And when Our messengers brought Abraham the good news, they said: Lo! we are about to destroy the people of that township, for its people are wrong-doers. 31 He said: "But there is Lut there." They said: "Well do we know who is there: we will certainly save him and his following,- except his wife: she is of those who lag behind!" 32 And when Our messengers came unto Lut, he was distressed on their account and felt straitened on their account. And they said: fear not, nor grieve: verily we are to deliver thee and thy household, save thy wife: she is to be of the lingerers. 33 "For we are going to bring down on the people of this township a Punishment from heaven, because they have been wickedly rebellious." 34 And indeed We have left thereof an evident Ayah (a lesson and a warning and a sign the place where the Dead Sea is now in Palestine) for a folk who understand. 35 To Midian We sent their brother Shu'aib. He said: "O people, worship God and be ready for the Day of Resurrection. Do no evil, and create no mischief in the land." 36 They rejected him so We jolted them with a violent earthquake and they were left motionless in their houses. 37 And (the tribes of) A'ad and Thamud! (Their fate) is manifest unto you from their (ruined and deserted) dwellings. Satan made their deeds seem fair unto them and so debarred them from the Way, though they were keen observers. 38 And Qarun and Fir'awn and Haman! And assuredly Musa came unto them with the evidences, yet they were stiff-necked in the land. And they could not outstrip Us. 39 So We seized each one for his sins; some We struck with a violent storm; some of them were overcome by a sudden blast, some were swallowed up by the earth and some We drowned. God did not wrong them: they wronged themselves. 40 The belief of considering other things as one's guardians besides God is as feeble as a spider's web. The spider's web is the frailest of all dwellings, if only they knew it. 41 Verily Allah doth know of (every thing) whatever that they call upon besides Him: and He is Exalted (in power), Wise. 42 And We illustrate these examples for mankind; and none except the knowledgeable understand them. 43 God has created the heavens and the earth for a purpose; surely in this there is a sign for true believers. 44