And We verily sent unto Thamud their brother Salih, saying: Worship Allah. And lo! they (then became two parties quarrelling. 45 He urged them, "O my people, why do you wish to hasten on the evil rather than the good? Why do you not ask forgiveness of God, so that you may be shown mercy?" 46 They said: We augur evil of thee and those with thee. He said: Your evil augury is with Allah. Nay, but ye are folk that are being tested. 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 bind ourselves by an oath sworn in the name of God that we shall attack Salih and his family by night, and to his protector [who demands retribution], we shall say, "We were not present when they were slain. We are telling the truth." 49 And they devised a scheme and, without their knowledge, We devised a scheme. 50 So behold thou how was the end of their plotting: verily We annihilated them and their nation all together. 51 These are their houses in utter ruin, for they did wrong. Verily, in this is indeed an Ayah (a lesson or a sign) for people who know. 52 And We saved those who believed, and used to fear Allah, and keep their duty to Him. 53 Lot asked his people, "Do you understandably commit indecency? 54 What! do you indeed approach men lustfully rather than women? Nay, you are a people who act ignorantly. 55 ۞ But his people gave no other answer but this: they said, "Drive out the followers of Lut from your city: these are indeed men who want to be clean and pure!" 56 So We saved him and his family, except for his wife; We destined her to be of those who remained behind. 57 And we rained on them a rain (of stones); indeed it is an evil rain that rains on those that are warned. 58