And how many a city have We overthrown which were doing wrong, and We caused to grow up thereafter another nation! 11 And [every time,] as soon as they began to feel Our punishing might, lo! they tried to flee from it 12 Flee not, but return to the good things of this life which were given you, and to your homes in order that ye may be called to account. 13 They said, "O woe to us! Indeed, we were wrongdoers." 14 And that cry of theirs ceased not, till We made them as a field that is reaped, extinct (dead). 15 AND [know that] We have not created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them in mere idle play: 16 had We desired to take to Us a diversion We would have taken it to Us from Ourselves, had We done aught. 17 We bring forward the Truth to crush and destroy falsehood; it is doomed to be banished. Woe to you for your way of thinking about God! 18 To Him belongs whosoever dwells in the heavens and on earth. Those (angels) that are with Him neither disdain to serve Him out of pride, nor do they weary of it. 19 And they hallow Him night and day, and they flag not. 20 Have they appointed from the earth, Gods that create something? 21 If there were, in the heavens and the earth, other gods besides Allah, there would have been confusion in both! but glory to Allah, the Lord of the Throne: (High is He) above what they attribute to Him! 22 He is not to be questioned about what He does, but they shall be questioned. 23 Have they taken other deities besides Him? Say to them, "Bring your proofs. This is the reminder of those who are with me and the reminder of those who were before me." But most of them do not know the truth, and so they turn away from it. 24 And We sent not before you any messenger except that We revealed to him that, "There is no deity except Me, so worship Me." 25 And [yet,] some say: "The Most Gracious has taken unto Himself a son"! Limitless is He in His glory! Nay, [those whom they regard as God's "offspring" are but His] honoured servants: 26 They do not speak before He has, and they act only at His command. 27 He knows what is before them and what is behind them, and they cannot intercede without His permission. Indeed they themselves stand in awe of Him. 28 ۞ And whoever of them should say: Surely I am a god besides Him, such a one do We recompense with hell; thus do, We recompense the unjust. 29