And those who associate say: had God willed we would not have worshipped aught beside Him, neither we nor our fathers, nor we would have forbidden aught without Him. Likewise did those before them. Naught is then on the apostles except a preaching plain. 35 To every nation We sent a Messenger who told its people, "Worship God and stay away from satan." Some of them were guided by God and others were doomed to go astray. Travel through the land and see how terrible was the end for those who rejected the truth! 36 [Even] if you should strive for their guidance, [O Muhammad], indeed, Allah does not guide those He sends astray, and they will have no helpers. 37 And they swear by Allah with the most energetic of their oaths: Allah will not raise up him who dies. Yea! it is a promise binding on Him, quite true, but most people do not know; 38 In order that He may make manifest to them the truth of that wherein they differ, and that those who disbelieved (in Resurrection, and in the Oneness of Allah) may know that they were liars. 39 When We will something to happen, all that We say is, "Be!" and it is. 40