Hast thou received the story of the honoured guests of Abraham? 24 When they came to him they said, "Peace!" He answered, "Peace!" [saying to himself]. "They are strangers." 25 He went quietly to his wife and returned to his guests with a fat, roasted calf. 26 and placed it before them, saying, "Will you not eat?" 27 Then he conceived a fear about them, and they said: 'Have no fear', and gave him the glad tidings that he was to have a knowledgeable son. 28 Then his wife came forward with a loud voice, she smote her face, and said: "A barren old woman!" 29 They answered: "Thus has thy Sustainer decreed; and verily, He alone is truly wise, all-knowing!" 30 ۞ 'Messengers' said he (Abraham), 'what is your errand' 31 They said: Surely we are sent to a guilty people, 32 to loose upon them stones of clay 33 Sent forth from your Lord for the extravagant. 34 So We brought out from therein the believers. 35 But We found in it only one household of those who had surrendered themselves, 36 And We have left there a sign (i.e. the place of the Dead Sea, well-known in Palestine) for those who fear the painful torment. 37 And in Musa (Moses) (too, there is a sign). When We sent him to Fir'aun (Pharaoh) with a manifest authority. 38 and he turned away in [the pride of] his power and said, "A sorcerer [is this Moses,] or a madman!" 39 So We took him and his forces, and threw them into the sea; and his was the blame. 40 And in 'Aad [was a sign], when We sent against them the barren wind. 41 that left nothing it came upon, but made it as stuff decayed. 42 And in [the story of the tribe of] Thamud, too, when they were told, "You shall enjoy your life for [but] a little while," 43 after they had turned with disdain from their Sustainer's commandment - whereupon the thunderbolt of punishment overtook them while they were [helplessly] looking on: 44 So they were neither able to stand up, nor were they able to take revenge. 45 And [We destroyed] the people of Noah before; indeed, they were a people defiantly disobedient. 46