The idolaters say: 'Had Allah willed, neither we nor our fathers would have worshipped anything other than Him, nor would we have forbidden anything without Him', as such did those before them. Yet what should Messengers do but give a clear deliverance? 35 And verily We have raised in every nation a messenger, (proclaiming): Serve Allah and shun false gods. Then some of them (there were) whom Allah guided, and some of them (there were) upon whom error had just hold. Do but travel in the land and see the nature of the consequence for the deniers! 36 If you desire for their guidance, yet surely Allah does not guide him who leads astray, nor shall they have any helpers. 37 They solemnly swear by Allah that Allah will never raise the dead to life. No, surely the promise of Allah is binding upon Him, though most people do not know. 38 This is in order that He may make clear to them that which they differed upon, and in order that those who disbelieve might know that they were indeed lying. 39 Whenever We will anything to be, We but say unto it Our word "Be" - and it is. 40