Verily Allah knows (all) the hidden things of the heavens and the earth: verily He has full knowledge of all that is in (men's) hearts. 38 It is He Who made you vicegerents in the earth. So whoever disbelieves will bear the burden of his unbelief. The unbelievers' unbelief adds nothing but Allah's wrath against them. The unbelievers' unbelief adds nothing but their own loss. 39 Say: 'Have you considered your associates on whom you call, apart from God? Show me what they have created in the earth; or have they a partnership in the heavens?' Or have We given them a Book, so that they are upon a clear sign from it? Nay, but the evildoers promise one another naught but delusion. 40 ۞ Surely Allah upholds the heavens and the earth lest they come to naught; and if they should come to naught, there Is none who can uphold them after Him; surely He is the Forbearing, the Forgiving. 41 They solemnly swore by Allah that if a warner came to them they would be more rightly guided than any other of the nations. Yet, when a warner came to them, it only increased their aversion, 42 behaving arrogantly in the land and devising evil. But, evil devising coils only those who do it. Do they look except for the ways of former nations? You shall never find any change in the way of Allah. 43 Have they not travelled in the land and seen the nature of the consequence for those who were before them, and they were mightier than these in power? Allah is not such that aught in the heavens or in the earth escapeth Him. Lo! He is the Wise, the Mighty. 44 Now if God were to take men [at once] to task for whatever [wrong] they commit [on earth,] He would not leave a single living creature upon its surface. However, He grants them respite for a term set [by Him]: but when their term comes to an end - then, verily, [they come to know that] God sees all that is in [the hearts of] His servants. 45