And how many a city have We overthrown which were doing wrong, and We caused to grow up thereafter another nation! 11 And when its inhabitants perceived Our punishment, at once they fled from it. 12 'Run not! Return you unto the luxury that you exulted in, and your dwelling-places; haply you shall be questioned.' 13 "Woe, alas," they said, "we were really sinful." 14 And this their crying ceased not till We made them as reaped corn, extinct. 15 And We have not created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them, unnecessarily. 16 If We willed to choose a pastime, We could have chosen it from Ourselves – if We wanted to. 17 Nay, but We hurl the truth against falsehood and it prevails over it, and behold, falsehood vanishes away. Then woe to you for that you describe! 18 Unto Him belongeth whosoever is in the heavens and the earth. And those who dwell in His presence are not too proud to worship Him, nor do they weary; 19 They (i.e. the angels) glorify His Praises night and day, (and) they never slacken (to do so). 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 in heaven or on earth any deities other than God, both [those realms would surely have fallen into ruin! But limitless in His glory is God, enthroned in His awesome almightiness far] above anything that men may devise by way of definition! 22 He cannot be questioned for His acts, but they will be questioned (for theirs). 23 Or have they taken for worship (other) gods besides him? Say, "Bring your convincing proof: this is the Message of those with me and the Message of those before me." But most of them know not the Truth, and so turn away. 24 We have not sent an apostle before you without instructing him that there is no god but I, so worship Me. 25 And they say: "(Allah) Most Gracious has begotten offspring." Glory to Him! they are (but) servants raised to honour. 26 They do not speak before He has, and they act only at His command. 27 He knows what was there before them and what came after them; and they did not intercede for any one but whom He willed, and they were filled with awe 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