۞ Had God hastened the punishment of men as He hastens the good, the end of their term of life would already have been reached. We leave those who do not hope to meet Us groping along in their arrogance. 11 And when harm touches man, he invokes Us, lying down on his side, or sitting or standing. But when We have removed his harm from him, he passes on his way as if he had never invoked Us for a harm that touched him! Thus it seems fair to the Musrifun that which they used to do. 12 And indeed, before your time We destroyed [whole] generations when they [persistently] did evil; their messengers came to them with clear signs, but they would not believe. Thus We requite the guilty. 13 Then We made you successors in the land after them so that We may observe how you will do. 14 Whenever Our authoritative revelations are recited to those who do not wish to meet Us in the life hereafter, say, "Bring us another book besides this one or change it." (Muhammad), tell them, "I can not change it myself. I only follow what is revealed to me. I fear that for disobeying my Lord I shall be punished on the great (Day of Judgment). 15 Say, “Had Allah willed I would not have recited it to you nor would He have made it known to you; so before this* I have spent an age among you; so do you not have sense?” (* Before Allah’s command to recite the Qur’an to you.) 16 And who could be more wicked than they who attribute their own lying inventions to God or give the lie to His messages? Verily, those who are lost in sin will never attain to a happy state 17 They serve, apart from God, what hurts them not neither profits them, and they say, 'These are our intercessors with God.' Say: 'Will you tell God what He knows not either in the heavens or in the earth?' Glory be to Him! High be He exalted above that they associate! 18 All people (once) followed one belief. Then they began to follow different beliefs. Had not a word of your Lord (His decision to give every one time and free will) been decreed, God would already have settled their differences. 19 They say: "Why is not a sign sent down to him from his Lord?" Say: "The Unseen is only for Allah (to know), then wait ye: I too will wait with you." 20