33 And when Our messengers came to Lot, he was grieved on account of them, and he lacked strength to protect them. And they said: Fear not, nor grieve; surely we will deliver thee and thy followers, except thy wife — she is of those who remain behind.

34 Surely We are going to bring down upon the people of this town a punishment from heaven, because they transgressed.

35 And certainly We have left a clear sign of it for a people who understand.

36 And to Midian (We sent) their brother Shu‘aib, so he said: O my people, serve Allāh and fear the Latter day, and act not corruptly, making mischief, in the land.

37 But they rejected him, so a severe earthquake overtook them and they lay prostrate in their abodes.

38 And ‘Ād and Thamūd! And some of their dwellings are indeed apparent to you. And the devil made their deeds fairseeming to them, so he kept them back from the path, and they could see clearly.

39 And Korah and Pharaoh and Hāmān! And certainly Moses came to them with clear arguments, but they behaved haughtily in the land; and they could not outstrip (Us).

40 So each one We punished for his sin. Of them was he on whom We sent a violent storm, and of them was he whom the rumbling overtook, and of them was he whom We caused the earth to swallow, and of them was he whom We drowned. And it was not Allāh, Who wronged them, but they wronged themselves.

41 The parable of those who take guardians besides Allāh is as the parable of the spider that makes for itself a house; and surely the frailest of the houses is the spider’s house — if they but knew!

42 Surely Allāh knows whatever they call upon besides Him. And He is the Mighty, the Wise.

43 And these parables, We set them forth for men, and none understand them but the learned.

44 Allāh created the heavens and the earth with truth. Surely there is a sign in this for the believers.