And how many a town which was iniquitous did We demolish, and We raised up after it another people! 11 Yet, when they felt Our Punishment (coming), behold, they (tried to) flee from it. 12 (But it was said unto them): Flee not, but return to that (existence) which emasculated you and to your dwellings, that ye may be questioned. 13 They said: "Woe to us; surely we were wrong-doers." 14 And this their crying ceased not till We made them as reaped corn, extinct. 15 We created not the heavens and the earth and all that is between them for a (mere) play. 16 If We willed to choose a pastime, We could have chosen it from Ourselves – if We wanted to. 17 We will hurl the truth at falsehood, the falsehood shall be crushed and will disappear. Woe to you for what you utter. 18 To Him belongs all those who are in the heavens and the earth. Those who are closer to Him are not too proud to worship Him, nor do they get tired of worshipping. 19 They (i.e. the angels) glorify His Praises night and day, (and) they never slacken (to do so). 20 And yet some people choose to worship certain earthly things or beings as deities that [are supposed to] resurrect [the dead; and they fail to realize that,] 21 had there been in heaven or on earth any deities other than God, both [those realms would surely have fallen into ruin! But limitless in His glory is God, enthroned in His awesome almightiness far] above anything that men may devise by way of definition! 22 He cannot be questioned concerning what He does and they shall be questioned. 23 Or, have they taken gods besides Him? Say: Bring your proof; this is the reminder of those with me and the reminder of those before me. Nay! most of them do not know the truth, so they turn aside. 24 And We did not send before you any apostle but We revealed to him that there is no god but Me, therefore serve Me. 25 And they say, "The Most Merciful has taken a son." Exalted is He! Rather, they are [but] honored servants. 26 These servants do not speak before He speaks. They simply act according to His orders. 27 He knows whatever is before them and whatsoever is remote from them and they do not intercede except for him, intercession on whose behalf pleases Him, and they stand constantly in awe of Him. 28 ۞ And if any of them should say: "Verily, I am an ilah (a god) besides Him (Allah)," such a one We should recompense with Hell. Thus We recompense the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers, etc.). 29