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 [And when Abraham] exclaimed, "But Lot lives there!" - they answered: We know fully well who is there; most certainly we shall save him and his household - all but his wife: she will indeed be among those that stay behind." 32 And when Our messengers came unto Lot, he was sorely grieved on their account, seeing that it was beyond his power to shield them; but they said: "Fear not, and grieve not! Behold, we shall save thee and thy household - all but thy wife: she will indeed be among those that stay behind. 33 Verily we are about to bring down upon the inhabitants of this city a scourge from the heaven, for they have been transgressing. 34 Verily We have left a clear sign of this for people of sense to see. 35 And to Midian their brother Shu'aib. He said: 'Worship Allah, my nation. Look to the Last Day. Do not make mischief in the land, doing corrupt works. 36 But they denied him and were seized by an earthquake, and lay overturned in their homes in the morning. 37 AND [the tribes of] Ad and Thamud [too, did We destroy] as should have become obvious to you from [whatever there remains of] their dwellings. [They perished] because Satan had made their [sinful] doings seem goodly to them, and thus had barred them from the path [of God] despite their having been endowed with the ability to perceive the truth. 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 Each We seized for his sin; and of them against some We loosed a squall of pebbles and some were seized by the Cry, and some We made the earth to swallow, and some We drowned; God would never wrong them, but they wronged themselves. 40 The example of those who take allies other than Allah is like that of the spider who takes a home. And indeed, the weakest of homes is the home of the spider, if they only knew. 41 Verily Allah doth know of (every thing) whatever that they call upon besides Him: and He is Exalted (in power), Wise. 42 And these similtudes! We propound them for mankind; and none understand them save men of knowledge. 43 Allah has created the heavens and the earth in Truth. Certainly there is a Sign in this for those who believe. 44