________________
194
THE QUR'ÂN.
X, 13-20.
as though he had not called on us in a distress that touched him. Thus unto the extravagant is made seemly that which they have done.
We have already destroyed generations before you when they did wrong, and there came to them their apostles with manifest signs, but they would not believe. Thus do we reward the sinful people.
[15] Then we made you their successors in the earth after them, that we may see how ye will act.
But when our evident signs are recited to them, those who hope not for our meeting say, ‘Bring a Qur'ân other than this; or change it.' Say, 'It is not for me to change it of my own accord; I do not follow aught but what I am inspired with ; verily, I fear, if I rebel against my Lord, the torment of a mighty day!
Say, 'Had God pleased, I should not have recited it to you, nor taught you therewith. I have tarried a lifetime amongst you before it ;—have ye not then any sense ?'
Who is more unjust than he who forges against God a lie, or says His signs are lies ? verily, the sinners shall not prosper.
They worship beside God what can neither harm them nor profit them, and they say, 'These are our intercessors with God!' Say, Will ye inform God of aught in the heavens or the earth, that He knows not of?' Celebrated be His praise ! and exalted be He, above what they associate with Him!
[20] People were but one nation once, then they disagreed; and had it not been for thy Lord's word already passed, there would have been decided between them that concerning which they disagreed.
Digitized by Google
