And when Our Messengers brought Abraham the glad tidings they said: 'We are destroying the people of this village, because its people are harmdoers' 31 He said: 'Lot is in it' They replied: 'We know who are in it, we shall save him and his family, except his wife, she has become of those that shall remain behind' 32 And when Our messengers came unto Lot, he was sorely grieved on their account, seeing that it was beyond his power to shield them; but they said: "Fear not, and grieve not! Behold, we shall save thee and thy household - all but thy wife: she will indeed be among those that stay behind. 33 We shall send down upon the people of this city wrath out of heaven for their ungodliness.' 34 And indeed We have left thereof an evident Ayah (a lesson and a warning and a sign the place where the Dead Sea is now in Palestine) for a folk who understand. 35 To the Madyan (people) (We sent) their brother Shu'aib. Then he said: "O my people! serve Allah, and fear the Last Day: nor commit evil on the earth, with intent to do mischief." 36 But they denounced him as a liar. So a mighty earthquake overtook them, and by the morning they lay overturned in their houses. 37 And We destroyed Ad and Thamud, whose dwellings you have observed. Satan had embellished their deeds for them and had turned them away from the Right Path although they were a people of clear perception. 38 And (We destroyed) Qaroon, Firaun and Haman; and indeed Moosa came to them with clear signs, so they were arrogant in the land, and they could never escape from Our control. 39 So We punished each (of them) for his sins, of them were some on whom We sent Hasiban (a violent wind with shower of stones) [as the people of Lout (Lot)], and of them were some who were overtaken by As-Saihah [torment - awful cry, etc. (as Thamud or Shu'aib's people)], and of them were some whom We caused the earth to swallow [as Qarun (Korah)], and of them were some whom We drowned [as the people of Nuh (Noah), or Fir'aun (Pharaoh) and his people]. It was not Allah Who wronged them, but they wronged themselves. 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 the parables that We set forth to make people understand. But only those endowed with knowledge will comprehend them. 43 God has created the heavens and the earth for a purpose; surely in this there is a sign for true believers. 44