۞ AND PROPOUND unto them the parable of two men, upon one of whom We had bestowed two vinyards, and surrounded them with date-palms, and placed a field of grain in-between. 32 Each of the gardens gave its fruit and withheld naught thereof. And We caused a river to gush forth therein. 33 So he had fruit; and he said to his fellow, as he was conversing with him, 'I have more abundance of wealth than thou and am mightier in respect of men. 34 Having thus harmed his own soul, he entered his garden saying, "I do not think this will ever perish, 35 Nor can I think that the Hour (of Doom) will come, And even if I am brought back to my Lord, I will surely find a better place there than this." 36 His friend said to him, "How can you disbelieve in the One who turned clay into sperm out of which He created you? 37 As for myself, Allah alone is my Lord, and I associate none with my Lord in His Divinity. 38 If only, when thou enteredst thy garden, thou hadst said: That which Allah willeth (will come to pass)! There is no strength save in Allah! Though thou seest me as less than thee in wealth and children, 39 "It may be that my Lord will give me something better than thy garden, and that He will send on thy garden thunderbolts (by way of reckoning) from heaven, making it (but) slippery sand!- 40 or cause the streams in your garden to disappear under the ground such that you will never be able to find them. 41 So his fruits were encircled (with ruin). And he remained clapping his hands with sorrow over what he had spent upon it, while it was all destroyed on its trellises, he could only say: "Would I had ascribed no partners to my Lord!" [Tafsir Ibn Kathir] 42 He had no party to help him against God, nor was he able to defend himself. 43 Thereover protection belongs only to God the True; He is best rewarding, best in the issue. 44