۞ If God should hasten unto men evil as they would hasten good, their term would be already decided for them. But We leave those, who look not to encounter Us, in their insolence wandering blindly. 11 When affliction befalls a man, he supplicates to Us (lying) on his side, sitting or standing. But as soon as We relieve him from his affliction, he continues (in the same way), as though he never supplicated to Us when harm touched him. So it is, that which the sinners were doing seem fairly decorated to them. 12 And indeed, before your time We destroyed [whole] generations when they [persistently] did evil; their messengers came to them with clear signs, but they would not believe. Thus We requite the guilty. 13 After them We made you their successors in the earth, so that We might see how you would do. 14 And when Our clear verses are recited to them, the people who do not expect to meet Us say, “Bring a Qur’an other than this one, or change it”; say (O dear Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him), “I do not have the right to change it on my own; I only follow what is divinely revealed to me; if I were to disobey my Lord*, then I fear the punishment of the Great Day (of Resurrection). (* Which is impossible.) 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 Who, then, is a greater wrong-doer than he who forges a lie against Allah or rejects His signs as false? Surely the guilty shall not prosper. 17 They worship beside Allah that which neither hurteth them nor profiteth them, and they say: These are our intercessors with Allah. Say: Would ye inform Allah of (something) that He knoweth not in the heavens or in the earth? Praised be He and High Exalted above all that ye associate (with Him)! 18 All people (once) followed one belief. Then they began to follow different beliefs. Had not a word of your Lord (His decision to give every one time and free will) been decreed, God would already have settled their differences. 19 They ask, "Why has no sign been sent down to him from his Lord?" Tell them, "God alone has knowledge of the unseen. So wait; I too will wait with you." 20