People pray as earnestly to gain evil as one should to gain virtue. But people are hasty. 11 And We have appointed the night and the day as two signs; then We blurred the sign of the night and made the sign of the day illuminating that ye may seek grace from your Lord, and that ye may know the number of the years and the reckoning; and everything We have detailed in full details. 12 And every human being's destiny have We tied to his neck; and on the Day of Resurrection We shall bring forth for him a record which he will find wide open; 13 'Read thy book! Thy soul suffices thee this day as a reckoner against thee.' 14 Whoever chooses to follow the right path, follows it for his own good; and whoever goes astray, goes astray at his own peril; no bearer of burdens shall bear the burdens of another. Nor do We punish until We have sent forth a messenger to forewarn them. 15 When We decide to destroy a town We command the affluent among them, whereupon they commit sins in it, then the decree (of chastisement) becomes due against them and thereafter We destroy that town utterly. 16 And how many of the generations did We destroy after Nuh! and your Lord is sufficient as Knowing and Seeing with regard to His servants' faults. 17 "Whosoever desires what hastes away, We hasten to give him (in this life) as much as We please to whosoever We will; but afterwards there is Hell for him in which he will burn, disgraced and ostracised. 18 But as for those who care for the [good of the] life to come, and strive for it as it ought to be striven for, and are [true] believers withal - they are the ones whose striving finds favour [with God]! 19 To all of these as well as those We shall provide the wherewithal of this life in the present world by dint of your Lord's Bounty; and from none shall the Bounty of your Lord be withheld. 20 Look how We have favored [in provision] some of them over others. But the Hereafter is greater in degrees [of difference] and greater in distinction. 21 DO NOT set up any other deity side by side with God, lest thou find thyself disgraced and forsaken: 22