Lost indeed are they who treat it as a falsehood that they must meet Allah,- until on a sudden the hour is on them, and they say: "Ah! woe unto us that we took no thought of it"; for they bear their burdens on their backs, and evil indeed are the burdens that they bear? 31 What is the life of this world but play and amusement? But best is the home in the hereafter, for those who are righteous. Will ye not then understand? 32 (O Muhammad!) We know indeed that the things they say grieve you, though in truth it is not you whom they give the lie to, but it is the signs of Allah that these wrong-doers reject. 33 Messengers before you have been given the lie to, and they endured with patience their being given the lie to and being persecuted until the time when Our help reached them. None has the power to alter the words of Allah. Indeed some account of the Messengers has already reached you. 34 If their spurning is hard on thy mind, yet if thou wert able to seek a tunnel in the ground or a ladder to the skies and bring them a sign,- (what good?). If it were Allah's will, He could gather them together unto true guidance: so be not thou amongst those who are swayed by ignorance (and impatience)! 35 ۞ Only they will respond who can hear. As for the dead, raised they will be by God, then to Him they will be returned. 36 They say: Why hath no portent been sent down upon him from his Lord? Say: Lo! Allah is Able to send down a portent. But most of them know not. 37 All the beasts on land and flying birds have different communities, just as you (people) do. Nothing is left without a mention in the Book. They will all be brought into the presence of their Lord. 38 Those who reject Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) are deaf and dumb in darkness. Allah sends astray whom He wills and He guides on the Straight Path whom He wills. 39 Say, "Tell me if the punishment of God came upon you or the Hour overtook you, would you call upon any other than God, if you are truthful?" 40 Aye! unto Him alone ye would cry, and He would remove that where for ye cried unto Him, if He will, and ye would forget that which ye associate. 41