This Book (Quran) which We have revealed is a blessed one. Follow its guidance and have piety so that you perhaps may receive mercy 155 Lest ye should say: "The Book was sent down to two Peoples before us, and for our part, we remained unacquainted with all that they learned by assiduous study:" 156 Or (you say), 'Had the Book been sent down to us, we would have been better guided than they' Indeed a clear sign has now come to you from your Lord; a guidance and a mercy. And who is more harmful than he who belies the verses of Allah and turns away from them! We shall recompense those who turn away from Our verses with an evil punishment for their turning away. 157 Are they waiting for the angels or your Lord to come to them, or for some of the signs of your Lord? On the Day when some of the signs of your Lord come, no soul will be benefited by its belief had it not believed before or earned good in its belief. Say: 'Wait, we are waiting' 158 Indeed, those who have divided their religion and become sects - you, [O Muhammad], are not [associated] with them in anything. Their affair is only [left] to Allah; then He will inform them about what they used to do. 159 Whoever comes [on the Day of Judgement] with a good deed will have ten times the like thereof [to his credit], and whoever comes with an evil deed will not be recompensed except the like thereof; and they will not be wronged. 160 Say: 'As for me, my Lord has guided me on to a straight way, a right religion, the way of Abraham who adopted it in exclusive devotion to Allah, and he was not of those who associated others with Allah in His divinity.' 161 Say: 'My prayer, my ritual sacrifice, my living, my dying -- all belongs to God, the Lord of all Being. 162 in whose divinity none has a share: for thus have I been bidden - and I shall [always] be foremost among those who surrender themselves unto Him." 163 Say thou: shall I seek a Lord other than Allah, while He is the Lord of everything? And no person earneth aught save against himself, and no bearer of burden shall bear another's burden. Thereafter unto your Lord shall be your return, and He will declare unto you that wherein ye have been disputing. 164 And it is He Who has made you generations coming after generations, replacing each other on the earth. And He has raised you in ranks, some above others that He may try you in that which He has bestowed on you. Surely your Lord is Swift in retribution, and certainly He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. 165