Blessed is He who, if that were His will, could give thee better (things) than those,- Gardens beneath which rivers flow; and He could give thee palaces (secure to dwell in). 10 Nay, but they cry lies to the Hour; and We have prepared for him who cries lies to the Hour a Blaze. 11 When it sees them from a place far off, they will hear its fury and its ranging sigh. 12 And when they shall be thrown into a narrow place thereof, chained together, they will exclaim therein for destruction. 13 Exclaim not today for one destruction, but exclaim for many destructions. 14 Say: "Which is better - that, or the paradise of life abiding which has been promised to the God-conscious as their reward and their journey's end 15 For them therein is whatever they wish, [while] abiding eternally. It is ever upon your Lord a promise [worthy to be] requested. 16 BUT [as for people who are oblivious of thy Sustainer's oneness] one Day He will gather them together with all that they [now] worship instead of God, and will ask [those to whom divinity was falsely ascribed]: "Was it you who led these My creatures astray, or did they by themselves stray from the right path?" 17 They will answer: 'Exaltations to You. We should not have taken others for a guardian, but You gave them and their fathers enjoyment until they forgot Your Remembrance and they were a destroyed nation' 18 [Thereupon God will say:] "And now, they [whom you regarded as divine] have given the lie to all your [past] assertions, and you can neither ward off [your punishment] nor obtain any succour! For, whoever of you has committed [such] evil, him shall We cause to taste great suffering!" 19 We never sent before thee any messengers but lo! they verily ate food and walked in the markets. And We have appointed some of you a test for others: Will ye be steadfast? And thy Lord is ever Seer. 20