God has knowledge of whatever is unseen in the heavens and the earth. He knows best what the hearts contain. 38 He it is Who made you rulers in the land; therefore whoever disbelieves, his unbelief is against himself; and their unbelief does not increase the disbelievers with their Lord in anything except hatred; and their unbelief does not increase the disbelievers in anything except loss. 39 Say, "Have you ever considered your associate gods whom you call on besides God? Show me what it is that they have created on earth. Or have they a share in the creation of the heavens?" Or have We given them a book so that they may act on evidence from it? Indeed, the wrongdoers' promises to one another are nothing but deception. 40 ۞ Verily Allah withholdeth the heavens and the earth lest they cease; and should they cease, not any one could withhold them after Him. Verily He is ever Forbearing, Forgiving. 41 And they swore by Allah most vehemently in their oaths, that if a Herald of Warning came to them, they would be more upon guidance than any other group; then when a Herald of Warning did come to them, he increased nothing in them except hatred. 42 As did their arrogance in the land, and their plotting of evil. But their evil plots will turn back on the plotters themselves. So can they expect any thing but what befell the earlier people? You will not find any change in the law of God, nor will you find divine law mutable. 43 Have they not travelled (sufficiently) through the land to see how terrible was the end of the mightier people who lived before them. Nothing in the heavens or the earth can challenge God. God is All-knowing and All-powerful. 44 Now if God were to take men [at once] to task for whatever [wrong] they commit [on earth,] He would not leave a single living creature upon its surface. However, He grants them respite for a term set [by Him]: but when their term comes to an end - then, verily, [they come to know that] God sees all that is in [the hearts of] His servants. 45