How many harmdoing villages have We shattered and replaced them with another nation. 11 When they felt Our punishment coming upon them, they began to flee from it. 12 'Run not! Return you unto the luxury that you exulted in, and your dwelling-places; haply you shall be questioned.' 13 They cried: "Woe to us! Certainly! We have been Zalimun (polytheists, wrong-doers and disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah, etc.)." 14 So they ceased not to cry, until We made them stubble, silent and still. 15 It was not in play that We created the heavens and the earth and all that lies between them. 16 Had We intended to take a diversion, We could have taken it from [what is] with Us - if [indeed] We were to do so. 17 Aye! We hurl truth against falsehood, so that it braineth it, and lo! it vanisheth; and to you be the woe for that which ye utter! 18 for, unto Him belong all [beings] that are in the heavens and on earth; and those that are with Him are never too proud to worship Him and never grow weary [thereof]: 19 They never fail to exalt Him either at night or in the day. 20 And yet some people choose to worship certain earthly things or beings as deities that [are supposed to] resurrect [the dead; and they fail to realize that,] 21 Had there been therein (in the heavens and the earth) gods besides Allah, then verily both would have been ruined. Glorified be Allah, the Lord of the Throne, (High is He) above what they attribute to Him! 22 He cannot be called to account for whatever He does, whereas they will be called to account: 23 Have they chosen other gods besides God? (Muhammad), ask them, "Show the proof (in support of such belief). This is (the Quran) which tells us about the (beliefs of the people) in my time and those who lived before me." Most of them do not know. Moreover, the truth is that they neglect (the question of belief altogether). 24 Not a messenger did We send before thee without this inspiration sent by Us to him: that there is no god but I; therefore worship and 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 do not outstrip Him in speech and only act as He commands. 27 He knows all that lies open before them and all that is hidden from them: hence, they cannot intercede for any but those whom He has [already] graced with His goodly acceptance, since they themselves stand in reverent awe of Him. 28 ۞ If any one of them said: "I am God besides Him," We should award him Hell; for this is how We requite the evil-doers. 29