provided them with good things: and they did not differ until the knowledge came to them; verily thy Lord will decide between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning that on which they differed. And if thou art in doubt of what we have sent down to thee, inquire of those who read the Scriptures before thee. Now hath truth come unto thee from thy Lord: then be not thou of those who doubt, Neither be of those who deny the signs of God lest thou be among the losers. Verily they against whom the word of thy Lord is passed shall not believe,-- Though there came unto them every kind of sign,--till they behold the aching torment. Else any city had believed, and its faith had benefited it:--save the people of JONAH; when they believed, we took away from them the torment of shame in the life of this world, and provided for them awhile. But if thy Lord pleased, verily all who are in the earth had believed together. Then canst thou compel men to become believers? It is not in a soul to believe but by the permission of God: and He shall lay His curse on those who have no wits. Say: Look upon that which is in the heavens and in the earth: but signs and warners avail not a folk that will not believe! What then can they expect but the like of the days of those who passed away before them? Say: Wait ye,--I too am waiting with you. Then will we deliver our apostles and those who believe: thus is it binding on us to deliver the faithful. Say: O ye people! if ye are in doubt of my religion, I do not worship those whom ye worship beside God; but I worship God, who taketh you away; and I am commanded to be of the faithful. And set thy face towards religion as a Hanīf, and be not of those idolaters: And invoke not beside God that which can neither help nor hurt; for if thou do, thou wilt certainly be of the wicked. And if God touch thee with affliction, there is none to remove it but He. And if He desire thy good, there is none to hinder His bounty--He will confer it on whom He pleaseth of his servants: and He is the Forgiving, the Merciful! Say: O ye people! now hath truth come unto you from your Lord; then he who is guided, is guided only for his own behoof: but he who erreth doth err only against himself; and I am no governor over you! And follow what is revealed to thee: and be patient till God judgeth; and He is the best of judges. (x.) THE THUNDER. _In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful._