[And thus will God continue:] "O you who have lived in close communion with [evil] invisible beings and [like-minded] humans! Have there not come unto you apostles from among yourselves, who conveyed unto you My messages and warned you of the coming of this your Day [of Judgment]?" They will answer: "We do bear witness against ourselves!" - for the life of this world had beguiled them: and so they will bear witness against themselves that they had been denying the truth. 130 Your Lord did not want to destroy the towns, unjustly, without informing their inhabitants (of His guidance). 131 Every one has his place according to his deeds, for your Lord is not negligent of what you do. 132 And your Lord is Rich (Free of all wants), full of Mercy, if He will, He can destroy you, and in your place make whom He will as your successors, as He raised you from the seed of other people. 133 Surely what you have been promised shall come to pass; and you do not have the power to frustrate (Allah). 134 Say: O my people! act according to your ability; I too am acting; so you will soon come to know, for whom (of us) will be the (good) end of the abode; surely the unjust shall not be successful. 135 And they appoint for Allah, of the tilth and cattle He hath produced, a portion, they say according to their fancy: this is for Allah, and this for our associate-gods. Then, that which is for their associate-gods reacheth not Allah, while that which is for Allah reacheth their associate-gods; vile is the way they judge! 136 And thus their associates have made fair seeming to most of the polytheists the killing of their children, that they may cause them to perish and obscure for them their religion; and if Allah had pleased, they would not have done it, therefore leave them and that which they forge. 137 And they said, “These cattle and crops are forbidden; only those whom we wish can eat them” – in their opinion – and some cattle are those which they have forbidden riding upon, and some cattle over which they do not mention the name of Allah while slaughtering – all this is fabricating lies against Allah; He will soon repay them for their fabrications. 138 And they say: 'What is within the bellies of such-and-such cattle is exclusively for our males and is forbidden to our females; but if it be born dead, they all may share in it.' He will soon requite them for all that they (falsely) attribute to Allah. He is All-Wise, All-Knowing. 139 Lost, indeed, are they who, in their weak-minded ignorance, slay their children and declare as forbidden that which God has provided for them as sustenance, falsely ascribing [such prohibitions] to God: they have gone astray and have not found the right path. 140