Verily, God knows the hidden reality of the heavens and the earth: [and,] behold, He has full knowledge of what is in the hearts [of men]. 38 He it is Who has made you successors generations after generations in the earth, so whosoever disbelieves (in Islamic Monotheism) on him will be his disbelief. And the disbelief of the disbelievers adds nothing but hatred with their Lord. And the disbelief of the disbelievers adds nothing but loss. 39 Say thou: what bethink ye of your associate-gods upon which ye call besides Allah? Show me whatsoever they have created of the earth. Or, have they any partnership in the heavens? Or have We vouchsafed to them a Book so that they stand on an evidence therefrom? Nay! the wrong-doers promise each other only delusions. 40 ۞ Indeed, Allah holds the heavens and the earth, lest they cease. And if they should cease, no one could hold them [in place] after Him. Indeed, He is Forbearing and Forgiving. 41 And they swore by Allah their strongest oaths that if a warner came to them, they would be more guided than [any] one of the [previous] nations. But when a warner came to them, it did not increase them except in aversion. 42 Priding themselves in the earth and scheming evil; and the evil scheming falls only upon those who scheme it; so what are they waiting for, except the tradition of the earlier nations? So you will never find the traditions of Allah changing; and you will never find Allah’s law being avoided. 43 Have they not travelled (sufficiently) through the land to see how terrible was the end of the mightier people who lived before them. Nothing in the heavens or the earth can challenge God. God is All-knowing and All-powerful. 44 And if Allah were to punish men for that which they earned, He would not leave a moving (living) creature on the surface of the earth, but He gives them respite to an appointed term, and when their term comes, then verily, Allah is Ever AllSeer of His slaves. 45