For, how many a community that persisted in evildoing have We dashed into fragments, and raised another people in its stead! 11 And when they tasted Our punishment, they immediately started fleeing from it. 12 We told them, "Do not run away. Come back to your luxuries and your houses so that you can be questioned". 13 And they could only cry: "Oh, woe unto us! Verily, we were wrongdoers!" 14 And that declaration of theirs did not cease until We made them [as] a harvest [mowed down], extinguished [like a fire]. 15 It was not in play that We created the heavens and the earth and all that lies between them. 16 had We desired to take to Us a diversion We would have taken it to Us from Ourselves, had We done aught. 17 No, We hurl truth at falsehood, and it shall conquer it, and see, falsehood vanishes. Woe to you for all you have described. 18 To Him belongs whosoever dwells in the heavens and on earth. Those (angels) that are with Him neither disdain to serve Him out of pride, nor do they weary of it. 19 Nor cease to endeavour praising Him night and day. 20 Have they chosen deities from earth? Can such deities give life to anyone? 21 Had there been within the heavens and earth gods besides Allah, they both would have been ruined. So exalted is Allah, Lord of the Throne, above what they describe. 22 He cannot be called to account for whatever He does, whereas they will be called to account: 23 Or have they taken for worship (other) gods besides him? Say, "Bring your convincing proof: this is the Message of those with me and the Message of those before me." But most of them know not the Truth, and so turn away. 24 And We did not send before you any apostle but We revealed to him that there is no god but Me, therefore serve Me. 25 And they say; the Compassionate hath taken a son. Hallowed be He! aye! they are bondmen honoured. 26 They do not precede Him in speech and (only) according to His commandment do they act. 27 He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, and they cannot intercede except on behalf of one whom He approves. And they, from fear of Him, are apprehensive. 28 ۞ And one of them who should say: Lo! I am a god beside Him, that one We should repay with hell. Thus We Repay wrong-doers. 29