Allah knows all what is inside the womb of every female, and every increase and decrease of the wombs; and all things are with Him by a set measure. 8 (He is) the Knower of the unseen and the seen, the Great, the Exalted. 9 It is the same (to Him) whether any of you conceal his speech or declare it openly, whether he be hid by night or go forth freely by day. 10 For his sake there are angels following one another, before him and behind him, who guard him by Allah's commandment; surely Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change their own condition; and when Allah intends evil to a people, there is no averting it, and besides Him they have no protector. 11 It is He who shows you lightening, [causing] fear and aspiration, and generates the heavy clouds. 12 and the thunder extols His limitless glory and praises Him, and [so do] the angels, in awe of Him; and He [it is who] lets loose the thunderbolts and strikes with them whom He wills. And yet, they stubbornly argue about God, notwithstanding [all evidence] that He alone has the power to contrive whatever His unfathomable wisdom wills! 13 For Him (alone) is prayer in Truth: any others that they call upon besides Him hear them no more than if they were to stretch forth their hands for water to reach their mouths but it reaches them not: for the prayer of those without Faith is nothing but (futile) wandering (in the mind). 14 And to Allah prostrates whoever is within the heavens and the earth, willingly or by compulsion, and their shadows [as well] in the mornings and the afternoons. ۩ 15 Say (O dear Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him), “Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?” Proclaim, “Allah”; Say, “So have you appointed such as supporters besides Him, who can neither benefit nor harm themselves?”; say, “Will the blind and the sighted ever be equal? Or will the realms of darkness and the light ever be equal?” Have they appointed such as partners to Allah who created something like Allah did? Therefore their creation and His creation seemed alike to them? Proclaim, “Allah is the Creator of all things, and He Alone is the Dominant over all.” 16 He sends down water from the skies, and the channels flow, each according to its measure: But the torrent bears away to foam that mounts up to the surface. Even so, from that (ore) which they heat in the fire, to make ornaments or utensils therewith, there is a scum likewise. Thus doth Allah (by parables) show forth Truth and Vanity. For the scum disappears like forth cast out; while that which is for the good of mankind remains on the earth. Thus doth Allah set forth parables. 17 There will be the best of rewards for those who respond to their Lord: while those who do not respond to Him -- if they possessed all that is on earth and twice as much, they would surely offer it as ransom [on the Day of Judgement]; -- will have the worst reckoning and their goal is Hell: and how evil a resting-place! 18