How many were the populations We utterly destroyed because of their iniquities, setting up in their places other peoples? 11 When they felt Our punishment coming upon them, they began to flee from it. 12 'Do not run away. Return to your luxury that you rejoiced in, and your homes in order that you be questioned' 13 They said, "Woe to us! We were indeed wrongdoers," 14 Such was what they continued to say until We mowed them down and made them completely extinct. 15 And We have not created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them, unnecessarily. 16 Had We wished to take to Us an amusement We would have taken it to Us from Ours had We done so. 17 Nay, We hurl the Truth against falsehood, and it knocks out its brain, and behold, falsehood doth perish! Ah! woe be to you for the (false) things ye ascribe (to Us). 18 And His is whosoever is in the heavens and the earth; and those nigh unto Him are not too stiff-necked for His worship nor are they weary. 19 They glorify Him day and night without fail. 20 And yet some people choose to worship certain earthly things or beings as deities that [are supposed to] resurrect [the dead; and they fail to realize that,] 21 If other than Allah, there were gods* in the heavens and the earth, they would be destroyed; therefore Purity is to Allah, Owner of the Throne, from the matters that they fabricate. (* Which is not possible.) 22 He is not to be questioned about what He does, but they shall be questioned. 23 Or have they taken gods apart from Him? Say: 'Bring your proof! This is the Remembrance of him who is with me, and the Remembrance of those before me. Nay, but the most part of them know not the truth, so therefore they are turning away. 24 And We sent no messenger before thee but We inspired him, (saying): There is no Allah save Me (Allah), so worship Me. 25 And they say: The Beneficent Allah has taken to Himself a son. Glory be to Him. Nay! they are honored servants 26 They precede Him not in words, and by His command they work. 27 He knoweth what is before them and what is behind them, and they cannot intercede except for him whom He accepteth, and they quake for awe of Him. 28 ۞ And if anyone of them were to claim: "Indeed I am a god apart from Him," We shall recompense both with Hell. Thus do We recompense the wrong-doers. 29