We sent to Thamud their brother Saleh (who said): "Worship God." But they were divided into two groups disputing with one another. 45 He said, 'O my people, why do you seek to hasten evil before good? Why do you not ask forgiveness of God? Haply so you will find mercy.' 46 They said, "We have an ill omen about you and your followers." Salih replied, God has made your ill fortune await you. You are a people on trial." 47 And there were in the city nine persons who made mischief in the land and reformed not. 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 plotted a plot: and We plotted a plot, while they perceived not. 50 Behold, then, what all their scheming came to in the end: We utterly destroyed them and their people, all of them; 51 See, yonder are their dwellings empty and in ruins because they did wrong. Lo! herein is indeed a portent for a people who have knowledge. 52 seeing that We saved those who had attained to faith and were conscious of Us, 53 And (remember) Lut when he said to his people, “What! You stoop to the shameful whereas you can see?” 54 Do you indeed approach men with desire instead of women? Rather, you are a people behaving ignorantly." 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 Eventually We saved (Lot) and his family, except his wife. We had decreed that she should be among those who would remain behind. 57 And We rained down on them a shower (of brimstone): and evil was the shower on those who were admonished (but heeded not)! 58