And recall what time thy Lord took from the children of Adam their posterity from their backs, and made them testify as to themselves saying: am I not your Lord? They said: Yea! we testify. That was lest ye should say on the Day of Resurrection: verily of this we have been unaware. 172 Or lest ye should say: "Our fathers before us may have taken false gods, but we are (their) descendants after them: wilt Thou then destroy us because of the deeds of men who were futile?" 173 As such We make plain Our verses in order that they return. 174 And recite to them the narrative of him to whom We give Our communications, but he withdraws himself from them, so the Shaitan overtakes him, so he is of those who go 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 as an example are people who reject Our signs and wrong their own souls. 177 Whom Allah doth guide,- he is on the right path: whom He rejects from His guidance,- such are the persons who perish. 178 Already have We urged unto hell many of the jinn and humankind, having hearts wherewith they understand not, and having eyes wherewith they see not, and having ears wherewith they hear not. These are as the cattle - nay, but they are worse! These are the neglectful. 179 God has the Most Excellent Names. Call on Him by His Names and keep away from those who distort them. They shall be requited for what they do. 180 And of those whom We have created are a people who guide with the truth and thereby they do justice. 181