When your Lord brought forth offspring from the loins of the Children of Adam and made them bear witness about themselves, He said, "Am I not your Lord?" They replied, "We bear witness that You are." This He did, lest you should say on the Day of Resurrection, "We had no knowledge of that." 172 Or say: 'Our forefathers before us who associated others with Allah in His divinity; we were merely their offspring who followed them. And would You destroy us for that which the unrighteous did?' 173 And thus do We make clear the communications, and that haply they might return. 174 And recite thou unto them the story of him unto whom We vouchsafed Our signs, but he sloughed them off, wherefore the Satan followed him, and he became of the perverted. 175 And had We willed We could have raised him because of the revelations, but he clung to the earth and followed his own desires; his condition therefore is like that of a dog; if you attack him he hangs out his tongue and if you leave him he hangs out his tongue; this is the state of the people who denied Our signs; therefore preach, so that they may give thought. 176 How evil an example [is that of] the people who denied Our signs and used to wrong themselves. 177 He whom Allah guides, he alone is rightly guided; and he whom Allah lets go astray - it is they who are the loser.' 178 Already have We urged unto hell many of the jinn and humankind, having hearts wherewith they understand not, and having eyes wherewith they see not, and having ears wherewith they hear not. These are as the cattle - nay, but they are worse! These are the neglectful. 179 God has the Most Excellent Names. Call on Him by His Names and keep away from those who distort them. They shall be requited for what they do. 180 Of those We have created are people who direct (others) with truth. And dispense justice therewith. 181