۞ If God should hasten unto men evil as they would hasten good, their term would be already decided for them. But We leave those, who look not to encounter Us, in their insolence wandering blindly. 11 When affliction befalls a man, he supplicates to Us (lying) on his side, sitting or standing. But as soon as We relieve him from his affliction, he continues (in the same way), as though he never supplicated to Us when harm touched him. So it is, that which the sinners were doing seem fairly decorated to them. 12 And assuredly We have destroyed the generations before you when they did wrong, while their apostles came unto them with the evidences, and they were not such as to believe. In this wise We requite the sinning people. 13 Then We appointed you leaders in the land after them to see how you behaved. 14 AND [thus it is:] whenever Our messages are conveyed unto them in all their clarity, those who do not believe that they are destined to meet Us [are wont to] say: "Bring us a discourse other than this, or alter this one." Say [O Prophet]: "It is not conceivable that I should alter it of my own volition; I only follow what is revealed to me. Behold, I would dread, were I [thus] to rebel against my Sustainer, the suffering [which would befall me] on that awesome Day [of Judgment]!" 15 Say, “Had Allah willed I would not have recited it to you nor would He have made it known to you; so before this* I have spent an age among you; so do you not have sense?” (* Before Allah’s command to recite the Qur’an to you.) 16 Who is then more unjust than who forges a lie against Allah or (who) gives the lie to His communications? Surely the guilty shall not be successful. 17 And they worship the thing other than Allah, which neither harms them nor benefits them*, and they say, “These are our intercessors** before Allah”; say, “What! You inform Allah of something which in His knowledge does not exist in the heavens or in the earth?” Purity and Supremacy are to Him, above their association. (* Some things like the sun, stars, trees are useful but they too are created by Allah. Their worship will not benefit – in fact it is harmful ** Only the virtuous will be granted permission by Allah to intercede.) 18 And mankind were not but a single ccmmunity then they differed. And had not a word from thy Lord gone forth, it would have been decreed between them in respect of that wherein they differ. 19 They ask, "Why has no sign been sent down to him from his Lord?" Tell them, "God alone has knowledge of the unseen. So wait; I too will wait with you." 20