How many towns rebelled against the commandment of their Lord and His Messengers. Then We called them to a stern accounting, and subjected them to a harrowing chastisement. 8 Wherefore they tasted the evil consequence of their affair, and the end of their affair was loss. 9 God prepared for them a terrible chastisement. So fear God, O men possessed of minds! Believers, God has sent down to you, for a remembrance, 10 The Noble Messenger who recites the clear verses of Allah to you, so that he may take those who accept faith and do good deeds, away from the realms of darkness towards light; and whoever accepts faith in Allah and does good deeds, Allah will admit him into Gardens beneath which rivers flow, to abide in them for ever and ever; indeed Allah has kept an excellent sustenance for him. 11 It is Allah who has created seven heavens and of the earth, the like of them. [His] command descends among them so you may know that Allah is over all things competent and that Allah has encompassed all things in knowledge. 12