a boy possessing knowledge. 28 Then his wife came forward, making moan, and smote her face, and cried: A barren old woman! 29 They said: even so saith thine Lord. Verily He! He is the Wise, the Knower. 30 ۞ Abraham asked, "What is your errand, O messengers?" 31 They said: "We have been sent to a wicked people 32 to let loose upon them stone-hard blows of chastisement, 33 “That are kept marked, with your Lord, for the transgressors.” 34 So We brought out whoever was in the cities of the believers. 35 We therefore found just one house over there that was Muslim. 36 And We left behind therein a portent for those who fear a painful doom. 37 In Moses, too, (there were signs). We sent him to Pharaoh with clear authority, 38 But he turned to his counsellors, and said: "He is a magician or lunatic." 39 So We seized him and his armies, and threw them into the sea, for he was worthy of blame. 40 There is another sign in the [tribe of] 'Ad, when We sent against them a life-destroying wind 41 It spared naught that it reached, but made it (all) as dust. 42 And in (the tribe of) Thamud (there is a portent) when it was told them: Take your ease awhile. 43 But they rebelled against the command of their Lord. So the thunderbolt overtook them while they looked on: 44 So they were not able to stand, nor could they help themselves. 45 And before them, We destroyed the people of Nooh; they were indeed a sinning nation. 46