And when Our messengers came to Abraham with the good tidings, they said, "Indeed, we will destroy the people of that Lot's city. Indeed, its people have been wrongdoers." 31 He said: Lo! Lot is there. They said: We are best aware of who is there. We are to deliver him and his household, all save his wife, who is of those who stay behind. 32 And when Our Messengers came to Lut, he was grieved on their account, and felt himself powerless (to protect) them: but they said: "Fear thou not, nor grieve: we are (here) to save thee and thy following, except thy wife: she is of those who lag behind. 33 "For we are going to bring down on the people of this township a Punishment from heaven, because they have been wickedly rebellious." 34 Verily We have left a clear sign of this for people of sense to see. 35 And to Midian their brother Shu'aib. He said: 'Worship Allah, my nation. Look to the Last Day. Do not make mischief in the land, doing corrupt works. 36 But they rejected him, so a severe earthquake overtook them, and they became motionless bodies in their abode. 37 (Remember also) the 'Ad and the Thamud (people): clearly will appear to you from (the traces) of their buildings (their fate): the Evil One made their deeds alluring to them, and kept them back from the Path, though they were gifted with intelligence and skill. 38 And [We destroyed] Qarun and Pharaoh and Haman. And Moses had already come to them with clear evidences, and they were arrogant in the land, but they were not outrunners [of Our punishment]. 39 So each We punished for his sin; of them was he on whom We sent down a violent storm, and of them was he whom the rumbling overtook, and of them was he whom We made to be swallowed up by the earth, and of them was he whom We drowned; and it did not beseem Allah that He should be unjust to them, but they were unjust to their own souls. 40 The likeness of those who take Auliya' (protectors and helpers) other than Allah is as the likeness of a spider, who builds (for itself) a house, but verily, the frailest (weakest) of houses is the spider's house; if they but knew. 41 Verily, Allah knows what things they invoke instead of Him. He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise. 42 These are parables which We tell to human being, but only the learned ones understand them. 43 Allah created the heavens and the earth in truth. Indeed in that is a sign for the believers. 44