Allah says:

[وَلَئِن سَأَلْتَهُمْ مَّنْ خَلَقَ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضَ لَيَقُولُنَّ اللَّهُ]

(And verily, if you ask them: "Who created the heavens and the earth'' Surely, they will say: "Allah.'') means, the idolators used to recognize that Allah was the Creator of all things, but despite that they still worshipped others besides Him, others who had no power to bring benefit or cause harm. Allah said:

[قُلْ أَفَرَأَيْتُم مَّا تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ إِنْ أَرَادَنِىَ اللَّهُ بِضُرٍّ هَلْ هُنَّ كَـشِفَـتُ ضُرِّهِ أَوْ أَرَادَنِى بِرَحْمَةٍ هَلْ هُنَّ مُمْسِكَـتُ رَحْمَتِهِ]

(Say: "Tell me then, the things that you invoke besides Allah -- if Allah intended some harm for me, could they remove His harm Or if He (Allah) intended some mercy for me, could they withhold His mercy'') meaning, they cannot do any of that at all. Here Ibn Abi Hatim recorded a narration from Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, attributing it to the Prophet :

«احْفَظِ اللهَ يَحْفَظْكَ، احْفَظِ اللهَ تَجِدْهُ تُجَاهَكَ، تَعَرَّفْ إِلَى اللهِ فِي الرَّخَاءِ يَعْرِفْكَ فِي الشِّدَّةِ، إِذَا سَأَلْتَ فَاسْأَلِ اللهَ، وَإِذَا اسْتَعَنْتَ فَاسْتَعِنْ بِاللهِ، وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ الْأُمَّةَ لَوِ اجْتَمَعُوا عَلى أَنْ يَضُرُّوكَ بِشَيْءٍ لَمْ يَكْتُبْهُ اللهُ عَلَيْكَ لَمْ يَضُرُّوكَ، وَلَوِ اجْتَمَعُوا عَلى أَنْ يَنْفَعُوكَ بِشَيْءٍ لَمْ يَكْتُبْهُ اللهُ لَكَ لَمْ يَنْفَعُوكَ، جَفَّتِ الصُّحُفُ وَرُفِعَتِ الْأَقْلَامُ، وَاعْمَلْ للهِ بِالشُّكْرِ فِي الْيَقِينِ.وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ فِي الصَّبْرِ عَلى مَا تَكْرَهُ خَيْرًا كَثِيرًا، وَأَنَّ النَّصْرَ مَعَ الصَّبْرِ، وَأَنَّ الْفَرَجَ مَعَ الْكَرْبِ، وَأَنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا»

(Be mindful of Allah and He will protect you; be mindful of Allah and you will find Him ever with you. Turn to Allah in times of ease and He will turn to you in times of difficulty. If you ask anyone for anything, then ask Allah; if you seek help from anyone, then seek help from Allah. Know that even if the entire nation were to come together to do you some harm that Allah has not decreed for you, they will never be able to harm you, and if they were to come together to do you some good that Allah has not decreed for you, they will never be able to do that. The pages have dried and the pens have been lifted. Strive for the sake of Allah with thankfulness and firm conviction, and know that in patiently persevering with regard to something that you dislike there is much goodness. Victory comes with patience, a way out comes from difficulty and with hardship comes ease.)

[قُلْ حَسْبِىَ اللَّهُ]

(Say: "Sufficient for me is Allah...'') means, `Allah is enough for me.'

[عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَعَلَيْهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُتَوَكِّلُونَ]

(In Him I put my trust, and let all those that trust, put their trust in Him.) [12: 67] This is like what Hud, peace be upon him, said to his people:

[إِن نَّقُولُ إِلاَّ اعْتَرَاكَ بَعْضُ ءَالِهَتِنَا بِسُوءٍ قَالَ إِنِّى أُشْهِدُ اللَّهِ وَاشْهَدُواْ أَنِّى بَرِىءٌ مِّمَّا تُشْرِكُونَ - مِن دُونِهِ فَكِيدُونِى جَمِيعًا ثُمَّ لاَ تُنظِرُونِ - إِنِّى تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى اللَّهِ رَبِّى وَرَبِّكُمْ مَّا مِن دَآبَّةٍ إِلاَّ هُوَ ءاخِذٌ بِنَاصِيَتِهَآ إِنَّ رَبِّى عَلَى صِرَطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ ]

("All that we say is that some of our gods have seized you with evil. '' He said: "I call Allah to witness and bear you witness that I am free from that which you ascribe as partners in worship, with Him. So plot against me, all of you, and give me no respite. I put my trust in Allah, my Lord and your Lord! There is not a moving creature but He has the grasp of its forelock. Verily, my Lord is on the straight path.'')(11:54-56).

[قُلْ يقَوْمِ اعْمَلُواْ عَلَى مَكَانَتِكُـمْ]

(Say: "O My people! Work according to your way...'') This is a threat and a warning.

[إِنِّى عَـمِلٌ]

(I am working) means, `according to my way.'

[فَسَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ]

(Then you will come to know) means, you will learn the consequences.

[مَن يَأْتِيهِ عَذَابٌ يُخْزِيهِ]

(To whom comes a disgracing torment,) means, in this world,

[وَيَحِلُّ عَلَيْهِ عَذَابٌ مُّقِيمٌ]

(and on whom descends an everlasting torment.) means, ongoing and eternal, with no escape, which will come on the Day of Resurrection. We seek refuge with Allah from that.

[إِنَّآ أَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَـبَ لِلنَّـاسِ بِالْحَق فَـمَنِ اهْتَـدَى فَلِنَفْسِهِ وَمَن ضَـلَّ فَإنَّمَا يَضِلُّ عَلَيْهَا وَمَآ أَنتَ عَلَيْهِم بِوَكِـيلٍ - اللَّهُ يَتَوَفَّى الاٌّنفُسَ حِينَ مِوْتِـهَا وَالَّتِى لَمْ تَمُتْ فِى مَنَامِـهَا فَيُمْسِكُ الَّتِى قَضَى عَلَيْهَا الْمَوْتَ وَيُرْسِلُ الاٍّخْرَى إِلَى أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى إِنَّ فِى ذَلِكَ لاّيَـتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ ]

(41. Verily, We have sent down to you the Book for mankind in truth. So, whosoever accepts the guidance, it is only for himself; and whosoever goes astray, he goes astray only to his (own) loss. And you are not a trustee over them.) (42. It is Allah Who takes away the souls at the time of their death, and those that die not during their sleep. He keeps those (souls) for which He has ordained death and sends the rest for a term appointed. Verily, in this are signs for a people who think deeply.) Allah says, addressing His Messenger Muhammad :

[إِنَّآ أَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَـبَ]

(Verily, We have sent down to you the Book) meaning, the Qur'an.

[لِلنَّـاسِ بِالْحَق]

(for mankind in truth.) means, for all of creation, mankind and Jinn, so that he may warn them therewith.

[فَـمَنِ اهْتَـدَى فَلِنَفْسِهِ]

(So, whosoever accepts the guidance, it is only for himself;) means, the benefit of that will return to him.

[وَمَن ضَلَّ فَإِنَّمَا يَضِلُّ عَلَيْهَا]

(and whosoever goes astray, he goes astray only for his (own) loss.) means, the consequences of that will return to him.

[وَمَآ أَنتَ عَلَيْهِم بِوَكِيلٍ]

(And you are not a trustee over them. ) means, `you are not responsible for guiding them.'

[إِنَّمَآ أَنتَ نَذِيرٌ وَاللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ وَكِيلٌ]

(But you are only a warner. And Allah is a Trustee over all things) (11:12).

[فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيْكَ الْبَلَـغُ وَعَلَيْنَا الْحِسَابُ]

(your duty is only to convey and on Us is the reckoning) (13:40).