This is a Book which We have revealed as a blessing, follow it and fear your Lord, so that you may receive mercy, 155 Lest you (pagan Arabs) should say: "The Book was only sent down to two sects before us (the Jews and the Christians), and for our part, we were in fact unaware of what they studied." 156 Or lest ye should say: if only the Book had been sent down to us, we should surely have been better guided than they. So now surely there hath come unto you an evidence from Your Lord and a guidance and a mercy. Who then doth greater wrong than he who belieth the signs of Allah and shunneth them? Anon We will requite those who shun Our signs with an evil torment in as much as they were wont to shun them. 157 What! Do they wait either for the angels to appear before them or for your Lord to come unto them or for some clear signs of your Lord to appear before them? When some clear signs of your Lord will appear, believing will be of no avail to anyone who did not believe before, or who earned no good deeds through his faith. Say: 'Wait on; we too are waiting.' 158 Verily those who have split their religion and become sects, thou art not amongst them in aught: their affair is only with Allah. Then He will declare unto them that which they were wont to do. 159 Whoever brings a good deed, he shall have ten like it, and whoever brings an evil deed, he shall be recompensed only with the like of it, and they shall not be dealt with unjustly. 160 Say: Lo! As for me, my Lord hath guided me unto a straight path, a right religion, the community of Abraham, the upright, who was no idolater. 161 Say, "My prayer, sacrifice, life, and death are all for God, the Lord of the Universe. 162 No partner hath He: this am I commanded, and I am the first of those who bow to His will. 163 Say, "Is it other than Allah I should desire as a lord while He is the Lord of all things? And every soul earns not [blame] except against itself, and no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another. Then to your Lord is your return, and He will inform you concerning that over which you used to differ." 164 It is He who has made you successors [of others] on the earth and has exalted some of you over the others in degrees of rank, so that He may test you by that which He has given you. Your Lord is swift in punishment; yet surely He is forgiving, and merciful. 165