We sent to Thamud their brother Saleh: "Worship God." But they were divided into two groups disputing with one another. 45 He said: O my people! Why will ye hasten on the evil rather than the good? Why will ye not ask pardon of Allah, that ye may receive mercy. 46 They said: "We augur ill omen from you and those with you." He said: "Your ill omen is with Allah; nay, but you are a people that are being tested." 47 Now in the city there were nine persons who did corruption in the land, and put not things right; 48 They said: Swear one to another by Allah that we verily will attack him and his household by night, and afterward we will surely say unto his friend: We witnessed not the destruction of his household. And lo! we are truthtellers. 49 So they devised a scheme, and We made our secret plan, and they remained neglectful. 50 See, then, what the consequences of their plan were. We destroyed them and their people utterly, all together. 51 and [now] those dwellings of theirs are empty, [ruined] as an outcome of their evil deeds. In this, behold, there is a message indeed for people of [innate] knowledge 52 And We delivered those who believed and were wont to fear. 53 Remember Lot, when he said to his people: "Why do you indulge in obscenities when you know it is evil? 54 "Do you approach men in your lusts rather than women? Nay, but you are a people who behave senselessly." 55 ۞ But the answer of his people was no other except that they said: Turn out Lut's followers from your town; surely they are a people who would keep pure! 56 So We saved him and his family, except for his wife; We destined her to be of those who remained behind. 57 And We rained down on them a rain (of stones). So evil was the rain of those who were warned. 58