And recall what time thy Lord took from the children of Adam their posterity from their backs, and made them testify as to themselves saying: am I not your Lord? They said: Yea! we testify. That was lest ye should say on the Day of Resurrection: verily of this we have been unaware. 172 Or you should say: Only our fathers associated others (with Allah) before, and we were an offspring after them: Wilt Thou then destroy us for what the vain doers did? 173 And thus do We expound the signs that they may turn back (to the right path). 174 Relate to them the story of the man to whom We sent Our signs, but he passed them by: so Satan followed him up, and he went astray. 175 Now had We so willed, We could indeed have exalted him by means of those [messages]: but he always clung to the earth and followed but his own desires. Thus, his parable is that of an [excited] dog: if thou approach him threateningly, he will pant with his tongue lolling; and if thou leave him alone, he will pant with his tongue lolling. Such is the parable of those who are bent on giving the lie to Our messages. Tell [them,] then, this story, so that they might take thought. 176 Evil is the example of those who belied Our verses; they wronged themselves. 177 He whom Allah leadeth, he indeed is led aright, while he whom Allah sendeth astray - they indeed are losers. 178 We have destined many men and jinn for hell. They have hearts but do not understand, eyes but do not see. They have ears but do not hear. They are worse than lost cattle. These are the heedless ones. 179 And for Allah only are the best names, so invoke Him by them; and abandon those who depart from the truth regarding His names; they will soon receive the reward of their deeds. 180 And of those whom We have created there is a community guiding others with truth and acting justly according thereto. 181