SAY: Intercession is wholly with God:9 His the kingdom of the Heavens and of the Earth! To him shall ye be brought back hereafter! But when the One God is named, the hearts of those who believe not in the life to come, shrivel up: but when the deities who are adored beside Him are named, lo! they are filled with joy. SAY: O God, creator of the Heaven and of the Earth, who knowest the hidden and the manifest, thou shalt judge between thy servants as to the subject of their disputes. If the wicked possessed all that is in the earth and as much again therewith, verily they would ransom themselves with it from the pain of the punishment on the day of the resurrection; and there shall appear to them, from God, things they had never reckoned on: And their own ill deeds shall be clearly perceived by them, and that fire at which they mocked shall encircle them on every side. When trouble befalleth a man he crieth to Us; afterwards, when we have vouchsafed favour to him, he saith, "God knew that I deserved it."10 Nay, it is a trial. But the greater part of them knew it not. The same said those who flourished before them; but their deeds profited them not. And their own ill deeds recoiled upon them. And whoso among these (Meccans) shall do wrong, on them likewise their own misdeeds shall light, neither shall they invalidate God. Know they not that God giveth supplies with open hand, and that He is sparing to whom He will? Of a truth herein are signs to those who believe. SAY: O my servants who have transgressed to your own hurt,11 despair not of God's mercy, for all sins doth God forgive. Gracious, Merciful is He! And return ye to your Lord, and to Him resign yourselves, ere the punishment come on you, for then ye shall not be helped: And follow that most excellent thing which hath been sent down to you from your Lord, ere the punishment come on you suddenly, and when ye look not for it: So that a soul say, "Oh misery! for my failures in duty towards God! and verily I was of those who scoffed:" Or say, "Had God guided me, I had surely been of those who feared Him:" Or say, when it seeth the punishment, "Could I but return, then I would be of the righteous." Nay! my signs had already come to thee, and thou didst treat them as untruths, and wast arrogant, and becamest of those who believed not. And on the resurrection day, thou shalt see those who have lied of God, with their faces black. Is there not an abode in Hell for the arrogant? But God shall rescue those who fear him into their safe retreat: no ill shall touch them, neither shall they be put to grief. God is the creator of all things, and of all things is He the guardian! His the keys of the Heavens and of the Earth! and-who believe not in the signs of God-these! they shall perish! SAY: What! do ye then bid me worship other than God, O ye ignorant ones?