O mankind! Worship your Lord, Who has created you and those before you, in the hope of attaining piety. 21 [He] who made for you the earth a bed [spread out] and the sky a ceiling and sent down from the sky, rain and brought forth thereby fruits as provision for you. So do not attribute to Allah equals while you know [that there is nothing similar to Him]. 22 And if you doubt any part of what We have bestowed from on high, step by step, upon Our servant [Muhammad,] then produce a surah of similar merit, and call upon any other than God to bear witness for you if what you say is true! 23 If you do not produce such a chapter and you never will then guard yourselves against the fire whose fuel will be people and stones and is prepared for those who hide the Truth. 24 But give glad tidings to those who believe and work righteousness, that their portion is Gardens, beneath which rivers flow. Every time they are fed with fruits therefrom, they say: "Why, this is what we were fed with before," for they are given things in similitude; and they have therein companions pure (and holy); and they abide therein (for ever). 25 ۞ God does not disdain to give a parable about a gnat or a smaller creature. The faithful know that it is the truth from their Lord, but those who deny the truth ask, "What could God mean by this parable?" He lets many go astray through it, and guides many by it. But He makes only the disobedient go astray: 26 who break their bond with God after it has been established [in their nature,] and cut asunder what God has bidden to be joined, and spread corruption on earth: these it is that shall be the losers. 27 What has made you disbelieve in Allah? Whereas you were dead and He gave you life; then He will give you death, then bring you to life again, and then it is to Him you will return! 28 It is He who created everything on the earth for you: then He turned towards heaven and fashioned it into the seven heavens. He has knowledge of all things. 29