He said, “O my people! what think ye?  If I have a revelation from my Lord to support me, and if He hath shewed his mercy on me, who could protect me from God if I rebel against him?  Ye would only confer on me increase of ruin.

O my people! this is the she-Camel of God, and a sign unto you.  Let her go at large and feed in God’s earth, and do her no harm, lest a speedy punishment overtake you.”

Yet they hamstrung her:  then said he, “Yet three days more enjoy yourselves in your dwellings:  this menace will not prove untrue.”

And when our sentence came to pass, we rescued Saleh and those who had a like faith with him, by our mercy, from ignominy on that day.  Verily, thy Lord is the Strong, the Mighty!

And a violent tempest overtook the wicked, and they were found in the morning prostrate in their dwellings,

As though they had never abode in them.  What!  Did not Themoud disbelieve his Lord?  Was not Themoud utterly cast off?

And our messengers came formerly to Abraham with glad tidings.  “Peace,” said they.  He said, “Peace,” and he tarried not, but brought a roasted calf.

And when he saw that their hands touched it not,12 he misliked them, and grew fearful of them.  They said, “Fear not, for we are sent to the people of Lot.”

His wife was standing by and laughed;13 and we announced Isaac to her; and after Isacc, Jacob.

She said, “Ah, woe is me! shall I bear a son when I am old, and when this my husband is an old man?  This truly would be a marvellous thing.”

They said, “Marvellest thou at the command of God?  God’s mercy and blessing be upon you, O people of this house; praise and glory are His due!”

And when Abraham’s fear had passed away, and these glad tidings had reached him, he pleaded with us for the people of Lot.  Verily, Abraham was right kind, pitiful, relenting.

“O Abraham! desist from this; for already hath the command of thy God gone forth; as for them, a punishment not to be averted is coming on them.”

And when our messengers came to Lot, he was grieved for them; and he was too weak to protect them,14 and he said, “This is a day of difficulty.”

And his people came rushing on towards him, for aforetime had they wrought this wickedness.  He said, “O my people! these my daughters will be purer for you:  fear God, and put me not to shame in my guests.  Is there no rightminded man among you?”

They said, “Thou knowest now that we need not thy daughters; and thou well knowest what we require.”

He said, “Would that I had strength to resist you, or that I could find refuge with some powerful chieftain."15

The Angels said, “O Lot! verily, we are the messengers of thy Lord:  they shall not touch thee:  depart with thy family in the dead of night, and let not one of you turn back:  as for thy wife, on her shall light what shall light on them.  Verily, that with which they are threatened is for the morning.  Is not the morning near?”