Indeed Allah is All Knowing – of all the hidden things in the heavens and in the earth; indeed He knows what lies within the hearts. 38 It is He Who has made you the successors of your predecessors in the earth; so whoever disbelieves – (the harm of) his disbelief falls only on him; and for the disbelievers, their disbelief increases nothing in their Lord’s sight except disgust; and for the disbelievers, their disbelief increases nothing for them except ruin. 39 Say: "Have you ever [really] considered those beings and forces to whom you ascribe a share in God's divinity, [and] whom you invoke beside God? Show me what it is that they have created on earth - or do [you claim that] they have a share in [governing] the heavens?" Have We ever vouchsafed them a divine writ on which they could rely as evidence [in support of their views]? Nay, [the hope which] the evildoers hold out to one another [is] nothing but a delusion. 40 ۞ Verily, it is God [alone] who upholds the celestial bodies and the earth, lest they deviate [from their orbits] - for if they should ever deviate, there is none that could uphold them after He will have ceased to do so. [But,] verily, He is ever-forbearing, much-forgiving! 41 They swore their strongest oaths by Allah that if a warner came to them, they would follow his guidance better than any (other) of the Peoples: But when a warner came to them, it has only increased their flight (from righteousness),- 42 [Due to] arrogance in the land and plotting of evil; but the evil plot does not encompass except its own people. Then do they await except the way of the former peoples? But you will never find in the way of Allah any change, and you will never find in the way of Allah any alteration. 43 Have they not travelled in the land and seen the nature of the consequence for those who were before them, and they were mightier than these in power? Allah is not such that aught in the heavens or in the earth escapeth Him. Lo! He is the Wise, the Mighty. 44 If Allah should take people to task for what they have earned, He would not leave one creature that crawls upon the face (of the earth)! But, He is deferring them to a named time. And when their time comes, indeed, Allah is the Seer of His worshipers. 45