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 To every nation We sent a Messenger who told its people, "Worship God and stay away from satan." Some of them were guided by God and others were doomed to go astray. Travel through the land and see how terrible was the end for those who rejected the truth! 36 Even if you are eager to guide them, God does not surely guide those who have gone astray: They will have no one to help them. 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 [It is] so He will make clear to them [the truth of] that wherein they differ and so those who have disbelieved may know that they were liars. 39 For to anything which We have willed, We but say the word, "Be", and it is. 40