And assuredly We sent unto the Thamud their brother Saleh saying: worship Allah. Then lo! they became two parties contending. 45 He said: O my people! Why will ye hasten on the evil rather than the good? Why will ye not ask pardon of Allah, that ye may receive mercy. 46 They said, 'We augur ill of thee and of those that are with thee.' He said, 'Your augury is with God; nay, but you are a people being proved.' 47 And there were in the city nine family heads causing corruption in the land and not amending [its affairs]. 48 They said: swear by God one to another that we shall surely fall upon him and his household by night and thereafter we shall surely say unto his heir; we witnessed not the destruction of his household, and verily we are truthtellers. 49 They hatched up the plot; We also planned without their knowledge. 50 So behold thou how was the end of their plotting: verily We annihilated them and their nation all together. 51 Those are their houses, all fallen down because of the evil they committed; surely in that is a sign for a people who have knowledge. 52 And We delivered those who believed and were wont to fear. 53 (We also sent) Lut (as a messenger): behold, He said to his people, "Do ye do what is shameful though ye see (its iniquity)? 54 What, do you approach men lustfully instead of women? No, you are a people that are ignorant.' 55 ۞ But the answer of his people was not except that they said, "Expel the family of Lot from your city. Indeed, they are people who keep themselves pure." 56 We saved (Lot) and his family except his wife who was destined to remain behind. 57 And We rained down on them a shower (of stones). How ruinous was the rain that fell on those who had been warned (but warned in vain)! 58