And how many a town which was iniquitous did We demolish, and We raised up after it another people! 11 When they felt Our punishment coming upon them, they began to flee from it. 12 'Do not run away. Return to your luxury that you rejoiced in, and your homes in order that you be questioned' 13 They said: woe unto us! verily we have been wrong-doers. 14 and this they kept repeating until We caused them to become like a field mowed down, and reduced to ashes. 15 And We did not create the heaven and the earth and what is between them for sport. 16 If We had pleased to make a plaything We could have made it Ourself, if We had cared to do so. 17 We bring forward the Truth to crush and destroy falsehood; it is doomed to be banished. Woe to you for your way of thinking about God! 18 To Him belongs all those who are in the heavens and the earth. Those who are closer to Him are not too proud to worship Him, nor do they get tired of worshipping. 19 They glorify Him day and night without fail. 20 Or have they taken (for worship) aliha (gods) from the earth who raise the dead? 21 Had there been in between the twain gods except Allah surely the twain would have gone to ruin. Hallowed be Allah, the Lord of the Throne, from that which they utter! 22 He will not be questioned as to that which He doeth, but they will be questioned. 23 Or, have they taken gods besides Him? Say: Bring your proof; this is the reminder of those with me and the reminder of those before me. Nay! most of them do not know the truth, so they turn aside. 24 Not a messenger did We send before thee without this inspiration sent by Us to him: that there is no god but I; therefore worship and serve Me. 25 And they say: The Beneficent hath taken unto Himself a son. Be He Glorified! Nay, but (those whom they call sons) are honoured slaves; 26 They precede Him not in words, and by His command they work. 27 He knows what is before them and what is behind them, and they do not intercede except for him whom He likes, and they fear with awe of Him. (The Holy Prophets and virtuous people will be given the permission to intercede. Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him – will be the first to intercede.) 28 ۞ And if any of them should say: "Verily, I am an ilah (a god) besides Him (Allah)," such a one We should recompense with Hell. Thus We recompense the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers, etc.). 29