The pagans had said, "Had God wanted we would not have worshipped anything other than Him, nor would our fathers. We would not have forbidden anything without (a command from) Him." The same thing was said by the people who lived before them. Are the Messengers expected to do more than just preach? 35 And indeed, within every community have We raised up an apostle [entrusted with this message]: "Worship God, and shun the powers of evil!" And among those [past generations] were people whom God graced with His guidance, just as there was among them [many a one] who inevitably fell prey to grievous error: go, then, about the earth and behold what happened in the end to those who gave the lie to the truth! 36 Though you are ever so eager to guide them, Allah will not guide those who mislead (others). There shall be none to help them. 37 They swear emphatically in the name of God that God will not raise the dead. On the contrary, it is a promise incumbent on Him, though most men do not understand, 38 [He will resurrect them] to the end that He might make clear unto them all whereon they [now] hold divergent views, and that they who are bent on denying the truth [of resurrection] might come to know that they were liars. 39 (As for the possibility of resurrection, bear in mind that) whenever We do will something, We have to do no more than say: "Be", and it is. 40