And this (the Qur’an) is the blessed Book which We have sent down; so follow it and be pious, so there may be mercy upon you. 155 Lest ye should say: "The Book was sent down to two Peoples before us, and for our part, we remained unacquainted with all that they learned by assiduous study:" 156 Or lest you should say: If the Book had been revealed to us, we would certainly have been better guided than they, so indeed there has come to you clear proof from your Lord, and guidance and mercy. Who then is more unjust than he who rejects Allah's communications and turns away from them? We will reward those who turn away from Our communications with an evil chastisement because they turned away. 157 What are the people waiting for? For the angels to come down, or your Lord to appear, or some signs from your Lord? The day when certain signs appear from your Lord, the embracing of faith shall not be of any avail to one who did not come to belief at first, or who did not perform good deeds by virtue of his faith. Tell them: "Wait on, we are waiting too (for the good and evil to become distinct)." 158 Those who have made divisions in their religion and become sects, thou art not of them in anything; their affair is unto God, then He will tell them what they have been doing. 159 Whoever shall come [before God] with a good deed will gain ten times the like thereof; but whoever shall come with an evil deed will be requited with no more than the like thereof; and none shall be wronged. 160 Say, “Indeed my Lord has guided me to the Straight Path; the right religion, (of) the community of Ibrahim who was free from all falsehood; and was not a polytheist.” 161 Say: "Truly, my prayer and my service of sacrifice, my life and my death, are (all) for Allah, the Cherisher of the Worlds: 162 No associate has He. Even so I have been commanded, and I am the first of those that surrender.' 163 Say: "Shall I seek for (my) Cherisher other than Allah, when He is the Cherisher of all things (that exist)? Every soul draws the meed of its acts on none but itself: no bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another. Your goal in the end is towards Allah: He will tell you the truth of the things wherein ye disputed." 164 It is He who has made you caliphs in the earth and raised some of you in rank above others, so that He might try you in what He has given you. Swift is your Lord in retribution; yet He is Forgiving, Merciful. 165