And those who disbelieved said unto their messengers: Verily we will drive you out from our land, unless ye return to our religion. Then their Lord inspired them, (saying): Verily we shall destroy the wrong-doers, 13 And establish you in their place. This is for him who fears My station, and dreads My commination." 14 And they requested victory from Allah, and disappointed, [therefore], was every obstinate tyrant. 15 Hell is before him and he shall be given to drink of festering water: 16 gulping it [unceasingly,] little by little, and yet hardly able to swallow it. And death will beset him from every quarter - but he shall not die: for [yet more] severe suffering lies ahead of him. 17 The parable of those who disbelieve in their Lord is that their works are as ashes, on which the wind blows furiously on a stormy day, they shall not be able to get aught of what they have earned. That is the straying, far away (from the Right Path). 18 ART THOU NOT aware that God has created the heavens and the earth in accordance with [an inner] truth? He can, if He so wills, do away with you and bring forth a new mankind [in your stead]: 19 Nor is that for Allah any great matter. 20 They will all publicly come in the presence of Allah – then those who were weak will say to those who were the leaders, “We were your followers – is it possible for you to avert some of Allah’s punishment from us?” They will answer, “If Allah had guided us, we would have guided you; it is the same for us, whether we panic or patiently endure – we have no place of refuge.” (* This conversation will take place between the disbelievers and their leaders.) 21