۞ 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 And when harm toucheth man, he calleth us on his side, or sitting or standing; then when We have removed his harm from him, he passeth on as though he had never called Us to a harm that touched him. In this wise is made fairseeming unto the extravagant that which they have been working. 12 And indeed, before your time We destroyed [whole] generations when they [persistently] did evil; their messengers came to them with clear signs, but they would not believe. Thus We requite the guilty. 13 Then We made you successors in the land after them so that We may observe how you will do. 14 When Our verses, clear verses, are recited to them, those who do not reckon to meet Us say: 'Bring a Koran other than this, or make changes in it' Say: 'It is not for me to change it by myself. I follow nothing, except what is sent down to me. Indeed, if I should rebel against my Lord I fear the punishment of a Great Day.' 15 Say: "Had God willed it [otherwise,] I would not have conveyed this [divine writ] unto you, nor would He have brought it to your knowledge. Indeed a whole lifetime have I dwelt among you ere this [revelation came unto me]: will you not, then, use your reason?" 16 Who does greater evil than he who forges a lie about Allah or belies His verses? Indeed, the evildoers do not prosper. 17 They worship those besides God who cannot do them harm or bring them gain, and say: "These are our intercessors with God." Say: "Do you want to inform God of things in the heavens and the earth He does not know?" Glorious is He, and too exalted for what they associate with Him! 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 And they say: Why is not a sign sent to him from his Lord? Say: The unseen is only for Allah; therefore wait-- surely I too, with you am of those who wait. 20