۞ Had God been as hasty to punish people as they were hasty to achieve good, their life would have already ended. We will leave those who have no hope of receiving Our mercy, in the life hereafter, to continue blindly in their transgression. 11 Whenever any trouble befalls a person, he prays to Us all the time, lying on his side, sitting or standing; but when We remove his trouble, he goes on his way as if he had never prayed to Us for the removal of his trouble. Thus it is that the doings of the transgressors are made to look fair to them. 12 We destroyed certain generations who lived before you because of their injustice. Our Messengers came to them and showed them miracles, but they would not believe. Thus do We punish the criminals. 13 Then We appointed you as successors in the land after them, that We might see how ye would work. 14 And when Our signs are recited to them, clear signs, those who look not to encounter Us say, 'Bring a Koran other than this, or alter it.' Say: 'It is not for me to alter it of my own accord. I follow nothing, except what is revealed to me. Truly I fear, if I should rebel against my Lord, the chastisement of a dreadful day.' 15 Say: "If Allah had so willed, I should not have rehearsed it to you, nor would He have made it known to you. A whole life-time before this have I tarried amongst you: will ye not then understand?" 16 And who does greater evil than he who forges against God a lie, or cries lies to His signs? Surely the sinners do not prosper. 17 They serve, apart from God, what hurts them not neither profits them, and they say, 'These are our intercessors with God.' Say: 'Will you tell God what He knows not either in the heavens or in the earth?' Glory be to Him! High be He exalted above that they associate! 18 Once all men were but a single community; then they disagreed (and formulated different beliefs and rites). Had it not been that your Lord had already so ordained, a decisive judgement would have been made regarding their disagreements. 19 They say: 'Why has no sign been sent down to him from his Lord' Say: 'The Unseen belongs to Allah alone. Wait if you will I am one of those who wait' 20