Allah knows what every female bears, and by how much the wombs fall short (of their time or number) or exceed. Everything with Him is in (due) proportion. 8 All-Knower of the unseen and the seen, the Most Great, the Most High. 9 Equal* are the one among you who speaks softly and one who speaks aloud, and one who is hidden during the night and one who walks during the daytime. (* For Allah.) 10 For him are angels in succession, before him and behind him; they guard him with Allah's command. Verily Allah altereth not that which is with a people until they alter that which is with themselves. And when Allah intendeth evil unto a people there is no turning it back; nor is for them, beside Him, any patron. 11 He it is Who showeth you the lightning, a fear and a hope, and raiseth the heavy clouds. 12 The thunder celebrates His praise and holiness, and the angels, too, celebrate His praise for awe of Him. He hurls thunderbolts, striking with them whom He wills while they are engaged in disputation concerning Allah. He is Mighty in His contriving. 13 To call on Him is true (supplication). For those they invoke other than Him do not answer them at all, except like a man who stretches his hands towards the water that it reach his mouth, but it will never reach it. Not more than error are the prayers of infidels. 14 All in the heavens and the earth prostrate themselves before God, either of their own free will or by force, just as do their shadows in the mornings and evenings. ۩ 15 Ask them: "Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?" Say: "Allah." Tell them: "Have you taken beside Him as your patrons those who do not have the power to benefit or to hurt even themselves?" Say: "Can the blind and the seeing be deemed equals? Or can light and darkness be deemed equals?" If that is not so, then have those whom they associate with Allah in His Divinity ever created anything like what Allah did so that the question of creation has become dubious to them? Say: "Allah is the creator of everything. He is the One, the Irresistible." 16 When God sends down water from the sky and floods run through the valleys, certain quantities of foam rise on the surface of the flood water. This is similar to that foam which rises when you expose something to the heat of a fire to manufacture ornaments or for other reasons. To God Truth and falsehood are like these examples. The foam disappears but what is profitable to the human being stays in the land. Thus, does God coin His parables. 17 For those who answer their Lord is a most fine reward. But for those who do not answer Him if they possessed all that the earth contains, and as much besides, they would offer it for their ransom. Theirs shall be an evil reckoning. Gehenna (Hell) shall be their refuge, an evil cradling! 18