AND HAS the story of Abraham's honoured guests ever come within thy ken? 24 When they entered unto him, saying 'Peace!' he said 'Peace! You are a people unknown to me.' 25 So he hurried to the house and brought a fatted calf, 26 and placed it before them, saying, "Will you not eat?" 27 Then he became afraid of them. They said: “Fear not,” and announced to him the good news of (the birth of) a boy endowed with 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: "Thus said your Lord. He is indeed all-wise and all-knowing." 30 ۞ 'Messengers' said he (Abraham), 'what is your errand' 31 They said, “We have been sent towards a guilty nation.” 32 To send down upon them stones of clay, 33 Marked, from before thy Lord, for the extravagant. 34 So We brought forth such believers as were in it, 35 for apart from one [single] house We did not find there any who had surrendered themselves to Us. 36 And We kept a sign remaining in it, for those who fear the painful punishment. 37 And also in Moses, when We sent him unto Pharaoh, with a clear authority, 38 But he withdrew (confiding) in his might, and said: A wizard or a madman. 39 We seized him and his hosts, and cast them all into the sea: and [none but Pharaoh] himself was to blame [for what happened]. 40 And in 'Aad [was a sign], when We sent against them the barren wind. 41 It spared nothing that it reached, but blew it into broken spreads of rotten ruins. 42 And in [the story of the tribe of] Thamud, too, when they were told, "You shall enjoy your life for [but] a little while," 43 In response they rebelled against their Lord’s command, so the thunderbolt seized them whilst they were watching. 44 They were unable even to stand up or protect themselves. 45 (So had We destroyed) the people of Noah before them: They were surely a sinful people. 46