Allah doth know what every female (womb) doth bear, by how much the wombs fall short (of their time or number) or do exceed. Every single thing is before His sight, in (due) proportion. 8 He knows all the unseen and seen. He is the most Great and High. 9 Alike (to Him) among you is he who conceals (his) words and he who speaks them openly, and he who hides himself by night and (who) goes forth by day. 10 There are guardians over everyone, both before him and behind him, who guard him by Allah's command. Verily Allah does not change a people's condition unless they change their inner selves. And when Allah decides to make a people suffer punishment, no one can avert it. Nor can any be of help to such a people against Allah. 11 He it is Who shows you the lightning causing fear and hope and (Who) brings up the heavy cloud. 12 The thunder celebrates His praise and holiness, and the angels, too, celebrate His praise for awe of Him. He hurls thunderbolts, striking with them whom He wills while they are engaged in disputation concerning Allah. He is Mighty in His contriving. 13 The only true appeal is to God alone; those they appeal to instead of Him will never respond to them in any way. They are like a man who stretches forth his hands toward the water, so that it may reach his mouth, but it never does. The calls of those who deny the truth are all in vain. 14 Whosoever is in the heavens and on earth bows to God in submission with a will or perforce, as do their shadows in the morning and evening. ۩ 15 Ask them: "Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?" (They will) say: "God." Say: "Then why do you take protectors besides Him who have no power over their own gain or loss?" Say: "Can a blind man and one who can see be equal? Or, darkness and light be the same? Or, have those they have appointed equal of God created, as He has created, so that the (two) creations look alike to them?" Say: "God is the creator of everything. He is One, the omnipotent." 16 He sent down water from the sky, so valleys flowed according to their measure, therefore the water flow brought forth the froth swollen upon it; and upon which they ignite the fire, to make ornaments and tools, from that too rises a similar froth; Allah illustrates that this is the example of the truth and the falsehood; the froth then bursts and disappears; and that which is of use to people, remains in the earth; this is how Allah illustrates the examples. 17 For those who obeyed the command of Allah is goodness and if those who did not obey Him owned all that is in the earth and in addition a similar one like it, they would give it to redeem their souls; it is they who will have a wretched account, and their destination is hell; and what a wretched resting place! 18