۞ (O Muhammad), propound a parable to them. There were two men of whom We bestowed upon one of the two vineyards, surrounding both of them with date-palms and putting a tillage in between. 32 Each of those two gardens brought forth its produce, and failed not in the least therein, and We caused a river to gush forth in the midst of them. 33 (Abundant) was the produce this man had: he said to his companion, in the course of a mutual argument: "more wealth have I than you, and more honour and power in (my following of) men." 34 And he went into his garden, while he (thus) wronged himself. He said: I think not that all this will ever perish. 35 Nor I imagine that the Hour is going to happen; and if am brought back to my Lord, surely I will find something better than this as a retreat. 36 His companion replied, in the course of their discussion, "Do you deny Him who created you from dust, from a small drop of fluid, then formed you into a man? 37 He is Allah, my Lord, and I will not associate anyone with My Lord. 38 Why, when thou wentest into thy garden, didst thou not say, "As God will; there is no power except in God"? If thou seest me, that I am less than thou in wealth and children, 39 yet it may well be that my Sustainer will give me something better than thy garden - just as He may let loose a calamity out of heaven upon this [thy garden,] so that it becomes a heap of barren dust 40 “Or its water may sink into the earth, so you may never be able to find it.” 41 And [thus it happened:] his fruitful gardens were encompassed [by ruin,] and there he was, wringing his hands over all that he had spent on that which now lay waste, with its trellises caved in; and he could but say: "Oh, would that I had not attributed divine powers to any but my Sustainer!" 42 And there was no host, beside Allah, to help him, nor could he be of any help to himself. 43 (Then he knew) that all power of protection rests with Allah, the True One. He is the best to reward, the best to determine the end of things. 44