وَلَقَد أَرسَلنا إِلىٰ ثَمودَ أَخاهُم صالِحًا أَنِ اعبُدُوا اللَّهَ فَإِذا هُم فَريقانِ يَختَصِمونَ

To Thamud, We sent their brother Saleh: “Worship God.” Yet, they became two quarreling factions.

قالَ يا قَومِ لِمَ تَستَعجِلونَ بِالسَّيِّئَةِ قَبلَ الحَسَنَةِ ۖ لَولا تَستَغفِرونَ اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُم تُرحَمونَ

He pleaded, “O my people, why do you hasten towards evil rather than good? Why not ask for God’s forgiveness, so you may receive mercy.”

قالُوا اطَّيَّرنا بِكَ وَبِمَن مَعَكَ ۚ قالَ طائِرُكُم عِندَ اللَّهِ ۖ بَل أَنتُم قَومٌ تُفتَنونَ

They responded, “We see ill omens in you and those with you.” He replied, “Your omens are determined by God; you are a people being tested.”

وَكانَ فِي المَدينَةِ تِسعَةُ رَهطٍ يُفسِدونَ فِي الأَرضِ وَلا يُصلِحونَ

In the city were nine individuals who made mischief in the land and didn’t reform.

قالوا تَقاسَموا بِاللَّهِ لَنُبَيِّتَنَّهُ وَأَهلَهُ ثُمَّ لَنَقولَنَّ لِوَلِيِّهِ ما شَهِدنا مَهلِكَ أَهلِهِ وَإِنّا لَصادِقونَ

They conspired, “Let us swear by God to attack him and his family under the cover of night. Then, we will tell his guardian that we didn’t know of his family’s demise; we are telling the truth.”

فَانظُر كَيفَ كانَ عاقِبَةُ مَكرِهِم أَنّا دَمَّرناهُم وَقَومَهُم أَجمَعينَ

Consider the outcome of their scheming: We obliterated them and their entire community.

فَتِلكَ بُيوتُهُم خاوِيَةً بِما ظَلَموا ۗ إِنَّ في ذٰلِكَ لَآيَةً لِقَومٍ يَعلَمونَ

Their homes now lie deserted due to their wrongdoings, a clear sign for those who understand.

وَأَنجَينَا الَّذينَ آمَنوا وَكانوا يَتَّقونَ

And We saved those who believed and led righteous lives.

وَلوطًا إِذ قالَ لِقَومِهِ أَتَأتونَ الفاحِشَةَ وَأَنتُم تُبصِرونَ

Lot admonished his people, “Do you openly commit such indecencies?

أَئِنَّكُم لَتَأتونَ الرِّجالَ شَهوَةً مِن دونِ النِّساءِ ۚ بَل أَنتُم قَومٌ تَجهَلونَ

Do you approach men with lust instead of women? You are a people acting ignorantly.”