To Thamood We sent their brother Salih saying: 'Worship Allah' But they were two parties in dispute with one another. 45 He urged them, "O my people, why do you wish to hasten on the evil rather than the good? Why do you not ask forgiveness of God, so that you may be shown mercy?" 46 They said, “We consider you an evil omen, and your companions”; he said, “Your evil omen is with Allah – in fact you people have fallen into 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 And they devised a scheme and, without their knowledge, We devised a scheme. 50 So see what was the outcome of the plan they made: We utterly destroyed them and their people, all of them. 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 (We sent) Lut, when he said to his people: What! do you commit indecency while you see? 54 Do you indeed approach men with desire instead of women? Rather, you are a people behaving ignorantly." 55 ۞ Therefore the answer of his people was nothing except that they said, “Expel the family of Lut from your township; these people wish purity!” 56 Thereupon We saved him and his household - all but his wife, whom We willed to be among those that stayed behind 57 And We rained down on them a rain (of stones). So evil was the rain of those who were warned. 58