And assuredly We vouchsafed unto Musa the Book and We placed with him his brother Harun as a minister. 35 We therefore said, “Go, both of you, to the people who have denied Our signs”; then ruining the people, We destroyed them completely. 36 And Noah's folk, when they denied the messengers, We drowned them and made of them a portent for mankind. We have prepared a painful doom for evil-doers. 37 To each of the tribes of Ad, Thamud, the settlers around the well and many generations in between 38 for each We struck similitudes, and each We ruined utterly. 39 They have surely passed by the village which was rained upon by evil rain (of stones); what, have they never seen it? No, they look for no resurrection. 40 When they see thee, they treat thee no otherwise than in mockery: "Is this the one whom Allah has sent as a messenger?" 41 He had well-nigh led us astray from our gods had we not adhered to them patiently! And they will know, when they see the punishment, who is straying farther off from the path. 42 Hast thou ever considered [the kind of man] who makes his own desires his deity? Couldst thou, then, [O Prophet,] be held responsible for him? 43 Or do you think that most of them hear or understand? They are no better than cattle; in fact they are farther astray from the path. 44