And those who associate say: had God willed we would not have worshipped aught beside Him, neither we nor our fathers, nor we would have forbidden aught without Him. Likewise did those before them. Naught is then on the apostles except a preaching plain. 35 And certainly We raised in every nation an apostle saying: Serve Allah and shun the Shaitan. So there were some of them whom Allah guided and there were others against whom error was due; therefore travel in the land, then see what was the end of the rejecters. 36 [As for those who are bent on denying the truth - ] though thou be ever so eager to show them the right way, [know that,] verily, God does not bestow His guidance upon any whom He judges to have gone astray; and such shall have none to succour them [on Resurrection Day]. 37 They solemnly swear by Allah that Allah will never raise the dead to life. No, surely the promise of Allah is binding upon Him, though most people do not know. 38 That He may explain unto them that wherein they differ, and that those who disbelieved may know that they were liars. 39 Whenever We will anything to be, We but say unto it Our word "Be" - and it is. 40