Those who deny the truth said to their messengers, "We shall banish you from our land unless you return to our ways." But their Lord inspired the messengers, saying, "We shall destroy the evil-doers, 13 and will then cause you to settle in the land as their successors. That is the reward for him who fears to stand for reckoning and holds My threat in awe." 14 And they requested victory from Allah, and disappointed, [therefore], was every obstinate tyrant. 15 Beyond him is Hell, and he shall drink putrid water; 16 which he will gulp but will scarcely swallow, and death will come upon him from every quarter, and yet he will not be able to die. A terrible chastisement lies ahead in pursuit of him. 17 Like ashes are the deeds of those who deny their Lord, which the wind blows away on a windy day. They shall have no power over what they earned. This is the farthest limit of going astray. 18 Have you not seen that Allah created the heavens and the earth in truth? If He wills, He can do away with you and produce a new creation. 19 that is no difficult thing for God. 20 And all [mankind] will appear before God [on the Day of Judgment]; and then the weak will say unto those who had gloried in their arrogance: "Behold, We were but your followers: can you, then, relieve us of something of God's chastisement?" [And the others] will answer: "If God would but show us the way [to salvation,] we would indeed guide you [towards it]. It is [now] all one, as far as we are concerned, whether we grieve impatiently or endure [our lot] with patience: there is no escape for us!" 21