۞ (O Muhammad), propound a parable to them. There were two men of whom We bestowed upon one of the two vineyards, surrounding both of them with date-palms and putting a tillage in between. 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 he had fruit, so he said to his companion while he was conversing with him, "I am greater than you in wealth and mightier in [numbers of] men." 34 Having thus harmed his own soul, he entered his garden saying, "I do not think this will ever perish, 35 "And I think not the Hour will ever come, and if indeed I am brought back to my Lord, (on the Day of Resurrection), I surely shall find better than this when I return to Him." 36 While conversing with him his neighbour exclaimed: "Do you deny Him Who created you out of dust, then out of a drop of sperm, and then fashioned you into a complete man? 37 But lo, He is God, my Lord, and I will not associate with my Lord any one. 38 When entering your garden, you should have said, "This is what God willed; All Power belongs to Him. Even if you consider me inferior to yourself in wealth and offspring, 39 “So it is likely that my Lord will give me a garden better than yours, and send bolts of lightning from the skies on your garden – it therefore turns into a barren plain.” 40 or cause the streams in your garden to disappear under the ground such that you will never be able to find them. 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 Nor had he numbers to help him against Allah, nor was he able to deliver himself. 43 In such helplessness, the human being realizes that it is God who is the true Guardian and His rewards and recompense are the best. 44