To the people of 'Ad We sent their brother, Hud. He said, ‘My people, serve God: you have no god other than Him. Will you not take heed?’

but the disbelieving leaders of his people said, ‘We believe you are a fool,’ and ‘We think you are a liar.’

He said, ‘My people, there is nothing foolish about me! On the contrary, I am a messenger from the Lord of all the Worlds:

I am delivering my Lord’s messages to you. I am your sincere and honest adviser.

Do you find it so strange that a message should come from your Lord, through a man in your midst, to warn you? Remember how He made you heirs after Noah’s people, and increased your stature: remember God’s bounties, so that you may prosper.’

They said, ‘Have you really come to tell us to serve God alone and to forsake what our forefathers served? If what you say is true, bring us the punishment you threaten.’

He said, ‘You are already set to receive your Lord’s loathing and anger. Are you arguing with me about mere names you and your forefathers invented, names for which God has given no sanction? Just wait; I too am waiting.’

We saved him, and those who were with him, through Our mercy; We destroyed those who denied Our revelations and would not believe.

۞ وَإِلَىٰ عَادٍ أَخَاهُمْ هُودࣰاۚ قَالَ يَٰقَوْمِ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَٰهٍ غَيْرُهُۥٓۚ أَفَلَا تَتَّقُونَ

قَالَ ٱلْمَلَأُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِن قَوْمِهِۦٓ إِنَّا لَنَرَىٰكَ فِي سَفَاهَةࣲ وَإِنَّا لَنَظُنُّكَ مِنَ ٱلْكَٰذِبِينَ

قَالَ يَٰقَوْمِ لَيْسَ بِي سَفَاهَةࣱ وَلَٰكِنِّي رَسُولࣱ مِّن رَّبِّ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ

أُبَلِّغُكُمْ رِسَٰلَٰتِ رَبِّي وَأَنَا۠ لَكُمْ نَاصِحٌ أَمِينٌ

أَوَعَجِبْتُمْ أَن جَآءَكُمْ ذِكْرࣱ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ عَلَىٰ رَجُلࣲ مِّنكُمْ لِيُنذِرَكُمْۚ وَٱذْكُرُوٓا۟ إِذْ جَعَلَكُمْ خُلَفَآءَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ قَوْمِ نُوحࣲ وَزَادَكُمْ فِي ٱلْخَلْقِ بَصْۜطَةࣰۖ فَٱذْكُرُوٓا۟ ءَالَآءَ ٱللَّهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ

قَالُوٓا۟ أَجِئْتَنَا لِنَعْبُدَ ٱللَّهَ وَحْدَهُۥ وَنَذَرَ مَا كَانَ يَعْبُدُ ءَابَآؤُنَا فَأْتِنَا بِمَا تَعِدُنَآ إِن كُنتَ مِنَ ٱلصَّٰدِقِينَ

قَالَ قَدْ وَقَعَ عَلَيْكُم مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ رِجْسࣱ وَغَضَبٌۖ أَتُجَٰدِلُونَنِي فِيٓ أَسْمَآءࣲ سَمَّيْتُمُوهَآ أَنتُمْ وَءَابَآؤُكُم مَّا نَزَّلَ ٱللَّهُ بِهَا مِن سُلْطَٰنࣲۚ فَٱنتَظِرُوٓا۟ إِنِّي مَعَكُم مِّنَ ٱلْمُنتَظِرِينَ

فَأَنجَيْنَٰهُ وَٱلَّذِينَ مَعَهُۥ بِرَحْمَةࣲ مِّنَّا وَقَطَعْنَا دَابِرَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَاۖ وَمَا كَانُوا۟ مُؤْمِنِينَ

To the people of Thamud We sent their brother, Salih. He said, ‘My people, serve God: you have no god other than Him. A clear sign has come to you now from your Lord: this is God’s she-camel- a sign for you- so let her graze in God’s land and do not harm her in any way, or you will be struck by a painful torment.

Remember how He made you heirs after 'Ad and settled you in the land to build yourselves castles on its plains and carve houses out of the mountains: remember God’s blessings and do not spread corruption in the land,’

but the arrogant leaders among his people said to the believers they thought to be of no account, ‘Do you honestly think that Salih is a messenger from his Lord?’ They said, ‘Yes. We believe in the message sent through him,’

but the arrogant leaders said, ‘We reject what you believe in,’

and then they hamstrung the camel. They defied their Lord’s commandment and said, ‘Salih, bring down the punishment you threaten, if you really are a messenger!’

An earthquake seized them: by the next morning they were lying dead in their homes.

So he turned away from them, saying, ‘My people, I delivered my Lord’s messages to you and gave you sincere advice, but you did not like those who gave sincere advice.’

وَإِلَىٰ ثَمُودَ أَخَاهُمْ صَٰلِحࣰاۚ قَالَ يَٰقَوْمِ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَٰهٍ غَيْرُهُۥۖ قَدْ جَآءَتْكُم بَيِّنَةࣱ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْۖ هَٰذِهِۦ نَاقَةُ ٱللَّهِ لَكُمْ ءَايَةࣰۖ فَذَرُوهَا تَأْكُلْ فِيٓ أَرْضِ ٱللَّهِۖ وَلَا تَمَسُّوهَا بِسُوٓءࣲ فَيَأْخُذَكُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمࣱ

وَٱذْكُرُوٓا۟ إِذْ جَعَلَكُمْ خُلَفَآءَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ عَادࣲ وَبَوَّأَكُمْ فِي ٱلْأَرْضِ تَتَّخِذُونَ مِن سُهُولِهَا قُصُورࣰا وَتَنْحِتُونَ ٱلْجِبَالَ بُيُوتࣰاۖ فَٱذْكُرُوٓا۟ ءَالَآءَ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا تَعْثَوْا۟ فِي ٱلْأَرْضِ مُفْسِدِينَ

قَالَ ٱلْمَلَأُ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱسْتَكْبَرُوا۟ مِن قَوْمِهِۦ لِلَّذِينَ ٱسْتُضْعِفُوا۟ لِمَنْ ءَامَنَ مِنْهُمْ أَتَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ صَٰلِحࣰا مُّرْسَلࣱ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦۚ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا بِمَآ أُرْسِلَ بِهِۦ مُؤْمِنُونَ

قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱسْتَكْبَرُوٓا۟ إِنَّا بِٱلَّذِيٓ ءَامَنتُم بِهِۦ كَٰفِرُونَ

فَعَقَرُوا۟ ٱلنَّاقَةَ وَعَتَوْا۟ عَنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّهِمْ وَقَالُوا۟ يَٰصَٰلِحُ ٱئْتِنَا بِمَا تَعِدُنَآ إِن كُنتَ مِنَ ٱلْمُرْسَلِينَ

فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ ٱلرَّجْفَةُ فَأَصْبَحُوا۟ فِي دَارِهِمْ جَٰثِمِينَ

فَتَوَلَّىٰ عَنْهُمْ وَقَالَ يَٰقَوْمِ لَقَدْ أَبْلَغْتُكُمْ رِسَالَةَ رَبِّي وَنَصَحْتُ لَكُمْ وَلَٰكِن لَّا تُحِبُّونَ ٱلنَّٰصِحِينَ

We sent Lot and he said to his people, ‘How can you practise this outrage? No one in the world has outdone you in this.

You lust after men rather than women! You transgress all bounds!’

The only response his people gave was to say [to one another], ‘Drive them out of your town! These men want to keep themselves chaste!’

We saved him and his kinsfolk- apart from his wife who stayed behind-

and We showered upon [the rest of] them a rain [of destruction]. See the fate of the evildoers.

وَلُوطًا إِذْ قَالَ لِقَوْمِهِۦٓ أَتَأْتُونَ ٱلْفَٰحِشَةَ مَا سَبَقَكُم بِهَا مِنْ أَحَدࣲ مِّنَ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ

إِنَّكُمْ لَتَأْتُونَ ٱلرِّجَالَ شَهْوَةࣰ مِّن دُونِ ٱلنِّسَآءِۚ بَلْ أَنتُمْ قَوْمࣱ مُّسْرِفُونَ

وَمَا كَانَ جَوَابَ قَوْمِهِۦٓ إِلَّآ أَن قَالُوٓا۟ أَخْرِجُوهُم مِّن قَرْيَتِكُمْۖ إِنَّهُمْ أُنَاسࣱ يَتَطَهَّرُونَ

فَأَنجَيْنَٰهُ وَأَهْلَهُۥٓ إِلَّا ٱمْرَأَتَهُۥ كَانَتْ مِنَ ٱلْغَٰبِرِينَ

وَأَمْطَرْنَا عَلَيْهِم مَّطَرࣰاۖ فَٱنظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَٰقِبَةُ ٱلْمُجْرِمِينَ

To the people of Midian We sent their brother, Shuayb. He said, ‘My people, serve God: you have no god other than Him. A clear sign has come to you from your Lord. Give full measure and weight and do not undervalue people’s goods; do not cause corruption in the land after it has been set in order: this is better for you, if you are believers.

Do not sit in every pathway, threatening and barring those who believe in God from His way, trying to make it crooked. Remember how you used to be few and He made you multiply. Think about the fate of those who used to spread corruption.

If some of you believe the message I bring and others do not, then be patient till God judges between us. He is the best of all judges.’

وَإِلَىٰ مَدْيَنَ أَخَاهُمْ شُعَيْبࣰاۚ قَالَ يَٰقَوْمِ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَٰهٍ غَيْرُهُۥۖ قَدْ جَآءَتْكُم بَيِّنَةࣱ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْۖ فَأَوْفُوا۟ ٱلْكَيْلَ وَٱلْمِيزَانَ وَلَا تَبْخَسُوا۟ ٱلنَّاسَ أَشْيَآءَهُمْ وَلَا تُفْسِدُوا۟ فِي ٱلْأَرْضِ بَعْدَ إِصْلَٰحِهَاۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ خَيْرࣱ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ

وَلَا تَقْعُدُوا۟ بِكُلِّ صِرَٰطࣲ تُوعِدُونَ وَتَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ مَنْ ءَامَنَ بِهِۦ وَتَبْغُونَهَا عِوَجࣰاۚ وَٱذْكُرُوٓا۟ إِذْ كُنتُمْ قَلِيلࣰا فَكَثَّرَكُمْۖ وَٱنظُرُوا۟ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَٰقِبَةُ ٱلْمُفْسِدِينَ

وَإِن كَانَ طَآئِفَةࣱ مِّنكُمْ ءَامَنُوا۟ بِٱلَّذِيٓ أُرْسِلْتُ بِهِۦ وَطَآئِفَةࣱ لَّمْ يُؤْمِنُوا۟ فَٱصْبِرُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ يَحْكُمَ ٱللَّهُ بَيْنَنَاۚ وَهُوَ خَيْرُ ٱلْحَٰكِمِينَ

His people’s arrogant leaders said, ‘Shuayb, we will expel you and your fellow believers from our town unless you return to our religion.’ He said, ‘What! Even if we detest it?

If we were to return to your religion after God has saved us from it, we would be inventing lies about Him: there is no way we could return to it- unless by the will of God our Lord: in His knowledge He comprehends everything. We put our trust in God. Our Lord, expose the truth [and judge] between us and our people, for You are the best judge.’

The disbelieving leaders among his people said, ‘You will certainly be losers if you follow Shuayb’-

an earthquake seized them: by the next morning they were lying dead in their homes;

it was as if those who had rejected Shuayb had never lived there; it was those who had rejected Shuayb who were the losers-

so he turned away from them, saying, ‘My people, I delivered my Lord’s messages to you and gave you sincere advice, so why should I grieve for people who refused to believe?’

۞ قَالَ ٱلْمَلَأُ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱسْتَكْبَرُوا۟ مِن قَوْمِهِۦ لَنُخْرِجَنَّكَ يَٰشُعَيْبُ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مَعَكَ مِن قَرْيَتِنَآ أَوْ لَتَعُودُنَّ فِي مِلَّتِنَاۚ قَالَ أَوَلَوْ كُنَّا كَٰرِهِينَ

قَدِ ٱفْتَرَيْنَا عَلَى ٱللَّهِ كَذِبًا إِنْ عُدْنَا فِي مِلَّتِكُم بَعْدَ إِذْ نَجَّىٰنَا ٱللَّهُ مِنْهَاۚ وَمَا يَكُونُ لَنَآ أَن نَّعُودَ فِيهَآ إِلَّآ أَن يَشَآءَ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّنَاۚ وَسِعَ رَبُّنَا كُلَّ شَيْءٍ عِلْمًاۚ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ تَوَكَّلْنَاۚ رَبَّنَا ٱفْتَحْ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَ قَوْمِنَا بِٱلْحَقِّ وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ ٱلْفَٰتِحِينَ

وَقَالَ ٱلْمَلَأُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِن قَوْمِهِۦ لَئِنِ ٱتَّبَعْتُمْ شُعَيْبًا إِنَّكُمْ إِذࣰا لَّخَٰسِرُونَ

فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ ٱلرَّجْفَةُ فَأَصْبَحُوا۟ فِي دَارِهِمْ جَٰثِمِينَ

ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا۟ شُعَيْبࣰا كَأَن لَّمْ يَغْنَوْا۟ فِيهَاۚ ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا۟ شُعَيْبࣰا كَانُوا۟ هُمُ ٱلْخَٰسِرِينَ

فَتَوَلَّىٰ عَنْهُمْ وَقَالَ يَٰقَوْمِ لَقَدْ أَبْلَغْتُكُمْ رِسَٰلَٰتِ رَبِّي وَنَصَحْتُ لَكُمْۖ فَكَيْفَ ءَاسَىٰ عَلَىٰ قَوْمࣲ كَٰفِرِينَ

Whenever We sent a prophet to a town, We afflicted its [disbelieving] people with suffering and hardships, so that they might humble themselves [before God],

and then We changed their hardship into prosperity, until they multiplied. But then they said, ‘Hardship and affluence also befell our forefathers,’ and so We took them suddenly, unawares.

If the people of those towns had believed and been mindful of God, We would have showered them with blessings from the heavens and earth, but they rejected the truth and so We punished them for their misdeeds.

Do the people of these towns feel secure that Our punishment will not come upon them by night, while they are asleep?

Do the people of these towns feel secure that Our punishment will not come upon them by day, while they are at play?

Do they feel secure against God’s plan? Only the losers feel secure against God’s plan.

وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا فِي قَرْيَةࣲ مِّن نَّبِيٍّ إِلَّآ أَخَذْنَآ أَهْلَهَا بِٱلْبَأْسَآءِ وَٱلضَّرَّآءِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَضَّرَّعُونَ

ثُمَّ بَدَّلْنَا مَكَانَ ٱلسَّيِّئَةِ ٱلْحَسَنَةَ حَتَّىٰ عَفَوا۟ وَّقَالُوا۟ قَدْ مَسَّ ءَابَآءَنَا ٱلضَّرَّآءُ وَٱلسَّرَّآءُ فَأَخَذْنَٰهُم بَغْتَةࣰ وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ

وَلَوْ أَنَّ أَهْلَ ٱلْقُرَىٰٓ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَٱتَّقَوْا۟ لَفَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِم بَرَكَٰتࣲ مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَٰكِن كَذَّبُوا۟ فَأَخَذْنَٰهُم بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَكْسِبُونَ

أَفَأَمِنَ أَهْلُ ٱلْقُرَىٰٓ أَن يَأْتِيَهُم بَأْسُنَا بَيَٰتࣰا وَهُمْ نَآئِمُونَ

أَوَأَمِنَ أَهْلُ ٱلْقُرَىٰٓ أَن يَأْتِيَهُم بَأْسُنَا ضُحࣰى وَهُمْ يَلْعَبُونَ

أَفَأَمِنُوا۟ مَكْرَ ٱللَّهِۚ فَلَا يَأْمَنُ مَكْرَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَّا ٱلْقَوْمُ ٱلْخَٰسِرُونَ