And when Our messengers came to Abraham with the good tidings, they said, 'We shall destroy the people of this city, for its people are evildoers.' 31 He said: "But there is Lut there." They said: "Well do we know who is there: we will certainly save him and his following,- except his wife: she is of those who lag behind!" 32 And when Our Messengers came to Lout (Lot), he was grieved because of them, and felt straitened on their account. They said: "Have no fear, and do not grieve! Truly, we shall save you and your family, except your wife, she will be of those who remain behind (i.e. she will be destroyed along with those who will be destroyed from her folk). 33 We are surely going to bring down a punishment from heaven on the people of this town because of their depravities." 34 And indeed, We have left thereof a sign, a clear sign? unto a people who understand. 35 And We sent to Midian their brother Shuayb. He said: “My people, serve Allah and look forward to the Last Day and do not go about the earth committing mischief.” 36 But they denied him, so the earthquake seized them, and they became within their home [corpses] fallen prone. 37 AND [the tribes of] Ad and Thamud [too, did We destroy] as should have become obvious to you from [whatever there remains of] their dwellings. [They perished] because Satan had made their [sinful] doings seem goodly to them, and thus had barred them from the path [of God] despite their having been endowed with the ability to perceive the truth. 38 And Korah, Pharaoh and Haman! Moses came unto them with clear proofs (of Allah's Sovereignty), but they were boastful in the land. And they were not winners (in the race). 39 So We took each one in his sin; of them was he on whom We sent a hurricane, and of them was he who was overtaken by the (Awful) Cry, and of them was he whom We caused the earth to swallow, and of them was he whom We drowned. It was not for Allah to wrong them, but they wronged themselves. 40 The semblance of those who take protectors besides God is that of the spider. She arranges a house for herself, but the flimsiest of houses is the spider's. If only they had sense! 41 Lo! Allah knoweth what thing they invoke instead of Him. He is the Mighty, the Wise. 42 Such are the comparisons We make for people, but only those understand them who have knowledge. 43 God has created the heavens and the earth for a genuine purpose. In this there is evidence (of the truth) for the believers. 44