To Thamud We sent their brother Salih. He said, "Serve none but God." But they divided themselves into two factions contending with one another. 45 He said: O my people! why do you seek to hasten on the evil before the good? Why do you not ask forgiveness of Allah so that you may be dealt with mercifully? 46 They said: "We augur ill of you and those who are with you." Salih replied: "Your augury is with Allah. The truth is that you are a people who are being tried." 47 In the city there were nine people who were corrupting the land and did not reform. 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 Behold, then, what all their scheming came to in the end: We utterly destroyed them and their people, all of them; 51 These are their houses in utter ruin, for they did wrong. Verily, in this is indeed an Ayah (a lesson or a sign) for people who know. 52 And we saved those who believed and used to ward off (evil). 53 AND [thus, too, did We save] Lot, when he said unto his people: "Would you commit this abomination with your eyes open (to its being against all nature)? 54 What! do you indeed approach men lustfully rather than women? Nay, you are a people who act ignorantly. 55 ۞ His people had no answer except saying: "Expel the family of Lot from your city. They are a people who would (rather) be pure!" 56 We therefore rescued him and his family, except his wife; We had decreed that she is of those who will remain behind. 57 the while We rained a rain [of destruction] upon the others: and dire is such rain upon all who let themselves be warned [to no avail] 58