۞ Say: "Do you refuse to believe in Him who created the earth in two spans of time, and set up compeers to Him, the Lord of all the worlds? 9 He placed therein firm hills rising above it, and blessed it and measured therein its sustenance in four Days, alike for (all) who ask; 10 He then inclined towards the heavens and it was smoke – thereupon He said to it and to the earth, “Both of you present yourselves, willingly or with reluctance”; they said, “We present ourselves, with zeal.” 11 So He determined them as seven heavens in two days, and revealed its commandment in every heaven.' 12 If even then they turn away, tell them: "I forewarn you of a terrible punishment like the thunderbolt that fell upon the 'Ad and Thamud." 13 When their messengers came unto them from before them and behind them, saying: Worship none but Allah! they said: If our Lord had willed, He surely would have sent down angels (unto us), so lo! we are disbelievers in that wherewith ye have been sent. 14 Now the 'Ad behaved arrogantly through the land, against (all) truth and reason, and said: "Who is superior to us in strength?" What! did they not see that Allah, Who created them, was superior to them in strength? But they continued to reject Our Signs! 15 Then, on the ominous days, We loosed against them a howling wind that We might let them taste the punishment of humiliation in this life; but more humiliating will be the punishment of the Everlasting Life and they will not be helped. 16 We sent guidance to the people of Thamud but they preferred blindness to guidance so a humiliating blast of torment struck them for their evil deeds. 17 And We delivered those who believed and used to keep their duty to Allah. 18