And We sent to Thamood their brother Salih: 'Serve you God!' And behold, they were two parties, that were disputing one with another. 45 He said: "O my people! why ask ye to hasten on the evil in preference to the good? If only ye ask Allah for forgiveness, ye may hope to receive mercy. 46 They said: We augur evil of thee and those with thee. He said: Your evil augury is with Allah. Nay, but ye are folk that are being tested. 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 bind ourselves by an oath sworn in the name of God that we shall attack Salih and his family by night, and to his protector [who demands retribution], we shall say, "We were not present when they were slain. We are telling the truth." 49 They hatched up the plot; We also planned without their knowledge. 50 Then see the nature of the consequence of their plotting, for lo! We destroyed them and their people, every one. 51 So these their habitations lie deserted now because of their iniquities. Verily there is a sign in this for those who understand. 52 We saved the faithful God-fearing believers. 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 ۞ And the only answer of his people was that they said, 'Expel the folk of Lot from your city; they are men that keep themselves clean!' 56 We therefore rescued him and his family, except his wife; We had decreed that she is of those who will remain behind. 57 And We rained a rain upon them. Dreadful is the rain of those who have been warned. 58