Whenever the addressee communities rejected the prophets sent to them, they were destroyed by calamities which burst upon them either from the heavens or from the earth. Lot’s community was subjected to the curse of high-velocity winds that bore stones. The ‘Ad, the Thamud and the people of Midian were punished by thunder and lightning sent down upon them. Korah, at God’s behest, was swallowed by the earth. Pharaoh and Haman were drowned in the sea. The common reason for all these punishments was the false pride of the concerned persons, i.e. their rejecting the call of Truth for the reason that it would put an end to their high status.