And We sent to Thamood their brother Salih: 'Serve you God!' And behold, they were two parties, that were disputing one with another. 45 He said, 'O my people, why do you seek to hasten evil before good? Why do you not ask forgiveness of God? Haply so you will find mercy.' 46 They said: "Ill omen do we augur from thee and those that are with thee". He said: "Your ill omen is with Allah; yea, ye are a people under trial." 47 Now there were nine ring-leaders in the city who created corruption in the land and never worked to set things right. 48 They said, "Let us swear by God to do away with him and his family during the night then tell his guardian that we did not see how he and his family had been destroyed, and we shall be telling the truth." 49 And they devised a scheme and, without their knowledge, We devised a scheme. 50 So see what was the outcome of the plan they made: We utterly destroyed them and their people, all of them. 51 Now such were their houses, - in utter ruin, - because they practised wrong-doing. Verily in this is a Sign for people of knowledge. 52 And We saved those who believed and were cautious. 53 And Lot! when he said unto his folk: Will ye commit abomination knowingly? 54 Do you indeed approach men with desire instead of women? Rather, you are a people behaving ignorantly." 55 ۞ But the answer of his folk was naught save that they said: Expel the household of Lot from your township, for they (forsooth) are folk who would keep clean! 56 So We delivered him and his family, except his wife: We ordained her to be one of those who stayed behind, 57 the while We rained a rain [of destruction] upon the others: and dire is such rain upon all who let themselves be warned [to no avail] 58