How many communities of evil-doers We have destroyed, raising up other people after them. 11 Whensoever they sensed Our punishment they fled from them. 12 (They were told): "Flee not, but return to your comforts and to your dwellings. You are likely to be questioned." 13 And they could only cry: "Oh, woe unto us! Verily, we were wrongdoers!" 14 And this ceased not to be their cry until We made them a harvest reaped, extinguished. 15 And We created not the heaven and the earth and that which is in between in play. 16 If We had pleased to make a plaything We could have made it Ourself, if We had cared to do so. 17 Nay, but [by the very act of creation] We hurl the truth against falsehood, and it crushes the latter: and lo! it withers away. But woe unto you for all your [attempts at] defining [God] 18 To Him belong all (creatures) in the heavens and on earth: Even those who are in His (very) Presence are not too proud to serve Him, nor are they (ever) weary (of His service): 19 They celebrate His praises night and day, nor do they ever flag or intermit. 20 Or have they taken (for worship) aliha (gods) from the earth who raise the dead? 21 Had there been other deities in the heavens and the earth besides God, both the heavens and the earth would have been destroyed. God, the Lord of the Throne, is too Glorious to be as they think He is. 22 He cannot be questioned concerning what He does and they shall be questioned. 23 Have they taken gods beside Him? Say thou: forth with your proof This is an admonition unto those with me and an admonition unto those before me. But most of them knew not the truth, and so they are averters. 24 And We sent never a Messenger before thee except that We revealed to him, saying, 'There is no god but I; so serve Me.' 25 And they say: The Beneficent hath taken unto Himself a son. Be He Glorified! Nay, but (those whom they call sons) are honoured slaves; 26 They speak not until He has spoken, and they act on His Command. 27 He knows what is before them, and what is behind them, and they cannot intercede except for him with whom He is pleased. And they stand in awe for fear of Him. 28 ۞ And if any of them should say: "Verily, I am an ilah (a god) besides Him (Allah)," such a one We should recompense with Hell. Thus We recompense the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers, etc.). 29