And when Abraham said unto his father and his folk: Lo! I am innocent of what ye worship 26 "Except Him (i.e. I worship none but Allah Alone) Who did create me, and verily, He will guide me." 27 And he made it a word enduring among his seed, that haply they might return. 28 Now [as for those who did come after him,] I allowed them - as [I had allowed] their forebears - to enjoy their lives freely until the truth should come unto them through an apostle who would make all things clear: 29 but now that the truth has come to them, they say: "All this is mere spellbinding eloquence" - and behold, we deny that there is any truth in it!" 30 And they said, “Why was the Qur’an not sent down upon some chieftain of these two great towns?” (The chiefs of Mecca and Taif). 31 Is it they who apportion the mercy of your Lord? It is We who distribute among them their livelihood in the life of this world, and raise some of them above others in rank, so that they may take one another into service; and the mercy of your Lord is better than [the wealth] which they amass. 32 And if it were not that the people would become one community [of disbelievers], We would have made for those who disbelieve in the Most Merciful - for their houses - ceilings and stairways of silver upon which to mount 33 with doors to their houses and couches on which to recline; 34 and other ornament of gold. All these are only the means of enjoyment in this world, but the pious will receive their reward from your Lord in the life hereafter. 35