And assuredly We sent unto the Thamud their brother Saleh saying: worship Allah. Then lo! they became two parties contending. 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 And there were nine of a group in the city, who spread corruption in the land and rectified not. 48 They said: 'Let us swear by Allah to attack him and his family at night, then we will tell his guardian we were not witnesses of the destruction of his family; and surely we are truthful' 49 Thus they planned and We too planned, the while they did not know. 50 See, then, what the consequences of their plan were. We destroyed them and their people utterly, all together. 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 And We delivered those who believed and were wont to fear. 53 AND [thus, too, did We save] Lot, when he said unto his people: "Would you commit this abomination with your eyes open (to its being against all nature)? 54 Must you go lustfully to men instead of women? Indeed, you are a people who are deeply ignorant." 55 ۞ There was no other answer given by his people except that they said: "Drive out the family of Lout (Lot) from your city. Verily, these are men who want to be clean and pure!" 56 So We delivered him and his family, except his wife; We decreed she should be of those that tarried. 57 And We rained down on them a rain (of stones). So evil was the rain of those who were warned. 58