18 Preface قالوا إِنّا تَطَيَّرنا بِكُم ۖ لَئِن لَم تَنتَهوا لَنَرجُمَنَّكُم وَلَيَمَسَّنَّكُم مِنّا عَذابٌ أَليمٌAli Quli QaraiThey said, ‘Indeed we take you for a bad omen. If you do not relinquish we will stone you, and surely a painful punishment will visit you from us.’