And (remember) when your Lord brought forth from the Children of Adam, from their loins, their seed (or from Adam's loin his offspring) and made them testify as to themselves (saying): "Am I not your Lord?" They said: "Yes! We testify," lest you should say on the Day of Resurrection: "Verily, we have been unaware of this." 172 or lest you say, 'Our fathers were idolaters aforetime, and we were seed after them. What, wilt Thou then destroy us for the deeds of the vain-doers?' 173 And thus do We expound the signs that they may turn back (to the right path). 174 And recite to them the narrative of him to whom We give Our communications, but he withdraws himself from them, so the Shaitan overtakes him, so he is of those who go astray. 175 Now had We so willed, We could indeed have exalted him by means of those [messages]: but he always clung to the earth and followed but his own desires. Thus, his parable is that of an [excited] dog: if thou approach him threateningly, he will pant with his tongue lolling; and if thou leave him alone, he will pant with his tongue lolling. Such is the parable of those who are bent on giving the lie to Our messages. Tell [them,] then, this story, so that they might take thought. 176 Evil is the case of those who deny Our signs and wrong themselves. 177 Whomsoever Allah guideth, he is the rightly guided: and whomsoever He sendeth astray - those! they are the losers. 178 And assuredly We have created for Hell many of the genii and mankind; they have hearts wherewith they understand not, and they have eyes wherewith they see not, and they have ears wherewith they hearken not; they are like unto cattle; nay, they are further astray; those! they are the negligent ones. 179 All the names of God are beautiful, so call Him by them; and leave those alone who act profanely towards His names: They will be retributed for their deeds. 180 Among those whom We created there is a nation who guide with the truth and with it they are just. 181