And propound thou unto them the similitude of the inhabitants of a town, when there came thereto the sent ones. 13 When We sent two of them they called them liars; so We sent a third to strengthen them. "We have been sent to you," they said. 14 They replied, "You are nothing but mortal men like us and the Merciful God has not revealed anything. You are surely lying." 15 Said [the apostles]: "Our Sustainer knows that we have indeed been sent unto you; 16 but we are not bound to do more than clearly deliver the message [entrusted to us]." 17 They said, "Indeed, we consider you a bad omen. If you do not desist, we will surely stone you, and there will surely touch you, from us, a painful punishment." 18 They (Messengers) said: "Your evil omens be with you! (Do you call it "evil omen") because you are admonished? Nay, but you are a people Musrifun (transgressing all bounds by committing all kinds of great sins, and by disobeying Allah). 19 And from the remote part of the city there came a man running, he said: O my people! follow the apostles; 20 follow those who ask no wage of you and are rightly guided. 21 "It would not be reasonable in me if I did not serve Him Who created me, and to Whom ye shall (all) be brought back. 22 "Shall I take besides Him aliha (gods), if the Most Beneficent (Allah) intends me any harm, their intercession will be of no use for me whatsoever, nor can they save me? 23 Surely in that case I should indeed be in evident error. 24 "Verily, [O my people,] in the Sustainer of you all have I come to believe: listen, then, to me!" 25 It was said: Enter the garden. He said: O would that my people had known 26 “The manner in which my Lord has pardoned me and made me of the honoured ones!” 27 ۞ We did not send down any army against his people from heaven, nor did We have to send one. 28 It was naught but a single cry, and lo! they were still. 29 And it was said, “Woe to those bondmen – whenever a Noble Messenger comes to them, they mock at him!” 30 Have they not seen how many nations before them did We destroy? Thereafter they never came back to them. 31 And surely, all, everyone of them will be brought before Us. 32