Had Allah15 hastened in dealing out evil to people as they hastened in asking good of the world, the term allowed to them for action would have been terminated long before this. (But this is not Our Way:) We let wander in their rebellion those people who do not expect to meet Us. Strange is the behavior of man! When he is in affliction, he calls Us, standing or sitting or lying down, but when We remove his .affliction from him, he behaves as if he had never called Us at the time when affliction came upon him. Thus the evil deeds of such transgressors have been made seeming fair to them. O mankind, We destroyed before you those communities16 (which were in power in their time,) when they adopted the attitude of transgression,17 for their Messengers came to them with clear signs but they would not believe in them. This is how We recompense the criminals for their crimes. Now We have appointed you in their place on the earth so that We may test how you conduct yourselves.18 When Our clear revelations are recited to them, those who do not expect to meet Us say, "Bring another Qur'an in its stead or make some amendment in it."19 O Muhammad, say to them, "It is not for me to make any alteration in it of my own accord. I follow only what is revealed to me. Indeed, if I disobey my Lord, I fear the chastisement of a dreadful Day."20 Say also, "Had Allah willed so, I would never have recited this Qur'an to you, nor would I have told you anything (about its existence). I have already lived a lifetime among you before its revelation. Do you not use your common-sense?21 And Who can be a greater sinner than the one who himself forges a lie and then ascribes it to Allah or falsifies22 His real Revelations? Indeed, criminals can never attain (true) success."23 These people worship besides Allah those which can neither harm nor benefit them, and say, "These are our intercessors with Allah." O Muhammad, say to them, "Do you presume to inform Allah of that thing which He knows not to be either in the heavens or in the earth ?"24 He is absolutely free from and exalted above what they associate with Him. In the beginning all the people were one community, but afterwards they invented different creeds and ways.25 And had not your Lord ordained a decree, that thing in which they differ would have been resolved.26 As regards their saying, "Why has not a Sign been sent down to this Prophet from his Lord?"27 tell them, "The unseen belongs wholly and solely to Allah. Well, wait (for it): I, too shall wait with you."28