So will one whose misdeeds are made seeming good to him – so he deems them good – be ever equal to the one who is upon guidance? Therefore indeed Allah sends astray whomever He wills, and guides whomever He wills; so may not your life be lost in despairing after them; Allah knows their deeds very well. 8 And Allah is He Who sends the winds so they raise a cloud, then We drive it on to a dead country, and therewith We give life to the earth after its death; even so is the quickening. 9 Whosoever desires honour (should remember) that all honour is with God. All good words ascend to Him, and all good deeds He exalts. As for those who are plotting evil, there is severe punishment for them, and their plots will be fruitless. 10 And Allah created you from dust, then from a sperm-drop; then He made you mates. And no female conceives nor does she give birth except with His knowledge. And no aged person is granted [additional] life nor is his lifespan lessened but that it is in a register. Indeed, that for Allah is easy. 11 [Easy is it for Him to create likeness and variety:] thus, the two great bodies of water [on earth] are not alike the one sweet, thirst-allaying, pleasant to drink, and the other salty and bitter: and yet, from either of them do you eat fresh meat, and [from either] you take gems which you may wear; and on either thou canst see ships ploughing through the waves, so that you might [be able to] go forth in quest of some of His bounty, and thus have cause to be grateful. 12 He maketh the night to pass into the day and He maketh the day to pass into the night. He hath subdued the sun and moon to service. Each runneth unto an appointed term. Such is Allah, your Lord; His is the Sovereignty; and those unto whom ye pray instead of Him own not so much as the white spot on a date-stone. 13 If ye call unto them, they hear not your calling, and even if they heard, they could not answer you. On the Day of Judgment they will deny your associating. And none can declare unto thee the truth like Him who is Aware. 14