The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics)

 Ad denied their
Lord –
– so away with the 
 Ad, the people of Hud!
61To the Thamud, We sent their brother, Salih. He said, ‘My
people, worship God. You have no god other than Him. It was He
who brought you into being from the earth and made you inhabit it,
so ask forgiveness from Him, and turn back to Him: my Lord is near,
and ready to answer.’
62They said, ‘Salih, We used to have such great
hope in you. Will you forbid us to worship what our fathers wor-
shipped? We are in grave doubt about what you are asking us to do.’
63He said, ‘My people, just think: if I did have clear proof from my
Lord, and if He had given me mercy of His own, who could protect
me from God if I disobeyed Him? You would only make my loss
greater. 
64My people, this camel belongs to God, a sign for you, so
leave it to pasture on God’s earth and do not harm it, or you
will soon be punished.’
65But they hamstrung it, so he said, ‘Enjoy
a
Literally ‘grasp by its forelock’.
The Qur
an
11: 51
140

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life
a
for another three days: 
66this warning will not prove false.’ And
so, when Our command was ful
filled, by Our mercy We saved Salih
and his fellow believers from the disgrace of that day. [Prophet], it is
your Lord who is the Strong, the Mighty One. 
67The blast struck the
evildoers and they lay dead in their homes, 
68as though they had
never lived and 
flourished there. Yes, the Thamud denied their
Lord –
– so away with the Thamud!
69To Abraham Our messengers brought good news. They said,
‘Peace.’ He answered, ‘Peace,’ and without delay he brought in a
roasted calf. 
70When he saw that their hands did not reach towards
the meal, he found this strange and became afraid of them. But they
said, ‘Do not be afraid. We have been sent against the people of Lot.’
71His wife was standing [nearby] and laughed. We gave her good
news of Isaac and, after him, of Jacob. 
72She said, ‘Alas for me! How
am I to bear a child when I am an old woman, and my husband here
is an old man? That would be a strange thing!’
73They said, ‘Are you
astonished at what God ordains? The grace of God and His blessings
be upon you, people of this house! For He is worthy of all praise and
glory.’
74Then, when the fear left Abraham and the good news came
to him, he pleaded with Us for Lot’s people, 
75for Abraham was
forbearing, tender-hearted, and devout. 
76‘Abraham, cease your
pleading: what your Lord has ordained has come about; punishment
is coming to them, which cannot be turned back.’
77And when Our messengers came to Lot, he was anxious for
them, feeling powerless to protect them, and said, ‘This is a truly
terrible day!’
78His people came rushing towards him; they used to
commit foul deeds. He said, ‘My people, here are my daughters.
b
They are more wholesome for you, so have some fear of God and do
not disgrace me with my guests. Is there not a single right-minded
man among you?’
79They said, ‘You know very well that we have no
right to your daughters. You know very well what we want.’
80He
said, ‘If only I had the strength to stop you or could rely on strong
support!’
81They [the messengers] said, ‘Lot, we are your Lord’s
messengers. They will not reach you. Leave with your household
in the dead of night, and let none of you turn back. Only your wife
a
Literally ‘continue to live in your homes’.
b
Some commentators interpret this to refer to the daughters of his people, rather
than the prophet’s own daughters.
Hud
141
11: 81

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will su
ffer the fate that befalls the others. Their appointed time is the
morning: is the morning not near?’
82And so when what We had
ordained came about, We turned their town upside down and rained
down stones of baked clay on it, layer upon layer, 
83marked from
your Lord. It is not far from the evildoers.