And when your Lord brought forth from the children of Adam, from their backs, their descendants, and made them bear witness against their own souls: Am I not your Lord? They said: Yes! we bear witness. Lest you should say on the day of resurrection: Surely we were heedless of this. 172 or say, "Our fathers worshipped idols before us and we as their descendants followed them. Would you then destroy us because of what the followers of falsehood have done?" 173 And this is how We explain the verses in different ways, and so that they may return. 174 Recite to them the tale of the man to whom We gave Our signs, but who then cast them to one side and Satan overtook him. And he became one of those who went astray, 175 And if We had willed, we could have elevated him thereby, but he adhered [instead] to the earth and followed his own desire. So his example is like that of the dog: if you chase him, he pants, or if you leave him, he [still] pants. That is the example of the people who denied Our signs. So relate the stories that perhaps they will give thought. 176 Evil is the example of people who are bent on giving the lie to Our messages: for it is against their own selves that they are sinning! 177 He alone is guided whom God shows the way; and whom He leads astray is surely lost. 178 Many of the jinns and human beings have We destined for Hell, who possess hearts but do not feel, have eyes but do not see, have ears but do not hear, like cattle, even worse than them. They are people unconcerned. 179 All the names of God are beautiful, so call Him by them; and leave those alone who act profanely towards His names: They will be retributed for their deeds. 180 And of those whom We created there is a nation who guide with the Truth and establish justice therewith. 181