۞ And set forth to them a parable of two men; for one of them We made two gardens of grape vines, and We surrounded them both with palms, and in the midst of them We made cornfields. 32 Each of the two gardens brought forth its produce and stinted not aught thereof; and We caused to gush forth in the midst of the twain a river. 33 And so [the man] had fruit in abundance. And [one day] he said to his friend, bandying words with him, "More wealth have I than thou, and mightier am I as regards [the number and power of my] followers!" 34 And when, having wronged himself, he entered his garden, he said: 'I do not think that this will ever perish! 35 And I do not think the hour will come, and even if I am returned to my Lord I will most certainly find a returning place better than this. 36 And his friend answered him in the course of their argument: "Wilt thou blaspheme against Him who has created thee out of dust, and then out of a drop of sperm, and in the end has fashioned thee into a [complete] man? 37 "But (I think) for my part that He is Allah, My Lord, and none shall I associate with my Lord. 38 When you entered your vineyard, why did you not say: 'Whatever Allah wills shall come to pass, for there is no power save with Allah!' If you find me less than yourself in wealth and children 39 my Lord may well give me a garden better than yours and send down thunderbolts from heaven upon your vineyard, turning it into a barren waste; 40 or its water may sink into the earth, so that you will never be able to find it again!" 41 And [thus it happened:] his fruitful gardens were encompassed [by ruin,] and there he was, wringing his hands over all that he had spent on that which now lay waste, with its trellises caved in; and he could but say: "Oh, would that I had not attributed divine powers to any but my Sustainer!" 42 He had no one besides God to help him, nor could he himself achieve any success. 43 Herein is all protection from Allah the True: He is excellent in respect of reward and excellent in respect of the final end! 44