And so, when Our [heavenly] messengers came to Abraham with the glad tiding [of the birth of Isaac,] they [also] said, "Behold, we are about to destroy the people of that land, for its people are truly evildoers!" 31 He said: Surely in it is Lut. They said: We know well who is in it; we shall certainly deliver him and his followers, except his wife; she shall be of those who remain behind. 32 When that Our messengers came to Lot he was troubled on their account and distressed for them; but they said, 'Fear not, neither sorrow, for surely we shall deliver thee and thy family, except thy wife; she has become of those that tarry. 33 “We will indeed cause a punishment from the sky to descend upon the inhabitants of this town – the recompense of their disobedience.” 34 And We have left thereof an evident Sign, for any people who (care to) understand. 35 And We sent to Midian their brother Shuayb. He said: “My people, serve Allah and look forward to the Last Day and do not go about the earth committing mischief.” 36 Then they belied him; wherefore an earthquake laid hold of them, and they lay in their dwellings, crouching. 37 And We destroyed the A’ad and the Thamud, and you already know their dwellings; Satan made their deeds appear good to them and prevented them from the path, whereas they could perceive. 38 And [thus, too, did We deal with] Qarun and Pharaoh, and Haman: to them had come Moses with all evidence of the truth, but they behaved arrogantly on earth [and rejected him]; and withal, they could not escape [Us]. 39 So We took each one in his sin; of them was he on whom We sent a hurricane, and of them was he who was overtaken by the (Awful) Cry, and of them was he whom We caused the earth to swallow, and of them was he whom We drowned. It was not for Allah to wrong them, but they wronged themselves. 40 The likeness of those who take Auliya' (protectors and helpers) other than Allah is as the likeness of a spider, who builds (for itself) a house, but verily, the frailest (weakest) of houses is the spider's house; if they but knew. 41 Verily Allah knoweth whatsoever thing they invoke beside Him. And He is the Mighty, the Wise. 42 These are parables which We tell to human being, but only the learned ones understand them. 43 God has created the heavens and the earth for a genuine purpose. In this there is evidence (of the truth) for the believers. 44