The idolaters say: 'Had Allah willed, neither we nor our fathers would have worshipped anything other than Him, nor would we have forbidden anything without Him', as such did those before them. Yet what should Messengers do but give a clear deliverance? 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 Though you are ever so eager to guide them, Allah will not guide those who mislead (others). There shall be none to help them. 37 They swear most solemnly in the name of Allah and say: "Allah shall not raise to life any who dies." (Yes, He will do so); that is a promise by which He is bound, even though most people do not know that. 38 That He may explain unto them that wherein they differ, and that those who disbelieved may know that they were liars. 39 The only words We say to a thing, when We desire it, is that We say to it 'Be,' and it is. 40