۞ Had God been as hasty to punish people as they were hasty to achieve good, their life would have already ended. We will leave those who have no hope of receiving Our mercy, in the life hereafter, to continue blindly in their transgression. 11 When affliction visits a man, he calls Us on his side, or sitting, or standing; but when We have removed his affliction from him, he passes on, as if he never called Us to an affliction that visited him. So decked out fair to the prodigal is that they have been doing. 12 How many generations did We lay low before you when they became wilfully unjust. Their apostles had brought clear proofs to them, yet they never believed. So We punished the sinful people. 13 Then We appointed you as caliphs in the earth after them, in order that We might see what deeds you perform. 14 And when Our clear verses are recited to them, the people who do not expect to meet Us say, “Bring a Qur’an other than this one, or change it”; say (O dear Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him), “I do not have the right to change it on my own; I only follow what is divinely revealed to me; if I were to disobey my Lord*, then I fear the punishment of the Great Day (of Resurrection). (* Which is impossible.) 15 Say thou: had Allah so willed, I would not have rehearsed it unto you, nor would He have acquainted you therewith. Of a surety I have tarried among you a lifetime before it. Would ye not then reflect? 16 Who doeth greater wrong than he who inventeth a lie concerning Allah and denieth His revelations? Lo! the guilty never are successful. 17 They worship beside Allah that which neither hurteth them nor profiteth them, and they say: These are our intercessors with Allah. Say: Would ye inform Allah of (something) that He knoweth not in the heavens or in the earth? Praised be He and High Exalted above all that ye associate (with Him)! 18 (Before) mankind were but one nation, then they differed with one another. But for a Word that preceded from your Lord, it (the matters) over which they differed had already been decided. 19 NOW THEY [who deny the truth] are wont to ask, "Why has no miraculous sign ever been bestowed upon him from on high by his Sustainer?" Say, then: "God's alone is the knowledge of that which is beyond the reach of human perception. Wait, then, [until His will becomes manifest:] verily, I shall wait with you!" 20