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| 164. And when a party among them said to another party, `Why do you admonish a people whom ALLAH is going to destroy or punish with a severe punishment ?' They said, `In order to be absolved from blame before your Lord and that they may turn to righteousness.' 165. And when they forgot all that with which they had been admonished, WE saved those who forbade evil and WE seized the transgressors with a severe punishment because they were rebellious. 166. And when they insolently rebelled against that which they had been forbidden, WE said to them, `Be ye apes despised.' 167. And remember the time when thy Lord proclaimed that HE would surely rise against them, till the Day of Resurrection, those who would afflict them with grievous torment. Surely, thy Lord is Quick in retribution and surely HE is also Most forgiving, Merciful. 168. And WE broke them up into separate peoples in the earth. Among them are those that are righteous and among them are those that are otherwise. And WE tried them with good things and bad things that they might return to good. 169. Then there came after them an evil generation who inherited the Book. They take the paltry goods of this low world and say, `It will be forgiven us.' But if there came to them similar goods again, they would take them. Was not the covenant of the Book taken from them, that they would not say of ALLAH anything but the truth ? And they have studied what is therein. And the abode of the Hereafter is better for those who are righteous. Will you not then understand. 170. And as for those who hold fast by the Book and observe Prayer, surely, WE suffer not the reward of the righteous to perish. |
