How many a wrong-doing town did We shatter and then raise up another people. 11 And when they tasted Our punishment, they immediately started fleeing from it. 12 'Run not! Return you unto the luxury that you exulted in, and your dwelling-places; haply you shall be questioned.' 13 "Woe, alas," they said, "we were really sinful." 14 And this ceased not to be their cry till We made them cut off, extinct. 15 And We did not create the heaven and the earth and what is between them for sport. 16 Had We wished to make a diversion, We would have made it from before Ourselves: by no means would We do (it). 17 Nay, but [by the very act of creation] We hurl the truth against falsehood, and it crushes the latter: and lo! it withers away. But woe unto you for all your [attempts at] defining [God] 18 And His is whosoever is in the heavens and the earth; and those nigh unto Him are not too stiff-necked for His worship nor are they weary. 19 And they hallow Him night and day, and they flag not. 20 Or, have they taken earthly gods who revive the dead? 21 Had there been gods in heaven or earth, other than Allah, both would indeed have been ruined. Exalted be Allah, Lord of the Throne, above that they describe. 22 None shall question Him about His works, but they shall be questioned. 23 Have they taken gods other than Him? Say, (O Muhammad): "Bring forth your proof! Here is the Book with admonition for those of my time and there are also scriptures with admonition for people before me." But most people do not know the Truth, and have, therefore, turned away from it. 24 We have not sent an apostle before you without instructing him that there is no god but I, so worship Me. 25 And they say; the Compassionate hath taken a son. Hallowed be He! aye! they are bondmen honoured. 26 they do not try to speak ahead of Him, and they act at His command. 27 He knows what is before them and what is behind them. They intercede for none except for him whom He is well pleased, and they tremble in awe of Him. 28 ۞ And whosoever of them should say: verily I am a god beside Him, such a one We shall requite with Hell; thus We requite the wrong-doers. 29