۞ Had God been as hasty to punish people as they were hasty to achieve good, their life would have already ended. We will leave those who have no hope of receiving Our mercy, in the life hereafter, to continue blindly in their transgression. 11 When trouble toucheth a man, He crieth unto Us (in all postures)- lying down on his side, or sitting, or standing. But when We have solved his trouble, he passeth on his way as if he had never cried to Us for a trouble that touched him! thus do the deeds of transgressors seem fair in their eyes! 12 And We had already destroyed generations before you when they wronged, and their messengers had come to them with clear proofs, but they were not to believe. Thus do We recompense the criminal people 13 Then We appointed you leaders in the land after them to see how you behaved. 14 And when Our clear communications are recited to them, those who hope not for Our meeting say: Bring a Quran other than this or change it. Say: It does not beseem me that I should change it of myself; I follow naught but what is revealed to me; surely I fear, if I disobey my Lord, the punishment of a mighty day. 15 Say, "If God had so wished, I would not have recited it to you, nor would He have brought it to your knowledge. Indeed, I have spent a whole lifetime among you before it came to me. How can you not use your reason?" 16 So who is more unjust than he who invents a lie about Allah or denies His signs? Indeed, the criminals will not succeed 17 They worship, other than Allah, that which can neither harm nor benefit them, and say: 'These are our intercessors with Allah' Say: 'Will you tell Allah of something He does not know about either in the heavens or earth? Exaltations to Him! Exalted be He above what they associate' 18 Men were once a community of one faith; but they differed (and followed different ways). Had it not been for the word proclaimed by your Lord before, their differences would have been resolved. 19 And they say: wherefore is not a sign sent down unto him from his Lord! Say thou: the hidden belongeth unto Allah alone; so wait, verily I am with you among those who wait. 20