O people, a parable is set forth: pay heed to it. Those who call upon aught other than Allah shall never be able to create even a fly, even if all of them were to come together to do that. And if the fly were to snatch away anything from them, they would not be able to recover that from it. Powerless is the supplicant; and powerless is he to whom he supplicates. 73 They measure not God with His true measure; surely God is All-strong, All-mighty. 74 God selects messengers from both angels and from mankind; God is all hearing and all seeing: 75 He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them. And to Allah will be returned [all] matters. 76 O men, bow you down and prostrate yourselves, and serve your Lord, and do good; haply so you shall prosper; ۩ 77 and struggle for God as is His due, for He has chosen you, and has laid on you no impediment in your religion, being the creed of your father Abraham; He named you Muslims aforetime and in this, that the Messenger might be a witness against you, and that you might be witnesses against mankind. So perform the prayer, and pay the alms, and hold you fast to God; He is your Protector -- an excellent Protector, an excellent Helper. 78