How many a wrong-doing town did We shatter and then raise up another people. 11 And [every time,] as soon as they began to feel Our punishing might, lo! they tried to flee from it 12 [and at the same time they seemed to hear a scornful voice]: "Do not try to flee, but return to all that [once] gave you pleasure and corrupted your whole being, and [return] to your homes, so that you might be called to account [for what you have done]!" 13 They said: woe unto us! verily we have been wrong-doers. 14 and this they kept repeating until We caused them to become like a field mowed down, and reduced to ashes. 15 And We have not created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them, unnecessarily. 16 [for,] had We willed to indulge in a pastime, We would indeed have produced it from within Ourselves - if such had been Our will at all! 17 Nay, but We hurl the true against the false, and it doth break its head and lo! it vanisheth. And yours will be woe for that which ye ascribe (unto Him). 18 To Him belongs whoever is in the heavens and the earth. And those near Him are not prevented by arrogance from His worship, nor do they tire. 19 they extol His limitless glory by night and by day, never flagging [therein]. 20 Or have they taken gods from the earth who raise (the dead). 21 had there been in heaven or on earth any deities other than God, both [those realms would surely have fallen into ruin! But limitless in His glory is God, enthroned in His awesome almightiness far] above anything that men may devise by way of definition! 22 He is not to be questioned about what He does, but they shall be questioned. 23 Have they taken gods besides God? Say: "Then bring your proof. Here is the Book of those who are with me, and the Book of those who have gone before me." But most men do not know the truth and turn away. 24 We never sent a Messenger before you except that We revealed to him saying: 'There is no god except Me, therefore, worship Me' 25 They said, "The Beneficent God has given birth to a son. He is too Exalted to give birth to a son." (Those whom they think are God's sons) are only His honorable servants. 26 They speak not until He has spoken, and they act on His Command. 27 He knows all that lies open before them and all that is hidden from them: hence, they cannot intercede for any but those whom He has [already] graced with His goodly acceptance, since they themselves stand in reverent awe of Him. 28 ۞ And if any of them were to say: "Behold, I am deity beside Him" - that one We should requite with hell: thus do We requite all [such] evildoers. 29