Call to mind when Abraham said to his father and his people, "I disown utterly that which you worship. 26 except Him who originated me; and He will guide me. 27 God made (belief in one God) an everlasting task for his successors, so that perhaps they would return (to Him). 28 Now [as for those who did come after him,] I allowed them - as [I had allowed] their forebears - to enjoy their lives freely until the truth should come unto them through an apostle who would make all things clear: 29 And when the Truth came to them they said: “This is just sorcery and we reject it.” 30 And they said, “Why was the Qur’an not sent down upon some chieftain of these two great towns?” (The chiefs of Mecca and Taif). 31 Do they distribute the mercy of your Lord? It is We who have distributed their sustenance in this world and raised the positions of some of them above the others so that they would mock each other. The mercy of your Lord is better than what they can amass. 32 Were it not for the fear that all people would become one in disbelief, We would have made for the disbelievers in the Beneficent God ceilings out of silver and ladders by which they would climb up, 33 and [silver] doors for their houses, and [silver] couches whereon to recline, 34 and ornaments of gold. But all of these are but the provision of this present life; it is the life to come that the Lord reserves for those who fear Him. 35