AND HAS the story of Abraham's honoured guests ever come within thy ken? 24 When they came in to him, and said, "Salam, (peace be upon you)!" He answered; "Salam, (peace be upon you)," and said: "You are a people unknown to me," 25 Then he went to his family and came with a fat [roasted] calf 26 So he brought it near them. He said: What! will you not eat? 27 So he conceived in his mind a fear on account of them. They said: Fear not. And they gave him the good news of a boy possessing knowledge. 28 Thereupon his wife approached [the guests] with a loud cry, and struck her face [in astonishment] and exclaimed: "A barren old woman [like me]!" 29 They said: "Even so says your Lord. Verily, He is the All-Wise, the All-Knower." 30 ۞ Abraham asked, "Messengers, what is your task?" 31 They said, “We have been sent towards a guilty nation.” 32 so that we bring down stones of clay upon them 33 marked out in thy Sustainer's sight for [the punishment of] such as have wasted their own selves." 34 And in the course of time We brought out [of Lot 's city] such [few] believers as were there: 35 but We found not therein except one house of those that have surrendered themselves. 36 And We have left there a sign (i.e. the place of the Dead Sea, well-known in Palestine) for those who fear the painful torment. 37 And in Musa: When We sent him to Firon with clear authority. 38 But Pharaoh turned away, showing arrogance on account of his power, and said (about Moses): “He is either a sorcerer or a madman.” 39 So We seized him and his hosts and flung them in the sea, for he was reprobate. 40 And in Ad: When We sent upon them the destructive wind. 41 that left nothing it came upon, except that it was ashes. 42 And in Thamud (there is also a sign), when they were told: "Enjoy yourselves for a while!" 43 But they brazenly disobeyed their Lord's command, and then a sudden chastisement overtook them while they looked on. 44 Then they were unable to rise up, nor could they help themselves. 45 [We destroyed] the people of Noah before them. They were certainly a sinful people. 46