When Abraham said to his father and his people: "I am rid of what you worship 26 "(I worship) only Him Who made me, and He will certainly guide me." 27 God made (belief in one God) an everlasting task for his successors, so that perhaps they would return (to Him). 28 Nay! I gave them and their fathers to enjoy until there came to them the truth and an Apostle making manifest (the truth). 29 And when the truth (this Quran) came to them, they (the disbelievers in this Quran) said: "This is magic, and we disbelieve therein." 30 And they say, too, "Why was not this Qur'an bestowed from on high on some great man of the two cities?" 31 Will they distribute the mercy of your Lord? We distribute among them their livelihood in the life of this world, and We j have exalted some of them above others in degrees, that some of them may take others in subjection; and the mercy of your Lord is better than what they amass. 32 And if it were not that the people would become one community [of disbelievers], We would have made for those who disbelieve in the Most Merciful - for their houses - ceilings and stairways of silver upon which to mount 33 And for their houses doors (of silver) and couches of silver whereon to recline, 34 And ornaments of gold. Yet all that would have been but a provision of the life of the world. And the Hereafter with your Lord would have been for those who keep from evil. 35