And We had certainly sent to Thamud their brother Salih, [saying], "Worship Allah," and at once they were two parties conflicting. 45 Said [Salih to the erring ones]: Why do you seek to hasten the coming upon you of evil instead of hoping for the good?" Why do you not, rather, ask God to forgive you your sins, so that you might be graced with His mercy?" 46 They said: "You betoken evil, and those with you." (Saleh) replied: "The evil you presage can only come from God. In reality you are a people under trial (for your own inauspiciousness)." 47 And there were nine persons in the city who used to cause turmoil in the land and did not wish reform. 48 They said: "Swear to one another in the name of Allah that we shall make a sudden night swoop on Salih and his family and will then tell their heirs that we did not witness the destruction of his family. We are indeed truthful." 49 And they devised a scheme and, without their knowledge, We devised a scheme. 50 Behold, then, what all their scheming came to in the end: We utterly destroyed them and their people, all of them; 51 Because of their wrongdoing, their houses are in ruins, in that surely there is a sign for people who have knowledge, 52 And we saved those who believed and used to ward off (evil). 53 (Remember) Lot, when he said to his people: "Why do you indulge in obscenities when you know (it is evil)? 54 “What! You lustfully go towards men, leaving the women?! In fact, you are an ignorant people.” 55 ۞ The only answer of his people was, "Drive out Lot and his family from the city. They are a people who make themselves out to be pure." 56 So We delivered him and his family, except his wife; We decreed she should be of those that tarried. 57 We sent to them a terrible rainstorm. How horrible was the rain for the people who had already received warning. 58