AND SET FORTH unto them a parable - [the story of how] the people of a township [behaved] when [Our] message-bearers came unto them. 13 When We (first) sent to them two messengers, they rejected them: But We strengthened them with a third: they said, "Truly, we have been sent on a mission to you." 14 They said: Ye are but mortals like unto us. The Beneficent hath naught revealed. Ye do but lie! 15 They said, "Our Lord knows that we are messengers to you, 16 "And our duty is only to convey plainly (the Message)." 17 The (people) said: "for us, we augur an evil omen from you: if ye desist not, we will certainly stone you. And a grievous punishment indeed will be inflicted on you by us." 18 They (Messengers) said: "Your evil omens be with you! (Do you call it "evil omen") because you are admonished? Nay, but you are a people Musrifun (transgressing all bounds by committing all kinds of great sins, and by disobeying Allah). 19 Then a man came running from the other side of the city. "O my people," he said, "follow the messengers. 20 "Obey those who ask no reward of you (for themselves), and who have themselves received Guidance. 21 And what aileth me that I should not worship Him who hath created me, and unto whom ye shall be returned. 22 What, shall I take, apart from Him, gods whose intercession, if the All-merciful desires affliction for me, shall not avail me anything, and who will never deliver me? 23 Indeed, I would then be in manifest error. 24 Surely I believe in your Lord, therefore hear me. 25 It was said: enter thou the Garden. He said: would that my people knew. 26 With what (munificence) my Lord hath pardoned me and made me of the honoured ones! 27 ۞ And after that, no host out of heaven did We send down against his people, nor did We need to send down any: 28 It was only one Shout and they were silent, still. 29 Alas for My servants! Never does a Messenger come to them but they mock him. 30 Have they not seen how many generations have We destroyed before them who will not return again? 31 and [that] all of them, all together, will [in the end] before Us be arraigned? 32