And recall what time thy Lord took from the children of Adam their posterity from their backs, and made them testify as to themselves saying: am I not your Lord? They said: Yea! we testify. That was lest ye should say on the Day of Resurrection: verily of this we have been unaware. 172 Or lest ye should say: "Our fathers before us may have taken false gods, but we are (their) descendants after them: wilt Thou then destroy us because of the deeds of men who were futile?" 173 And this is how We explain the verses in different ways, and so that they may return. 174 Recite to them the tale of the man to whom We gave Our signs, but who then cast them to one side and Satan overtook him. And he became one of those who went astray, 175 Now had We so willed, We could indeed have exalted him by means of those [messages]: but he always clung to the earth and followed but his own desires. Thus, his parable is that of an [excited] dog: if thou approach him threateningly, he will pant with his tongue lolling; and if thou leave him alone, he will pant with his tongue lolling. Such is the parable of those who are bent on giving the lie to Our messages. Tell [them,] then, this story, so that they might take thought. 176 How evil an example [is that of] the people who denied Our signs and used to wrong themselves. 177 He whom Allah guides, he alone is rightly guided; and he whom Allah lets go astray - it is they who are the loser.' 178 Many of the jinns and human beings have We destined for Hell, who possess hearts but do not feel, have eyes but do not see, have ears but do not hear, like cattle, even worse than them. They are people unconcerned. 179 And for Allah only are the best names, so invoke Him by them; and abandon those who depart from the truth regarding His names; they will soon receive the reward of their deeds. 180 Among Our creatures are a group who guide and judge with the Truth. 181