And when your Lord proclaimed, "If you are thankful, surely I will increase you, but if you are thankless My chastisement is surely terrible."' 7 And Moses said: "What if you and all the people of the world deny, God is unconcerned and worthy of praise." 8 Hath not the tidings come to you of those before you: the people of Nuh and the 'Aad and the Thamud and those after them! None knoweth them save Allah. There came unto them their apostles with the evidences, but they put their hands to their mouths, and said: verily we disbelieve in that wherewith ye have been sent, and verily regarding that to which ye call us we are in doubt disquieting. 9 ۞ Their apostles said: is there doubt about Allah, the Maker of the heavens and the earth? He calleth you that he may forgive you of your sins and retain you till a term fixed. They said: ye are but like us; ye mean to turn us aside from that which our fathers have been worshipping; so bring us a warranty manifest. 10 Their Noble Messengers said to them, “We are indeed human beings like you, but Allah bestows favour upon whomever He wills, among His bondmen*; it is not our task to bring any proof to you except by the command of Allah; and only upon Allah must the Muslims rely.” (* Therefore Prophets and other men are not equal in status.) 11 And what reason have we that we should not rely on Allah? And He has indeed guided us in our ways; and certainly we would bear with patience your persecution of us; and on Allah should the reliant rely. 12