[And thus will God continue:] "O you who have lived in close communion with [evil] invisible beings and [like-minded] humans! Have there not come unto you apostles from among yourselves, who conveyed unto you My messages and warned you of the coming of this your Day [of Judgment]?" They will answer: "We do bear witness against ourselves!" - for the life of this world had beguiled them: and so they will bear witness against themselves that they had been denying the truth. 130 And this (so that it may be clear) that your Lord does not destroy towns and cities arbitrarily while the citizens remain unaware. 131 They all have their degrees according to their deeds. Your Lord is not inattentive of their actions. 132 Your Lord is the self-sufficient One, the merciful. If He wills, He can take you away and replace you by anyone He pleases, just as He raised you from the offspring of other people. 133 Whatever you are promised will inevitably come true and you can do nothing to prevent it. 134 Say: 'Work according to your station my people, for indeed I am working' You shall know to whom will be the good end of the abode. The harmdoers shall not be triumphant. 135 And the polytheists assign to Allah from that which He created of crops and livestock a share and say, "This is for Allah," by their claim, "and this is for our partners [associated with Him]." But what is for their "partners" does not reach Allah, while what is for Allah - this reaches their "partners." Evil is that which they rule. 136 To many of the pagans, the murder of their children was made to seem attractive by the idols. This led them (the pagans) to confusion in their religion and to face their own destruction. Had God wanted, they would not have murdered their children. Keep away from them and their evil gains. 137 They, (the pagans), have said that their cattle and farms are dedicated to private idols and that no one can consume (the produce) except those whom We wanted, in their opinion. They prohibited the riding of certain animals and they ate the flesh of certain animals slaughtered without a mention of the Name of God. Instead, they ascribed falsehood to Him. They will all be given an evil recompense for their sinful invention. 138 And they say, 'What is within the bellies of these cattle is reserved for our males and forbidden to our spouses; but if it be dead, then they all shall be partners in it.' He will assuredly recompense them for their describing; surely He is All-wise, All-knowing. 139 Indeed ruined are those who slay their children out of senseless ignorance and forbid the sustenance which Allah has bestowed upon them, in order to fabricate lies against Allah; they have undoubtedly gone astray and not attained the path. 140