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 you say: "Verily, it was but our forefathers who, in times gone by, began to ascribe divinity to other beings beside God; and we were but their late offspring: wilt Thou, then, destroy us for the doings of those inventors of falsehoods?" 173 And this is how We explain the verses in different ways, and so that they may return. 174 And recite to them, [O Muhammad], the news of him to whom we gave [knowledge of] Our signs, but he detached himself from them; so Satan pursued him, and he became of the deviators. 175 If it had been Our will, We should have elevated him with Our signs; but he inclined to the earth, and followed his own vain desires. His similitude is that of a dog: if you attack him, he lolls out his tongue, or if you leave him alone, he (still) lolls out his tongue. That is the similitude of those who reject Our signs; So relate the story; perchance they may reflect. 176 How evil an example [is that of] the people who denied Our signs and used to wrong themselves. 177 Whoever Allah guides - he is the [rightly] guided; and whoever He sends astray - it is those who are the losers. 178 And assuredly We have created for Hell many of the genii and mankind; they have hearts wherewith they understand not, and they have eyes wherewith they see not, and they have ears wherewith they hearken not; they are like unto cattle; nay, they are further astray; those! they are the negligent ones. 179 The most beautiful names belong to Allah: so call on him by them; but shun such men as use profanity in his names: for what they do, they will soon be requited. 180 Yet there are among those We have created people who lead (others) to the truth, and act justly in its light 181