And before you. O Muhammad We sent Messengers conveying Our divine message to their people. They presented them with clear and plain revelations guiding out of darkness and superstitions of later times and out of want of spiritual and intellectual sight into illumination and enlightenment -but they counselled deaf and closed their hearts' ears-. And by consequence We avenged our right by inflicting retributive punishment upon those who were steeped in crime. At the same time it was incumbent on Us to save and deliver to safety those whose hearts reflected the image of religious and spiritual virtues.