And this, too, is a divine writ which We have bestowed from on high, a blessed one: follow it, then, and be conscious of God, so that you might be graced with His mercy. 155 Lest you (pagan Arabs) should say: "The Book was only sent down to two sects before us (the Jews and the Christians), and for our part, we were in fact unaware of what they studied." 156 or proclaim, "Had the Book been revealed to us, we would have followed its guidance better than the (Jews and Christians). Evidence, guidance, and mercy have already come to you from your Lord. Who are more unjust than those who reject God's revelations and turn away from them? We will give an evil recompense to those who turn away from Our revelations and a terrible torment for their disregard (of Our guidance) 157 What! Do they wait either for the angels to appear before them or for your Lord to come unto them or for some clear signs of your Lord to appear before them? When some clear signs of your Lord will appear, believing will be of no avail to anyone who did not believe before, or who earned no good deeds through his faith. Say: 'Wait on; we too are waiting.' 158 Verily, those who divide their religion and break up into sects (all kinds of religious sects), you (O Muhammad SAW) have no concern in them in the least. Their affair is only with Allah, Who then will tell them what they used to do. 159 Whosoever will come with a virtue for him shall be then like thereof, and whosoever will come with a vice shall not be requited save with the like thereof; and they shall not be wronged. 160 Say: 'My Lord has guided me to a Straight Path, an upright religion, the creed of Abraham, he was upright, not from the idolaters' 161 Say, “Undoubtedly my prayers and my sacrifices, and my living and my dying are all for Allah, the Lord Of The Creation.” 162 No associate has He. Even so I have been commanded, and I am the first of those that surrender.' 163 Say: 'Should I seek a lord other than Allah, who is the Lord of all things? Every soul earns only to its account no soul shall bear another's burden. Then to your Lord you shall be returned, and He will inform you about that in which you differed' 164 And it is He who has made you successors upon the earth and has raised some of you above others in degrees [of rank] that He may try you through what He has given you. Indeed, your Lord is swift in penalty; but indeed, He is Forgiving and Merciful. 165