۞ If Allah were to hasten on for men the ill (that they have earned) as they would hasten on the good, their respite would already have expired. But We suffer those who look not for the meeting with Us to wander blindly on in their contumacy. 11 When trouble toucheth a man, He crieth unto Us (in all postures)- lying down on his side, or sitting, or standing. But when We have solved his trouble, he passeth on his way as if he had never cried to Us for a trouble that touched him! thus do the deeds of transgressors seem fair in their eyes! 12 And assuredly We have destroyed the generations before you when they did wrong, while their apostles came unto them with the evidences, and they were not such as to believe. In this wise We requite the sinning people. 13 Then We made you successors in the land after them so that We may see how you act. 14 And whenever Our clear revelations are recited to them, those who do not expect to meet Us say: 'Bring us a Qur'an other than this one, or at least make changes in it. Tell them (O Muhammad): 'It is not for me to change it of my accord. I only follow what is revealed to me. Were I to disobey my Lord, I fear the chastisement of an Awesome Day. 15 Say, "If God had so wished, I would not have recited it to you, nor would He have brought it to your knowledge. Indeed, I have spent a whole lifetime among you before it came to me. How can you not use your reason?" 16 So who does more wrong than he who forges a lie against Allah or denies His Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.)? Surely, the Mujrimun (criminals, sinners, disbelievers and polytheists) will never be successful! 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 Men were once a community of one faith; but they differed (and followed different ways). Had it not been for the word proclaimed by your Lord before, their differences would have been resolved. 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