How many were the populations We utterly destroyed because of their iniquities, setting up in their places other peoples? 11 Yet, when they felt Our Punishment (coming), behold, they (tried to) flee from it. 12 Flee not, but return to that wherein you lived a luxurious life, and to your homes, in order that you may be questioned. 13 They said: O woe to us! surely we were unjust. 14 And that cry of theirs did not cease until We caused them to become [like] a field mown down, still and silent as ashes. 15 It was not in play that We created the heavens and the earth and all that lies between them. 16 had We desired to take to Us a diversion We would have taken it to Us from Ourselves, had We done aught. 17 In fact We strike the truth against the false, which shatters it, and it disappears. Woe to you for what you attribute (to Him)! 18 To Him belongs whosoever is in the heavens and on the earth and those that are with Him are never too proud to worship Him, nor do they grow weary; 19 they extol His limitless glory by night and by day, never flagging [therein]. 20 Have they taken earthly gods who are such that they raise up the dead to life? 21 Had there been in between the twain gods except Allah surely the twain would have gone to ruin. Hallowed be Allah, the Lord of the Throne, from that which they utter! 22 He cannot be questioned for His acts, but they will be questioned (for theirs). 23 Or have they taken for worship (other) gods besides him? Say, "Bring your convincing proof: this is the Message of those with me and the Message of those before me." But most of them know not the Truth, and so turn away. 24 And We sent never a Messenger before thee except that We revealed to him, saying, 'There is no god but I; so serve Me.' 25 They say: "The Most Compassionate Lord has taken to Himself a son." Glory be to Him! Those whom they so designate are only His honoured servants. 26 They did not precede Him in their speech, and acted on His command. 27 He knows all that lies open before them and all that is hidden from them: hence, they cannot intercede for any but those whom He has [already] graced with His goodly acceptance, since they themselves stand in reverent awe of Him. 28 ۞ And if any of them were to say: "Behold, I am deity beside Him" - that one We should requite with hell: thus do We requite all [such] evildoers. 29