۞ If Allah should hasten evil to people as they would hasten good, their term would already have been decided. But We leave those who do not expect to meet Us to wander blindly in their insolence. 11 And when affliction touches a man, he calls on Us, whether lying on his side or sitting or standing; but when We remove his affliction from him, he passes on as though he had never called on Us on account of an affliction that touched him; thus that which they do is made fair-seeming to the extravagant. 12 Generations before you We destroyed when they did wrong: their messengers came to them with clear-signs, but they would not believe! thus do We requite those who sin! 13 Then We appointed you as successors in the land after them, that We might see how ye would work. 14 When Our verses, clear verses, are recited to them, those who do not reckon to meet Us say: 'Bring a Koran other than this, or make changes in it' Say: 'It is not for me to change it by myself. I follow nothing, except what is sent down to me. Indeed, if I should rebel against my Lord I fear the punishment of a Great Day.' 15 Say: If Allah had desired (otherwise) I would not have recited it to you, nor would He have taught it to you; indeed I have lived a lifetime among you before it; do you not then understand? 16 Who doth more wrong than such as forge a lie against Allah, or deny His Signs? But never will prosper those who sin. 17 And they worship the thing other than Allah, which neither harms them nor benefits them*, and they say, “These are our intercessors** before Allah”; say, “What! You inform Allah of something which in His knowledge does not exist in the heavens or in the earth?” Purity and Supremacy are to Him, above their association. (* Some things like the sun, stars, trees are useful but they too are created by Allah. Their worship will not benefit – in fact it is harmful ** Only the virtuous will be granted permission by Allah to intercede.) 18 Mankind were but one community (i.e. on one religion - Islamic Monotheism), then they differed (later), and had not it been for a Word that went forth before from your Lord, it would have been settled between them regarding what they differed. 19 They say, 'Why has a sign not been sent down upon him from his Lord?' Say: 'The Unseen belongs only to God. Then watch and wait; I shall be with you watching and waiting.' 20