And indeed, [even] before thy time have [God's] apostles been derided, and for a while I gave rein to those who were [thus] bent on denying the truth: but then I took them to task - and how awesome was My retribution! 32 Who is it who stands (watch) over every soul for what it does? Yet they ascribe compeers to God. Say: "Then name them. Or are you announcing to God what He does not know on the earth? Or is it only empty talk? In fact, the unbelievers' plots are made to look attractive to them, so that they are held back from the right path. Whosoever God allows to go astray has none to show him the way. 33 For them is torment in the life of the world, and surely the torment of the Hereafter is harder; and from Allah there is for them no protector. 34 ۞ Such is the Paradise which the righteous have been promised: it is watered by running streams: eternal is its fruit, and eternal is its shade. That is the recompense of those who are righteous, but the recompense of those who deny the truth is the Fire. 35 The People of the Book are happy with what has been revealed to you. Among the different parties, there are some who dislike part of what has been revealed to you. (Muhammad), tell them, "I have been commanded to worship God alone, not to consider anything equal to Him. To Him do I pray and to Him shall I return." 36 Thus have We revealed it to be a judgment of authority in Arabic. Wert thou to follow their (vain) desires after the knowledge which hath reached thee, then wouldst thou find neither protector nor defender against Allah. 37