Blessed is this Book We have revealed; so follow it and preserve yourself from evil that you may qualify for grace, 155 Lest ye should say: The Scripture was revealed only to two sects before us, and we in sooth were unaware of what they read; 156 or lest you say: "If a divine writ had been bestowed from on high upon us, we would surely have followed its guidance better than they did." And so, a clear evidence of the truth has now come unto you from your Sustainer, and guidance, and grace. Who, then, could be more wicked than he who gives the lie to God's messages, and turns away from them in disdain? We shall requite those who turn away from Our messages in disdain with evil suffering for having thus turned away! 157 Do they then wait for anything other than that the angels should come to them, or that your Lord should come, or that some of the Signs of your Lord should come (i.e. portents of the Hour e.g., arising of the sun from the west)! The day that some of the Signs of your Lord do come, no good will it do to a person to believe then, if he believed not before, nor earned good (by performing deeds of righteousness) through his Faith. Say: "Wait you! we (too) are waiting." 158 Indeed, those who have divided their religion and become sects - you, [O Muhammad], are not [associated] with them in anything. Their affair is only [left] to Allah; then He will inform them about what they used to do. 159 Whoever brings a good deed, he shall have ten like it, and whoever brings an evil deed, he shall be recompensed only with the like of it, and they shall not be dealt with unjustly. 160 Say: Lo! As for me, my Lord hath guided me unto a straight path, a right religion, the community of Abraham, the upright, who was no idolater. 161 Say thou: verily my prayer and my rites and my living and my dying are all for Allah, Lord of the worlds. 162 No partner has He. And this I have been commanded, and I am the first [among you] of the Muslims." 163 Say: "Shall I seek a lord other than Allah, while He is the Lord of all things? No person earns any (sin) except against himself (only), and no bearer of burdens shall bear the burden of another. Then unto your Lord is your return, so He will tell you that wherein you have been differing." 164 And it is He who made you caliphs (viceroys) in the earth and ranked some of you high above others, in order that He may test you with what He has bestowed upon you; indeed it does not take time for your Lord to mete out punishment; and indeed, surely, He is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful. 165