Surely Allah is the Knower of what is unseen in the heavens and the earth; surely He is Cognizant of what is in the hearts. 38 It is He who made you caliphs in the earth. He who disbelieves, his disbelief shall be charged against him. The unbelievers disbelief does nothing for them, except, increase them in hate with Allah; their disbelief increases the unbelievers only in loss. 39 Say: 'Have you considered your associates on whom you call, apart from God? Show me what they have created in the earth; or have they a partnership in the heavens?' Or have We given them a Book, so that they are upon a clear sign from it? Nay, but the evildoers promise one another naught but delusion. 40 ۞ Surely, God holds the heavens and the earth, lest they should deviate [from their places]. Were they to deviate, none could hold them after Him. Surely, He is forbearing and most forgiving. 41 And they swear by God with a most solemn oath, that if there came a warner unto them, they would surely be better guided than any of the other communities. Then when there did come unto them a warner, it increased in them naught save aversion 42 (They took to flight because of their) arrogance in the land and their plotting of evil. But the evil plot encompasses only him who makes it. Then, can they expect anything (else), but the Sunnah (way of dealing) of the peoples of old? So no change will you find in Allah's Sunnah (way of dealing), and no turning off will you find in Allah's Sunnah (way of dealing). 43 Have they not traveled through the land and observed how was the end of those before them? And they were greater than them in power. But Allah is not to be caused failure by anything in the heavens or on the earth. Indeed, He is ever Knowing and Competent. 44 If God were to take men to task for their misdeeds, He would not leave a single living creature on the surface of the earth; but He grants them respite until an appointed time; and when their appointed time comes, then they will know that God is indeed observant of all His servants. 45