How many a wrong-doing town did We shatter and then raise up another people. 11 And when its inhabitants perceived Our punishment, at once they fled 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 Such was what they continued to say until We mowed them down and made them completely extinct. 15 Not for (idle) sport did We create the heavens and the earth and all that is between! 16 Had We wished to take to Us an amusement We would have taken it to Us from Ours had We done so. 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 And whoever is in the heavens and the earth is His; and those who are with Him are not proud to serve Him, nor do they grow weary. 19 They exalt [Him] night and day [and] do not slacken. 20 Or have men taken for themselves gods from the earth who resurrect [the dead]? 21 Had there been any gods in the heavens and the earth apart from Allah, the order of both the heavens and the earth would have gone to ruins. Glory be to Allah, the Lord of the Throne, Who is far above their false descriptions of Him. 22 He cannot be questioned for His acts, but they will be questioned (for theirs). 23 Have they taken other deities besides Him? Say to them, "Bring your proofs. This is the reminder of those who are with me and the reminder of those who were before me." But most of them do not know the truth, and so they turn away from it. 24 We sent all messengers before you with this revelation: "There is no deity save Me, so worship Me alone." 25 They say:' 'The All-merciful has taken to Him a son.' Glory be to Him! Nay, but they are honoured servants 26 that outstrip Him not in speech, and perform as He commands. 27 He knows what was there before them and what came after them; and they did not intercede for any one but whom He willed, and they were filled with awe of Him. 28 ۞ The recompense of those of them who say that they are the Lord instead of God will be hell; thus, do We recompense the unjust ones. 29