To Thamood We sent their brother Salih saying: 'Worship Allah' But they were two parties in dispute with one another. 45 Said [Salih to the erring ones]: Why do you seek to hasten the coming upon you of evil instead of hoping for the good?" Why do you not, rather, ask God to forgive you your sins, so that you might be graced with His mercy?" 46 They said: 'We predict an evil omen from you and those who are with you' He replied: 'Your prediction is with Allah, you are a nation being tested' 47 Now in the city there were nine persons who did corruption in the land, and put not things right; 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 Then see how was the end of their plot! Verily! We destroyed them and their nation, all together. 51 Those are their houses, all fallen down because of the evil they committed; surely in that is a sign for a people who have knowledge. 52 And We delivered those who believed and were godfearing. 53 And (We sent) Lut, when he said to his people: What! do you commit indecency while you see? 54 Must you really approach men with lust instead of women? Nay, but you are people without any awareness (of right and wrong)!" 55 ۞ Yet the only answer of his nation was that they said: 'Expel the family of Lot from your village, they are people who purified themselves' 56 So We saved him and his family, except for his wife; We destined her to be of those who remained behind. 57 We sent to them a terrible rainstorm. How horrible was the rain for the people who had already received warning. 58