________________
104
THE QUR'ÂN.
XXVII, 49-61.
And there were in the city nine persons who despoiled the land and did not right. [50] Said they, 'Swear to each other by God, we will surely fall on him by night and on his people; then we will surely say unto his next of kin, “We witnessed not the destruction of his people, and we do surely tell the truth!” And they plotted a plot, and we plotted a plot, but they did not perceive. Behold, how was the end of their plot, that we destroyed them and their people all together!
Thus are their houses overturned, for that they were unjust; verily, in that is a sign to people who do know!
But we saved those who believed and who did fear.
[55] And Lot when he said to his people, 'Do ye approach an abominable sin while ye can see ?
do ye indeed approach men lustfully rather than · women ? nay! ye are a people who are ignorant.'
But the answer of his people was only to say, * Drive out Lot's family from your city! verily, they are a folk who would keep pure.
But we saved him and his family except his wife, her we destined to be of those who lingered; and we rained down upon them rain, and evil was the rain of those who were warned.
[60] Say, ' Praise belongs to God; and peace be upon His servants whom He has chosen! Is God best, or what they associate with Him ?' He who created the heavens and the earth; and sends down upon you from the heaven water; and we cause to grow therewith gardens fraught with beauty; ye could not cause the trees thereof to grow! Is there a god with God? nay, but they are a people
Digitized by Google
