For, how many a community that persisted in evildoing have We dashed into fragments, and raised another people in its stead! 11 Yet, when they felt Our Punishment (coming), behold, they (tried to) flee from it. 12 'Run not! Return you unto the luxury that you exulted in, and your dwelling-places; haply you shall be questioned.' 13 They said: O woe to us! surely we were unjust. 14 And that cry of theirs did not cease until We caused them to become [like] a field mown down, still and silent as ashes. 15 We created not the heaven and the earth, and whatsoever between them is, as playing; 16 Had We wanted to play games, We could have certainly done so with things at hand. 17 But in fact We hurl the truth upon falsehood, so it scatters its brains – thereupon it vanishes; and for you is the ruin due to the matters you fabricate. 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 They say His Purity night and day, and do not slacken. 20 Or have they chosen gods from the earth who raise the dead? 21 Had there been in between the twain gods except Allah surely the twain would have gone to ruin. Hallowed be Allah, the Lord of the Throne, from that which they utter! 22 He cannot be called to account for whatever He does, whereas they will be called to account: 23 Have they taken gods besides God? Say: "Then bring your proof. Here is the Book of those who are with me, and the Book of those who have gone before me." But most men do not know the truth and turn away. 24 We have not sent an apostle before you without instructing him that there is no god but I, so worship Me. 25 They said, "The Beneficent God has given birth to a son. He is too Exalted to give birth to a son." (Those whom they think are God's sons) are only His honorable servants. 26 They precede Him not in words, and by His command they work. 27 He knows all that lies open before them and all that is hidden from them: hence, they cannot intercede for any but those whom He has [already] graced with His goodly acceptance, since they themselves stand in reverent awe of Him. 28 ۞ And one of them who should say: Lo! I am a god beside Him, that one We should repay with hell. Thus We Repay wrong-doers. 29