He sets forth for you a parable from your own lives. Do you have among your slaves some who share with you the sustenance that We have bestowed on you so that you become equals in it, all being alike, and then you would hold them in fear as you fear each other? Thus do We make plain the Signs for those who use reason. 28 Nay, the wrong-doers (merely) follow their own lusts, being devoid of knowledge. But who will guide those whom Allah leaves astray? To them there will be no helpers. 29 So set thy purpose (O Muhammad) for religion as a man by nature upright - the nature (framed) of Allah, in which He hath created man. There is no altering (the laws of) Allah's creation. That is the right religion, but most men know not - 30 ۞ And remain turning penitently unto Him, and fear Him, and establish prayer, and be not of the associaters: 31 those who split up their religion and became divided into sects; each one exulting in what they have. 32 And when adversity touches the people, they call upon their Lord, turning in repentance to Him. Then when He lets them taste mercy from Him, at once a party of them associate others with their Lord, 33 [as if] to prove their ingratitude for all that We have granted them! Enjoy, then, your [brief] life: but in time you will come to know [the truth]! 34 Or have We sent down authority to them, which points out to them the things to which they pay part-worship? 35 And when We let men taste mercy, they rejoice in it; but if some evil befalls them for that their own hands have forwarded, behold, they despair. 36 And did they not see that Allah eases the sustenance for whomever He wills and restricts it for whomever He wills? Indeed in this are signs for people who believe. 37 Therefore give the relative his right, and to the needy, and to the traveller; this is better for those who seek the pleasure of Allah; and it is they who are the successful. 38 Whatever you pay as interest so that it may increase the wealth of people does not increase in the sight of Allah. As for the Zakah that you give, seeking with it Allah's good pleasure, that is multiplied manifold. 39 It is Allah Who created you, then bestowed upon you your sustenance, and He will cause you to die and then will bring you back to life. Can any of those whom you associate with Allah in His Divinity do any such thing! Glory be to Him and exalted be He above whatever they associate with Allah in His Divinity. 40