People, worship your Lord, who created you and those before you, so that you may become righteous, 21 who has made the earth a resting-place for you and the sky a canopy, and has sent down water from the sky and thereby brought forth fruits for your sustenance: do not, then, claim that there is any power that could rival God, when you know [that He is One]. 22 And if you are in doubt about what We have sent down upon Our Servant [Muhammad], then produce a surah the like thereof and call upon your witnesses other than Allah, if you should be truthful. 23 But if ye cannot- and of a surety ye cannot- then fear the Fire whose fuel is men and stones,- which is prepared for those who reject Faith. 24 But give glad tidings to those who believe and work righteousness, that their portion is Gardens, beneath which rivers flow. Every time they are fed with fruits therefrom, they say: "Why, this is what we were fed with before," for they are given things in similitude; and they have therein companions pure (and holy); and they abide therein (for ever). 25 ۞ Verily Allah is not ashamed to propound a similitude, be it of a gnat or of aught above it. Then as to those who believe, they know that it is the truth from their Lord. And to those who disbelieve, they say what intendeth God by similitude? He sendeth many astray thereby, and He guideth many thereby, and He sendeth not astray thereby any except the transgressors, 26 who break the covenant of Allah after accepting it and sever what Allah has bidden to be joined and corrupt in the land. These are the losers. 27 How will ye disbelieve in Allah whereas ye were lifeless and he quickened you; thereafter He will cause you to die, thereafter He will give you life, thereafter unto Him ye shall be returned! 28 He it is Who created for you all that is in the earth. Then turned He to the heaven, and fashioned it as seven heavens. And He is knower of all things. 29