The disbelievers told the Messengers, "We shall expel you from our land unless you revert to our religion." Their Lord then sent them (the messengers) a revelation, "We have decided to destroy the unjust 13 and will then cause you to settle in the land as their successors. That is the reward for him who fears to stand for reckoning and holds My threat in awe." 14 And they sought help (from their Lord) and every froward potentate was bought to naught; 15 Hell is before him and he shall be made to drink of the oozing pus, 16 he will sip and will not find it easy to swallow it. Death will approach him from every quarter, yet he will not die. More intense suffering will lie ahead of him. 17 The works of those who deny their Lord are like ashes which the wind scatters on a stormy day: they shall gain nothing from what they do. To act thus is to stray far into error. 18 Do you not see that Allah created the heavens and the earth with truth? If He please He will take you off and bring a new creation, 19 that is surely no great matter for God. 20 And they shall all come forth before Allah, then the weak shall say to those who were proud: Surely we were your followers, can you therefore avert from us any part of the chastisement of Allah? They would say: If Allah had guided us, we too would have guided you; it is the same to us whether we are impatient (now) or patient, there is no place for us to fly to. 21