Those who associate others with Allah in His Divinity say: "Were Allah to will so, neither we nor our forefathers would have worshipped any other than Him, nor would we have prohibited anything without His command." Their predecessors proffered similar excuses. Do the Messengers have any other duty but to plainly convey the Message? 35 We sent a Messenger to every nation, saying: 'Worship Allah and avoid the idols' Amongst them were some whom Allah guided, and some justly disposed to error. Travel in the land and see what was the end of those who belied (the Revelation and the prophets)! 36 [Even] if you should strive for their guidance, [O Muhammad], indeed, Allah does not guide those He sends astray, and they will have no helpers. 37 They have sworn by God the most earnest oaths God will never raise up him who dies; nay, it is a promise binding upon Him, but most men know not, 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 Our only saying unto a thing, when We intend it, is that We say unto it: be, and it becometh. 40