And how many a city have We overthrown which were doing wrong, and We caused to grow up thereafter another nation! 11 When they felt Our punishment coming upon them, they began to flee from it. 12 "Do not flee; go back to your halls of pleasure and your habitations, so that you may be interrogated." 13 They cried: Alas for us! we were wrong-doers. 14 And that cry of theirs ceased not, till We made them as a field that is mown, as ashes silent and quenched. 15 And We did not create the heaven and the earth and what is between them for sport. 16 If We had wished to find a pastime, We could have found it in Our presence - if We ever did. 17 But in fact We hurl the truth upon falsehood, so it scatters its brains – thereupon it vanishes; and for you is the ruin due to the matters you fabricate. 18 Whosoever is in the heavens and the earth belongs to Him; and those who are near Him do not disdain to worship Him or weary (of His service), 19 glorifying Him by night and in the daytime and never failing. 20 Have they taken gods from the earth who raise the deed? 21 Had there been in between the twain gods except Allah surely the twain would have gone to ruin. Hallowed be Allah, the Lord of the Throne, from that which they utter! 22 He cannot be questioned as to what He does, while they will be questioned. 23 Have they taken gods other than Him? Say, (O Muhammad): "Bring forth your proof! Here is the Book with admonition for those of my time and there are also scriptures with admonition for people before me." But most people do not know the Truth, and have, therefore, turned away from it. 24 and [this despite the fact that even] before thy time We never sent any apostle without having revealed to him that there is no deity save Me, - [and that,] therefore, you shall worship Me [alone]! 25 And yet they say: "Ar-Rahman has begotten a son." Too exalted is He! In fact, those (they call His sons) were His honoured votaries. 26 They speak not until He hath spoken, and they act by His command. 27 He knows all that lies open before them and all that is hidden from them: hence, they cannot intercede for any but those whom He has [already] graced with His goodly acceptance, since they themselves stand in reverent awe of Him. 28 ۞ The recompense of those of them who say that they are the Lord instead of God will be hell; thus, do We recompense the unjust ones. 29