How many a wrong-doing town did We shatter and then raise up another people. 11 And [every time,] as soon as they began to feel Our punishing might, lo! they tried to flee from it 12 "Do not flee; go back to your halls of pleasure and your habitations, so that you may be interrogated." 13 They cried: "Woe to us! Certainly! We have been Zalimun (polytheists, wrong-doers and disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah, etc.)." 14 and this they kept repeating until We caused them to become like a field mowed down, and reduced to ashes. 15 We created not the heaven and the earth and all that is between them in play. 16 Had We wished to find a pastime, We would surely have found it in that which is with Us, if such had been Our will. 17 Rather, We dash the truth upon falsehood, and it destroys it, and thereupon it departs. And for you is destruction from that which you describe. 18 To Him belongs whoever is in the heavens and the earth. And those near Him are not prevented by arrogance from His worship, nor do they tire. 19 they glorify Him night and day without tiring. 20 Or have they taken (for worship) gods from the earth who can raise (the dead)? 21 Had there been therein (in the heavens and the earth) gods besides Allah, then verily both would have been ruined. Glorified be Allah, the Lord of the Throne, (High is He) above what they attribute to Him! 22 He shall be questioned not as to that which He doth, while they shall be questioned. 23 Or have they taken gods besides Him? Say, [O Muhammad], "Produce your proof. This [Qur'an] is the message for those with me and the message of those before me." But most of them do not know the truth, so they are turning away. 24 Not a messenger did We send before thee without this inspiration sent by Us to him: that there is no god but I; therefore worship and serve Me. 25 And they say: The Beneficent hath taken unto Himself a son. Be He Glorified! Nay, but (those whom they call sons) are honoured slaves; 26 they do not try to speak ahead of Him, and they act at His command. 27 He knows what is before them and what is behind them. They intercede for none except for him whom He is well pleased, and they tremble in 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