And We verily sent unto Thamud their brother Salih, saying: Worship Allah. And lo! they (then became two parties quarrelling. 45 Said [Salih to the erring ones]: Why do you seek to hasten the coming upon you of evil instead of hoping for the good?" Why do you not, rather, ask God to forgive you your sins, so that you might be graced with His mercy?" 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 There were in that city nine persons who spread disorder in the land, and did not reform. 48 [and] after having bound one another by an oath in God's name, they said: "Indeed, we shall suddenly fall upon him and his household by night [and slay them all]; and then we shall boldly say to his next of kin, 'We did not witness the destruction of his household - and behold, we are indeed men of truth!'" 49 So they devised a scheme, and We made our secret plan, and they remained neglectful. 50 So behold thou how was the end of their plotting: verily We annihilated them and their nation all together. 51 These are their houses in utter ruin, for they did wrong. Verily, in this is indeed an Ayah (a lesson or a sign) for people who know. 52 And We saved those who believed and were cautious. 53 And [mention] Lot, when he said to his people, "Do you commit immorality while you are seeing? 54 Do you approach men lustfully instead of women! No, you are an ignorant nation' 55 ۞ But the answer of his people was no other except that they said: Turn out Lut's followers from your town; surely they are a people who would keep pure! 56 Thereupon We saved him and his household - all but his wife, whom We willed to be among those that stayed behind 57 And We rained on them a rain, and evil was the rain of those who had been warned. 58