And remember when your Lord proclaimed, “If you give thanks, I will give you more, and if you are ungrateful then (know that) My punishment is severe.” 7 And Musa (Moses) said: "If you disbelieve, you and all on earth together, then verily! Allah is Rich (Free of all wants), Owner of all Praise." 8 HAVE THE STORIES of those [deniers of the truth] who lived before you never yet come within your ken - [the stories of] the people of Noah, and of [the tribes of] 'Ad and Thamud, and of those who came after them? None knows them [now] save God. There came unto them their apostles with all evidence of the truth - but they covered their mouths with their hands and answered: "Behold, we refuse to regard as true the message with which you [claim to] have been entrusted; and behold, we are in grave doubt, amounting to suspicion, about [the meaning of] your call to us!" 9 ۞ The Messengers asked them, "Could there be any doubt about the existence of God who has created the heavens and the earth? He calls you to Himself to forgive your sins. He gives you respite only until the appointed time." They said, "You are mere mortals like us. What you want is to prevent us from worshipping that which our fathers worshipped. Show us clear proof (if what you say is true)." 10 Their Noble Messengers said to them, “We are indeed human beings like you, but Allah bestows favour upon whomever He wills, among His bondmen*; it is not our task to bring any proof to you except by the command of Allah; and only upon Allah must the Muslims rely.” (* Therefore Prophets and other men are not equal in status.) 11 And how could we not place our trust in God, seeing that it is He who has shown us the path which we are to follow? "Hence, we shall certainly bear with patience whatever hurt you may do us: for, all who have trust [in His existence] must place their trust in God [alone]!" 12