And when Our messengers came to Abraham with the good tidings, they said, 'We shall destroy the people of this city, for its people are evildoers.' 31 Abraham said, "But, Lot lives here." They answered, "We well know who lives here. We shall surely save him and his whole family, except his wife, who will be among those who stay behind." 32 And when Our Messengers came to Lut, he was grieved on their account, and felt himself powerless (to protect) them: but they said: "Fear thou not, nor grieve: we are (here) to save thee and thy following, except thy wife: she is of those who lag behind. 33 Indeed, we will bring down on the people of this city punishment from the sky because they have been defiantly disobedient." 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 AND UNTO [the people of] Madyan [We sent] their brother Shu'ayb who thereupon said: "O my people! Worship God [alone,] and look forward to the Last Day, and do not act wickedly on earth by spreading corruption!" 36 But they belied him, so the earthquake seized them, and when morning came, they were found fallen crouched in their dwellings, dead. 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 (We destroyed) Qaroon, Firaun and Haman; and indeed Moosa came to them with clear signs, so they were arrogant in the land, and they could never escape from Our control. 39 Each of them We seized for his sin. On some We loosed a squall of pebbles, and others were seized by the Cry. Some We caused to be swallowed up by the earth, and some We drowned. Allah would never wrong them but they wronged themselves. 40 The likeness of those who choose other patrons than Allah is as the likeness of the spider when she taketh unto herself a house, and lo! the frailest of all houses is the spider's house, if they but knew. 41 Allah knows what they worship instead of Him; He is the Almighty, the Wise. 42 These are the parables that We set forth to make people understand. But only those endowed with knowledge will comprehend them. 43 (Allah says to His Prophet Muhammad SAW): "Allah (Alone) created the heavens and the earth with truth (and none shared Him in their creation)." Verily! Therein is surely a sign for those who believe. 44