How many unjust towns did We destroy and replace them with other nations? 11 And [every time,] as soon as they began to feel Our punishing might, lo! they tried to flee from it 12 "Do not flee; go back to your halls of pleasure and your habitations, so that you may be interrogated." 13 They said: "Woe to us; surely we were wrong-doers." 14 And this ceased not to be their cry till We made them cut off, extinct. 15 And We have not created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them, unnecessarily. 16 Had We wanted to play games, We could have certainly done so with things at hand. 17 Nay, but [by the very act of creation] We hurl the truth against falsehood, and it crushes the latter: and lo! it withers away. But woe unto you for all your [attempts at] defining [God] 18 To Him belongs whosoever is in the heavens and on earth. And those who are near Him (i.e. the angels) are not too proud to worship Him, nor are they weary (of His worship). 19 They glorify (Him) by night and day; they are never languid. 20 Or have they taken gods from the earth who raise (the dead). 21 had there been in heaven or on earth any deities other than God, both [those realms would surely have fallen into ruin! But limitless in His glory is God, enthroned in His awesome almightiness far] above anything that men may devise by way of definition! 22 He cannot be questioned for His acts, but they will be questioned (for theirs). 23 and yet, they choose to worship [imaginary] deities instead of Him! Say [O Prophet]: "Produce an evidence for what you are claiming: this is a reminder [unceasingly voiced] by those who are with me, just as it was a reminder [voiced] by those who came before me." But nay, most of them do not know the truth, and so they stubbornly turn away [from it] 24 We have not sent an apostle before you without instructing him that there is no god but I, so worship Me. 25 And [yet,] some say: "The Most Gracious has taken unto Himself a son"! Limitless is He in His glory! Nay, [those whom they regard as God's "offspring" are but His] honoured servants: 26 they speak not until He has spoken unto them, and [whenever they act,] they act at His behest. 27 He knoweth whatsoever is before them and whatsoever is behind them; and they intercede not except for him whom He approveth, and in awe of Him they are fearful. 28 ۞ If any one of them said: "I am God besides Him," We should award him Hell; for this is how We requite the evil-doers. 29