AND HAS the story of Abraham's honoured guests ever come within thy ken? 24 When those [heavenly messengers] came unto him and bade him peace, he answered, "[And upon you be] peace!" - [saying to himself,] "They are strangers." 25 Then he turned to his household and brought a fattened calf, 26 He set it before them, saying: 'Will you not eat' 27 Then he conceived a fear of them. They said: fear not. And they gave him the tidings of a youth knowing. 28 Thereupon his wife approached [the guests] with a loud cry, and struck her face [in astonishment] and exclaimed: "A barren old woman [like me]!" 29 "Such is the will of your Lord," they replied. "He is the Wise, the All Knowing." 30 ۞ Said [Abraham]: "And what [else] may you have in view, O you [heavenly] messengers?" 31 They said, “We have been sent towards a guilty nation.” 32 "To bring on, on them, (a shower of) stones of clay (brimstone), 33 Sent forth from your Lord for the extravagant. 34 Then we brought forth such believers as were there. 35 But did not find more than a single family of believers. 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 There is another sign in Moses: We sent him to Pharaoh with clear authority. 38 But Pharaoh turned away, showing arrogance on account of his power, and said (about Moses): “He is either a sorcerer or a madman.” 39 Then We laid hold of him and his hosts and flung them into the sea, and he was reproachable. 40 And in 'Aad [was a sign], when We sent against them the barren wind. 41 which turned everything it approached into dust. 42 And in the tribe of Thamud when it was told to them, “Enjoy for a while.” 43 Then they disdained the command of their Lord; wherefore the bolt laid hold of them even while they looked on. 44 So they were neither able to stand up, nor were they able to take revenge. 45 And the folk of Noah aforetime. Lo! they were licentious folk. 46